Balance isn’t so hard to find if you’re searching the right spaces, and LA River Bend have definitely found a sweet spot. The band’s new single “Mountain” is a blending of worlds, a folk-rock anthem that compels us to shine.
Breathe in, close your eyes,
Count backwards to the time
You didn’t wanna fall apart,
When life was just an open jar
We’ve been chicken shit,
It’s hard to go legit
The water don’t remember you,
The motions that it led you through
Listen: “Mountain” – LA River Bend
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/353433035?secret_token=s-ICjuQ” params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Mountain,” the latest single off LA River Bend’s forthcoming EP, Run These Hills. From the Golden State of California, Americana/folk band LA River Bend consists of Nate Weiner (Vocals, Guitar), Emily Elkin (Cello, Vocals), Branden Stroup (Bass, Vocals, Guitar) and Jacob Seldes (Drums). Emerging two years ago as a much more folk-based group, the band’s 2017 reintroduction finds them donning a harder-hitting musical identity that, in this writer’s opinion, strikes true gold. Their application of traditional folk melodies over rock-influenced dynamics is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who listen.
Slap my eyes as we climb,
yes I was blind up the mountain,
the Mountain
Take my hand, I’ll pull you close,
The wind it burns on the west coast
To the summit of the mountain,
the Mountain
“‘Mountain’ is my personal favorite on the EP,” shares Nate Weiner, “It was written simultaneously with our first single, ‘Summer Wind.’ It has a lot of elements that embody our new electric sound like slightly surfy guitar, modulated cello layering, a heap o’ harmonies, and a flowing dynamic range. At the time, I wrote it as a source of positivity for continuing music and the band, but hopefully it can be applied more universally. It could totally be that inspirational indie folk rock jock jam to help a cello loving listener make the most of their workout.”
Wake up, I don’t know,
What we kept and what we let go
And I don’t wanna understand,
How this could make a better man
Cursed all night at our faults,
Open wounds for the salt
And the ocean don’t remember you,
The heartache that it put you through
“Mountain” is an excited embrace of all that is and all that could be, and just as Weiner says, it transcends distinct genre lines, mixing a dash of this with a heaping portion of that. We all have our own mountains to climb – obstacles we must face and overcome. Looking back, challenges seem so much easier than they felt at the time – and at the time, they can seem so very, very daunting. “Mountain” captures the intensity of what looms ahead, while affirming that there is another side beyond the pale, after everything is said and done, where we can look back and be proud of what we’ve faced.
Slap my eyes as we climb,
yes I was blind up the mountain, the Mountain
Take my hand, I’ll pull you close,
The wind it burns on the west coast
To the summit of the mountain, the Mountain
An invitation to join in celebration, “Mountain” is not to be missed. Stream LA River Bend’s passionate new anthem, exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
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photo © 2017
