We're in the age of the folk orchestra, and The Red River is the wild crest crashing against the West coast, brass, strings, keys and choir. Their sing-along style strikes a note against typical Southern California groove, growing out of the closecracks in the sidewalk in Long Beach. The sincere vocals of lead man Bill Roberts echo long drives in the midwest, whistling with the road and rivers sewing songs to the horizon. To see them live is to see notes drawn on the air with the pen and ink of dancing tambourines and smiling French horns, not forgetting a rabble of drunken guitar strings battering against the Aztec Choir. Their newest doings can be found on Brave Records, a delicious four-way split featuring The Old Believers, Lake, and Congratulations!

Riverbeds (opening scene) from Mike Turner on Vimeo.

Labels: 7", brave recs, the red river