I never really gave Green River Ordinance a chance. I listened a couple of their songs a looong time ago and wasn't impressed. Fast-forward to today and I'm glad to say that I gave them a second listen. GRO are all at once dynamic, laid back, and hummable.
Their new album Under Fire is set to come out on February 28th and if their lead single "Heart of Me" is any indication, this is going to be an album full of growth. The songwriting is sharper, the hooks crisper, and it just seems like a stronger effort. "Heart of Me" starts with buzzed out guitars and really takes off with Josh Jenkins vocal delivery. (And they are giving the song away for free here!) Green River Ordinance is proof that bands sometime deserve another listen.
Whatever happened to the great Americana rock band? Jakob Dylan held onto the genre with The Wallflowers for a while, and now he's trying to keep it alive with a solo act. And helping him with that heavy torch is The Riverwinds. They somehow have infused their straightforward rock with a homespun quality that is very hard to get right. What The Riverwinds do is create a music landscape that encompasses great melodies, slick guitar licks, and hooks that pull you in closer.
Lead singer Bryan Wood, has a rugged country twang that elevates everything he sings. Let's Roll could've been just a secondhand affair about getting out of a small town. With Wood at the helm he sings his heart out where you actually believe him. I Want You to Know is filled with guitar hooks that from the first 30 seconds you know the song cannot disappoint. It doesn't both musically and lyrically. With lines like I'll think twice before I get myself into something that could be good, that tell of a former player with his heart set on change.
The Riverwinds are brimming with a modern Americana sound that would fit nicely into the dusk of a cool summer night. Good luck finding a physical copy of their full length LP though, digital copies are available through all the usual outlets. A must buy for any lover of a little alt-country with their rock. The Riverwinds- Myspace Let's Roll (acoustic)-
