Three years after the release of their critically acclaimed sophomore album Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger, Toms River, New Jersey band River City Extension will release their latest full-length Deliverance on March 10, 2015 on Anchor & Hope Records. SPIN is premiering a new track, “Man of Conviction” from the album today, calling it “as expansive as the album gets, with its heavy use of strings and piano almost giving it a ’70s rock sense of largesse, with a touch of Counting Crows in the vocal delivery and a little early Vampire Weekend in the drum-thumping breakdown.”
Deliverance is also now available for pre-order.
River City Extension has also announced a full U.S. headlining tour, with Air Traffic Controller for support, starting in March and continuing well into April.
Deliverance is comprised of ten tracks that successfully create a succinct, effortlessly executed indie rock opus reminiscent of Tom Petty, Paul Simon, Girls and Dirty Projectors. While guitarist/vocalist Joe Michelini originally served as the core of River City Extension, Deliverance sees Michelini and long-time collaborators John Muccino (guitars/vocals/strings) and Patrick O’Brien (keyboards, vocals) expanding into a full band with the addition of Josh Gilman (bass).
Michelini was heavily influenced by Ayn Rand during the writing of Deliverance. Much of the record was informed by her thoughts on morality and productive work, as Michelini applied these to his search for identity within the music industry and as an artist. The songs weigh the importance of staying true to oneself within the complexities of the modern world. Deliverance was produced, engineered and mixed by Pat Noon over 14 days in a vacant ski-lodge in the Poconos.
River City Extension formed in 2007, and have released two full-lengths and numerous EPs and splits including a 2011 split with Kevin Devine. Paste named the band a “Band to Watch” in 2010, and NPR has hailed the band’s “serious ambition”. The group has toured the country extensively, performing everywhere from the Newport Folk Festival to Bonnaroo to Austin City Limits.