A Conversation with River City Extension, Part 3

Photo: Chase Heaverlo of Shady Buffalo

Muccino, Anger, Mexico, and a New Song

Note: This is the third in a series of posts (Part 1, Part 2) in which I'll share with you portions of my conversation with River City Extension's Joe Michelini and Patrick O'Brien. We sat in my backyard, drank a few beers, and had a long chat. You'll hear crickets, dogs, planes, trains, bottles and glasses knocking around. You'll also hear some very interesting insights on music and beer.

Last week, River City Extension premiered the first song from their upcoming LP Deliverance, slated for March 2015, over at Paste.

"Something's Gotta Give" is a good introduction to the record. It shows the band moving on from the more folky sound of Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger, while setting up the album's themes of overcoming self-doubt and making difficult moral choices.

According to Joe Michelini and Patrick O'Brien, it's also the first songwriting collaboration for Michelini with significant contributions coming from guitarist John Muccino. In the next clips, we discuss that as well as the generally more collaborative approach that River City Extension took on Deliverance. We also get back to our discussion of the band's past catalog, with special focus on Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger; and Joe and Pat reveal what Unmistakable Man favorite "Mexico" will sound like at Simple Gifts 5.





Finally today, we've gotta touch on a beer. At this point, we'd already had a couple of wild ales and the Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale from Michigan's Founders Brewing. Our fourth beer came from Quebec's Unibroue. It's one of my favorites, the Belgian style strong dark ale called Trois Pistoles. Here's our quick take.



Check back here next week, on the eve of Simple Gifts 5, for the final installment of my chat with Joe Michelini and Patrick O'Brien of River City Extension. I think it will be kind of an odds and ends piece, maybe a beer or two and some other thoughts.

Also, head over to rivercityextension.com to see all the details on Simple Gifts and to grab a free download of "Something's Gotta Give."