“River Run”, the latest single from Mert Spalty, is an almost four-minute exercise in tension and release, kicking you off your favorite couch cushion every couple of minutes just to keep you on your toes. Getting the ball rolling with a violin solo that sets the tone by making some unconventional melodic detours, “River Run” settles into a comfortable acoustic guitar-centered groove under a melody that would keep Doug Martsch humming in his head long after the song is over. Just as the guitar solo starts to wrap you up like a warm blanket, it implodes in a cacophonous train wreck of feedback. before the violin and vocal melody gently pick up the pieces and drive it all home.
River run describes my perception of time. I find that time wears down a person the same way that a river wears down a rock. I think it’s human nature to try to prevent this. However, that builds potential for a catastrophic reckoning– as time always wins.
