Folk rockers Run River North flows in the right direction on debut album [LISTEN]

Society always celebrates the records that top the Billboard 200 album chart. Back of The Billboards is a Music Times weekly segment that looks at the opposite end: the new record that finished closest to the back of the Billboard 200 for the previous week. We hope to give a fighting chance to the bands you haven't heard of.

Week of 03/07/2013
WHO: Run River North
WHAT: Run River North
SPOT: 196

Run River North first came to our attention in a method befitting the the style of music they play. The six-piece had assembled its own music video (under its then name Monsters Calling Home) shooting inside a Honda Fit. The car company appreciated the gesture and hooked them up with Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The rest wasn't exactly history, but the events that led to their appearance on Kimmel were fun, and Run River North specializes in the strand of fun folk-rock that's been lifting spirits of listeners across various radio genre platforms, reminiscent of The Lumineers and Of Monsters and Men. The plot lines aren't always happy, but the backing structure provided by guitarist Daniel Chae, drummer John Chong and violinist Jennifer Rim promises vocalists Alex Hwang and Sally Kang will never fall far if things get that bad.

We can't claim to know anything about the band's personal background, but tracks such as "Growing Up" use spiritual imagery, which might explain the underlying optimism behind the band's message.

The band will tour with the Goo Goo Dolls this spring. Run River North looks like it's going places, and it doesn't need a Honda to get there.