Reno McCarthy Releases New Album 'Run Up River'

Montreal alt-pop artist, Reno McCarthy has released his sophomore full-length record, Run Up River, via Balustrade. It's a carefully crafted yet unfiltered take on insecurity, frustration and comfort that is gritty, as much as it is timeless and adventurous, and includes the singles, "Nightout," "Sundown," and "For a Moment." Run Up River is available to purchase or stream now.

"There's a general sense of tension and release throughout Run Up River," says Reno. "Although most of the songwriting process began before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I think it's more relevant now than ever considering the exasperation, uncertainty and longing for liberation which plague us all."

Songs like "For a Moment" and "Nothing Less, Nothing More," with their explosive arrangements and rich sound design, effortlessly weave the warm and fragile mood of others like "June" and "Century Gothic." Its sensitive songwriting, passionate performances and heavy focus on creative production techniques make Run Up River both unique and instantly relatable.

With Run Up River, Reno also engineered most of the record himself, which is something he had never done before. Having his hands on the board and on the mouse and being creative in the recording of his own music helped to greater develop the overall sound.

"I tend to dislike things I make really quickly after finishing them, but I still really enjoy hearing the record," adds Reno. "Honestly, I'm really proud of it. There are always things that could've been approached differently or mixed differently but that's how it always goes. Music's never really over anyway, and the songs will take on a new body when we start playing them live."

Listen to the new album here: