Run River North want you to embrace your anger. Though their roots are with jangly, upbeat, smiles-all-around singalongs, on their latest record, Drinking From A Salt Pond, the LA band has taken a turn for the, well...salty.

And that’s OK—who among us doesn’t need to vent sometimes? The touring, television appearances, the tight quarters—rock star life sounds glamorous on the outside but comes with its own set of stresses that can push a band to its limits.

But Run River North have a way of making their challenges work for them. We talked to guitarist/violinist Daniel Chae about the band’s past and present and the troubles of being poster children for Korean-Americans everywhere. Here are 10 things you should know about Run River North.

On April 11, 2016, Daniel Chae Had A Falafel For Lunch

He’s calling from Philadelphia—“Philly,” he says—on a rare day off in between shows on this tour, supporting their most recent record, Drinking From A Salt Pond. Most days are spent prepping for the night’s performance, but on days off, they like to do their own thing. He just came back from lunch. “At a falafel place. It was delicious.”

They’re Tired

“This tour has been lacking in rest days,” he says. On their days off, some members of RRN will go out and explore the city, but others “just go home, lay down.”

The Name Change Wasn’t Entirely Their Idea

Long-time fans might remember that they used to go by another name: Monsters Calling Home. A few years ago, they had to change name because it was too similar to “this other band,” says Chae (we’re gonna guess Of Monsters and Men). “We chose Run River North because it had a variety of meanings, and we’ve been rolling with that ever since.”

The New Record Marks A New Course

Early fans might remember RRN as having an acoustic, beach-bonfire vibe, but Salt Pond is also the premiere of a shinier, newer and edgier band. “It was a combination of us wanting to play a bigger live show and a bigger sound,” says Chae of what prompted the change. “The lyrical content was more angry, we thought it would pair nicely.”

Their approach is working. “We have people screaming louder, being more alive (at our shows),” says Chae.

They Believe In Anger

The natural tension of being in such a large band influenced the change in emotion on Salt Pond. Chae freely admits that their lyrics aren’t as upbeat as they once were and is totally fine with that. “The first album was full of hope and ambition; that river has become toxic and salty. And it’s OK to draw from that well,” he says. Anger is a valid human emotion, and Run River North believe in broadcasting that message. The overall theme of their newer work? “Relationships are worth fighting for.”

They’re Funny

Chae has a great deadpan, and there are a lot of self-aware laughs in his conversation. On his band’s former status as a folk band: “If you see a six-piece Korean band play folk music, you can pretty much call folk dead.”

Touring Is Not That Glamorous

Run River North have a classic success story: Hard work and determination brought them swift national acclaim. As proud as they are of their accomplishments, rock stardom, like any other job, has its pitfalls. On the downers of tour life: “It’s the long drives, it’s the inability to be more than five feet away from another person for 20 hours a day. The constant loading and unloading. (We joke that) being in a band is 95% waiting and loading stuff,” he says with a light laugh. “But that 5% makes it worth it.”

They’re A Little Tired Of Being Called “The Korean Band,” Thanks

Almost every interview and article makes quick mention of Run River North’s Korean-American heritage. It’s not that they’re not proud of their heritage, it’s that they’re more than just that. “We don’t want to be an NPR band,” says Chae. “That’s brought up in basically every single interview. 

“It does bug me when we’re introduced as the Korean-American band…That said, I think America has come a long way.” They did sell out the night before, after all.

Their Favorite Bands Are Your Favorite Band

When asked about their influences, Chae doesn’t launch into a laundry list of obscure, nerd-approved references—he cites a curated list of familiar names. “Modest Mouse, Cage the Elephant, The National,” he says. That came in handy when hunting for a producer for Salt Pond—they went with Lars Stalfors, whose credits include radio-friendly bands with solid indie cred, like Cold War Kids and Matt and Kim. “He’s pretty familiar with the alternative-slash-pop world, on the verge of indie,” says Chae. “(The new record is) toeing the line of ‘polished,’ but it’s not, like, Selena Gomez.”

They Love LA

The six members of RRN met in their local Los Angeles community, and their Southern California heritage is just as influential as their Korean-American heritage. “Growing up in LA, it’s the ultimate mixing pot of cultures,” says Chae. “Specifically, Armenians hanging out with Koreans. That’s how diverse it is.” Chae credits Los Angeles as an influence, alongside their favorite bands and their producer. “I don’t think you could make a six-piece Korean band in any other city.”