Friday, March 03, 2023

Rich Ragany & The Digressions - What We Do (To Not Let Go)


What We Do (To Not Let Go) is the remarkable third album from London-based rock and roll outfit Rich Ragany & The Digressions. It highlights not only one of contemporary music's finest songwriters but also one of its most extraordinary bands. Rags as a creative force has now authored six full-length albums in less than nine years — each subsequent release undeniably better than the one that preceded it. I've been fortunate enough to chronicle this progression from the very good glam punk influenced power pop of the first Role Models album to the genre-transcendent brilliance of the newly-issued What We Do (To Not Let Go). Even as I endeavor to reign in my longstanding propensity for overstatement, I cannot help but describe this latest release as a masterpiece. Suffice it to say that if you love great music of any kind, you need Rich Ragany & The Digressions in your life. 

In the case of Rich Ragany & The Digressions, numerous reviewers have already pointed out some of the major influences at play. They'll bring up Tom Petty, the Replacements, the Rolling Stones, Johnny Thunders, and Bruce Springsteen (just to name a few). I don't disagree with any of that. But more than anything else, Rich Ragany & The Digressions sound like themselves. The band (Rags on vocals and guitar, Gaff on lead guitar, Kit Swing on guitar and vocals, Andy Brook on keyboards and guitar, Ricky McGuire on bass, Simon Maxwell on drums) possesses a blend of talent and chemistry that is nothing short of special. After recording 2019's solo release Like We'll Never Make It with all these gifted players, Rags realized he had found magic and made the band a permanent entity. 2021's Beyond Nostalgia & Heartache took things to another level, and now What We Do (To Not Let Go) has done the same. Across these 14 tracks, you'll hear hints of everything from classic rock to folk music to country rock to power pop. The album beautifully traverses moods and styles with its mix of sing-along rockers, haunting ballads, and gorgeously melodic gems. Uniting the entire collection are the pure heart of these songs and the majestic hooks that have become a Rags signature. 

In the aftermath of the widescreen sounding Beyond Nostalgia & Heartache, Rags set out to capture a less layered, more live sound on What We Do (To Not Let Go). What results is an album that allows all of these musicians to shine individually even as they come together as a singular, tight-knit band. If Gaff is not already a world-renowned guitar hero, surely he will be soon. And no doubt more than a few bands in the upcoming years will attempt to recreate the "Kit Swing backing vocal" sound. Yet even with a less grandiose approach to recording, there's still something undeniably epic about this album. The songs truly soar, and Rags has a way of making these tunes feel uplifting even if (or perhaps because) he's singing about super-heavy stuff. This is not an album I recommend for passive listening or background music. It's a collection of songs you'll want to experience while you're sitting back with a cold beverage or taking a long solitary walk. These are meaningful songs that come from a place deep in Rags' heart and are brought to life by a vibrant and exciting rock and roll band. It's hard for me to single out individual tracks on what is such a consistent and splendidly flowing album. But I will say that the album's softer, more reflective moments ("Highgate Sun," "Shade of Shameless") are every bit as enjoyable as its anthemic rockers (such as the title track, "Til I'm On My Feet Again," and "One Last Thing To Prove"). This album, like its predecessor, is a reminder of music's power to bring people together. We're all in this thing called life together, and we all have no choice but to keep going through struggle in loss. What We Do (To Not Let Go) is the kind of record that will lift you up when your day has gone to shit and inspire you to embrace hope wherever you can find it. If there's any justice, it will sell in the millions and necessitate an arena tour. Pick a copy today from Barrel And Squidger Records.

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