RAGS AND RICHES pledge allegiance to high-octane performances with music that feels refreshingly free of both nostalgia and commercial calculation. Their latest project, the Arrival EP contains irresistible big hooks, as the band opt for a prickly and patient approach to big payoffs.
Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, the duo consisting of brothers Tanner & Peyton Whitt, make themselves comfortable by writing their most accessible-sounding music. They open up their pop formula, letting the music breathe without ever changing its stylistic rock core.
Such stretching would often be assessed a sign of maturity by the band, arriving with mean productions such on the track “X”. It’s the highlight of the band’s ability to come up with an ambitious record that showcases their most primal, exploratory state. You can feel the freedom and imposing presence from the very first note.
Being the lengthier track on the EP, “X” gains its strength through chunky vamps, never moving slowly, yet rarely moving fast. It pushes the band to reach new levels of heaviness and face-melting gnarliness with a record that feels unique and original to their sound.
It’s an odd sensation, listening to an EP made by spirited individuals who come alive on each track and put their best foot forward every time. It’s ultimately a rewarding experience! Everybody seems involved and plays their part to sculpt songs with care, while also not losing sight that the EP should sound immediate and bracing.
