Rags and Riches – holiday. (2023)
Featured on Earmilk, Pop Dust, American Songwriter, Vents Magazine and Atwood Magazine, duo Rags and Riches have been described as “memorable and uplifting…”, “…energetic…” and adding a “…modern twist…”. This is my introduction to Rags and Riches, but I feel bowled over not only by their profound themes but also their genre-defying sound. From alternative rock to indie-pop, brothers Tanner and Peyton Whitt ooze an enthusiastic, adrenalized vibe in their melodies. The latest addition to their well-received discography is the single ‘holiday.’
Taking on concepts like anxiety, monotony, inner turmoil and a yearning for freedom, Rags and Riches captures the essence of living in a bustling but not exciting world. Monotony is a horrid thing and can easily drive a person insane, so the carefree messages in ‘holiday.’ is refreshing. Moreover, its execution as a lively, vivacious alt-pop tune enhances the joyfulness hidden in that “carpe diem” mode. Lying somewhere between Glass Animals and Foster The People, ‘holiday.’ hits you in the gut with the energetic music while simultaneously embracing you with its warmth.
Following the hard-hitting single ‘TALK’, ‘holiday.’ is a powerful synth-driven track with an electropop inclination. Interestingly enough, I hear a slight hint of Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump in the bold vocals as heard in FOB’s single ‘Centuries’. It is this straddling of various genres with electropop undertones that bring a slight distortion to the single; however, everything is harmonically melded into a heart-stopping melody.
While the melody can hold its own, it is the concept behind the single that speaks to me. Penned with their friend DeMarko Murphy, Tanner Whitt explains that ‘holiday.’ “…came from a place of feeling burnt out on the schedule we were living. We had been doing the same schedule for a few years and this was our ‘get me out of this way of living’ mindset…” Uplifting and radiating feel-good vibes, ‘holiday.’ is an anthemic tribute to change, breaking out and embracing that freedom you know is waiting for you.
For more from Rags and Riches, check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
