Explore the Social Abyss with Rags & Riches’ New Single, “Blood Runs Cold”

Quarantine hasn’t stopped Rags & Riches from creating. The challenges many of us are facing in today’s world make their music even more necessary, and the Lexington, Kentucky-based duo have definitely pulled through.

Rags & Riches, an American pop-punk project, was formed in 2017, and over the past two years, Tanner and Peyton have worked hard to “[discover] their unique sound, identity, and aesthetic.” The resulting debut single, “Speed of Sound” collected over 650,000 streams on Spotify and over 500,000 views on YouTube less than three months after its February 2019 release.

Their latest release, “Blood Runs Cold,” echoes and enforces the creative talent that helped their previous tracks achieve such success. Made available on all streaming platforms on Friday, April 24th, the track is one that will have a lot of meaning for many listeners, especially now.

According to Tanner (Vocals), “Blood Runs Cold’ is something we had been working on for quite some time, but it couldn’t have been more relevant for the times we are living in.” The song, written from the perspective of a teenager who just can’t seem to find their place or fit in, its storyline is about how “they find their niche and stand out by being true to who they are.”

Like all of Rags & Riches’ tracks that I’ve reviewed, “Blood Runs Cold” has that special something that makes you want to listen over and over again. The song’s unique harmonies and carefully off-beat spacing of echo the off-kilter feeling of not knowing who you are. As usual, Tanner’s voice is crisply accentuated by powerful electronic rhythms and a dynamic, rising edge in the track’s aesthetic.

The lyrics of “Blood Runs Cold” highlight the journey that many of us face as young people with beautifully-constructed phrasing : “Is your head on straight? / Cause I feel like a stranger in a social abyss / Locked inside a box while my survival’s at risk…” Still, Rags & Riches reassures us that “even two left feet can adopt a beat,” and “we’re all the same,” even if it may not always feel like it. In times like these, it’s an important phrase to remember.

While upcoming tour dates have been postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak, it hasn’t stopped Rags & Riches from releasing new music, and there’s surely more to come.

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Read more Rags & Riches:

RAGS AND RICHES Has Arrived!
RAGS AND RICHES are Far From Strangers to this Blog!
On the Edge with Rags and Riches
Best EPs of Summer 2019!
Best Singles of Fall 2019!
Best of 2019!

***Like the majority of my reviews, a submission fee was charged for this post.***