Rich Ragany & The Digressions Announce New Album “What We Do (To Not Let Go)”

Fronted by former Role Models leader Rich Ragany, the last few years has seen the Calgary, Canada born and now UK based songsmith build up quite a reputation with his band of rock n ’roll trailblazers, The Digressions. With musicians that include Andy Brook (SHUSH), Gaff (Glitterati / Dedwardians / Desperate Measures), Ricky McGuire (UK Subs / The Men They Couldn’t Hang), Simon Maxwell (Role Models / Yo Yos) and Kit Swing (Mallory Knox / Seven Days And Doesn’t Die), the band won over the hearts of many in 2021 with their critically-acclaimed Beyond Nostalgia & Heartache album and shared stages with the likes of The Lemonheads, Warrior Soul, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Whitfield Crane, Ginger Wildheart, The Professionals, Steve Conte as well as packing out London venues in their own right, all this deserved attention has led to the band signing a deal with Barrel And Squidger Records and are set to return on the 3rd March with their brand new album, What We Do (To Not Let Go) that is now available for pre-order.

The band are giving people their first sweet taste of the album’s charms with One Last Thing To Prove, a song that lulls the listener into a false sense of security with a beautiful piano and simple chord refrain before, out of nowhere, The Digressions kick in with a Stooges worthy rock n’ roll riff, complete with Raw Power one-note piano stabs. But the vocal harmonies that the band are renowned for lift the song far beyond any low rent garage vibes, and the song soars. It’s a taster of an album that is crammed full of soaring melodies and the kind of rock n’ roll that can take on many different moods, sounds and styles. For What We Do (To Not Let Go) that band went for a different approach to its predecessor…

“As ‘Nostalgia….’ had that wide-screen depth and cinematic feel I decided to lay down a new approach. Gone were layering guitars and keys, in with punchy one takes… everyone getting one shot… everybody gets one job (Gaff is lead guitar, Kit rhythm for example no layers… just the parts), solos are solid takes and not pieced together. This to me would ensure that everyone’s personality would shine right through while making the songs far more immediate and vital. If it’s one thing I’ve learned while being incredibly lucky to work with the Digressions, it’s that they have a ton of personality. After writing, recording our ‘Beyond Nostalgia And Heartache’ album through the pandemic I felt we were on an incredible creative roll. So just before the release of Nostalgia I booked time again with Andy at The Brook Studios in Wallington Rock City. I had the songs and the band had grown into something very special. We had to keep going, which felt natural. What you get is a muscular yet melodic, anthemic rock n roll album. A new way of telling our story. One I can say I am so proud to be part of.” (Rich Ragany)

Album release parties are confirmed for March 3rd at The Parish in Huddersfield and March 4th at The Camden Assembly in London, the band have also just secured the main support slot on The Southall Lawless Stage of The Call Of The Wild Festival on May 27th with more dates across the country o be confirmed.