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

Rich “Rags” Ragany has been a constant during my tenure at The Punk Site, I initially encountered him with The Role Models who released three albums in three years, 2015’s The Go To Guy, 2016’s Forest Lawn and 2017’s Dance Moves, which are now all available as name your price downloads via Bandcamp. After The Role Models he released a solo album, 2018’s Like We’ll Never Make It, and latterly he’s settled in with the all star outfit, The Digressions, who released Nostalgia & Heartache in 2021 and are now set to reveal What We Do (To Not Let Go) on the 3rd March via Barrel And Squidger Records. This equals an impressive six full lengths in eight years alongside a smattering of EP’s, singles, a live bootleg and guest appearances, that are all delivered with a remarkable level of consistency. This is done despite steadily shifting in style across the years from the early power pop of The Role Models to the rockier shores he has drifted towards with The Digressions.

On What We Do (To Not Let Go), Rags is accompanied by a wealth of talent that practically qualifies as a supergroup in it’s own right with 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) backing him up on their latest full length. Rags unmissable vocals sound as good as ever with a soundtrack that still recalls the punky power pop of his former outfit, but it’s all delivered in a more measured and restrained manner. This is a theme that develops across the album as it incorporates elements that reflect the diversity of the line up’s influences. As we grow older most of us embrace a more varied soundtrack, and What We Do (To Not Let Go) reflects this with a more mature, reflective and less abrasive album than you might be led to expect when reading through The Digressions origins.

Rich Ragany & The Digressions are a hybrid styles and it’s one that certainly deserves to be heard, What We Do (To Not Let Go) does not have it’s roots set in any style, the album flows with contrasting influences coming to the fore. This is not an album that grabs you and shakes you, rather it washes over you as it flows towards to it’s conclusion, this is the soundtrack that can, and should, accompany those hazy late night moments of glorious lost weekends. Dramatic guitar solos are delivered, thankfully without the full on histrionics of the rock scene, and likewise when an an almost country rock element creeps in it is kept in check. What We Do (To Not Let Go) is a hybrid that sits on the fence of many styles and influences. This is something that has been reflected across each of Rags releases, and I very much doubt that his journey is over yet.