Since 2017, the entity that is Riley! has been making waves and riding their momentum from their hometown in Texas to all the way across the United States and the other side of the Atlantic ocean. They have played on bills alongside artists such as Camping in Alaska, Michael Cera Palin, Your Arms Are My Cocoon, and festivals such as Fauxchella and Sophomore Slump. From their very beginning, they came in hot and with full momentum, and have yet to show any signs of slowing down.
Initially known as Sine Cura, the Rio Grande Valley band rebranded themselves as RILEY! in the Summer of 2018 with their debut self-titled album releasing just a month afterwards. Since then, the band has continued to release energetic, ear-worm inducing music and put on live shows that will leave you smiling, finger-pointing, and breathlessly begging for an encore. Never wavering in their enthusiasm and momentum, the band has released their newest single “Keep Your Cool, Man” from their upcoming third, full-length record.
This single is the band’s debut release with Counter Intuitive Records since their signing with the label back in January. With this newest release, it is clear that the band has taken a great amount of patience, dedication, and care into the newest additions to their discography. With the talents and dedication of the musical trio, in cooperation with the knowledge and keen ears of producer Kieran Krebs of Overcast Recordings, the band has created a more mature sound that makes long-time fans feel as though the band is a long-time friend that they have happily witnessed grow. The familiar twinkliness, mathy guitars, and all the midwest-emo-ness are still present, but in a more refined manner that displays the years of growth of the musical skills of each member of the band. If you thought they had pulled out all the stops over the years, what’s next from them will be a shock.
For both old and new fans, of which this newest release will surely garner, there are already plenty of opportunities to experience a RILEY! this Spring. Later this month, the group is heading out on a US tour with the band summerbruise, which will conclude with an opening slot for Hot Mulligan in Indianapolis on April 8th. 2024 is already slated to have a RILEY! spring, and it would be no surprise if summer brought even more from and for them. “Keep Your Cool, Man” is proof that some things get better with age, and RILEY! Is, without a doubt, one among those.
