Riley!’s new EP, To Live and Die in the American South, arrives as a defining moment for a band who have spent the last few years quietly becoming one of modern emo’s most compelling young voices. Their roots in South Texas have always shaped their sound, scrappy, heartfelt, and steeped in the realities of growing up somewhere far off the map, but this release marks a clear evolution. The five tracks feel more polished, more intentional, and more digestible than anything they’ve done before, without losing the wholesome EMO heart and edgy alternative bite that first endeared them to fans
The band’s hyper‑modern spin on Midwest emo remains intact, but the screamo textures that coloured their earlier work have been mellowed and refined. Riley! aren’t so much abandoning their roots, more sharpening them. The result is an EP that keeps you enthused from the opening swell to the final fading heartbeat, offering a more accessible entry point for listeners who might not usually gravitate toward heavier emo while still delivering the emotional intensity their fanbase expects.
As an openly queer, progressive band living in a deeply red state, Riley! have always carved out their own version of belonging. That tension, between isolation and connection, between being seen and being overlooked, runs through the EP’s title and into every song. These tracks feel like dispatches from South Texas: stories of anxiety, grief, friendship, and the quiet resilience required to grow up in a place that doesn’t always make space for you. Their fans, especially those who share similar small‑town upbringings, will find the EP deeply relatable, but its themes stretch far beyond the Rio Grande Valley. Riley! have always written from personal experience, but here their storytelling feels more universal than ever.
The EP opens with Roll for Initiative, a track that bursts in with syncopated, off‑kilter energy and a thread of existential dread that sets the tone for what follows. Riley!’s collaborative spirit shines throughout the record, with features from Tades Sanville of Hot Mulligan, Eric Egan of Heart Attack Man, and Gabe Wood of Saturdays at Your Place. These appearances don’t overshadow the band; instead, they expand the EP’s emotional and sonic palette. Another Round of Radical ‘Ritas, Please spirals through the familiar ache of feeling left out and left behind, while Two Bucks leans confidently into melody, lifted by Egan’s soaring harmonies. Backseat Bartender taps into classic emo influences with a modern sheen, and each collaboration feels like a sure‑fire sign of what’s to come for Riley! as they step into a bigger, more connected era.
But it’s the closer, 73 Summers, that delivers the EP’s most devastating emotional blow. Written around the ten‑year mark of Ryan Bluhm’s grandfather’s passing, the song is a tribute steeped in grief, unanswered questions, and the quiet devastation of depression’s impact. Bluhm’s reflection on growing up with a single mother and a grandfather who felt like a second father gives the track a weight that’s impossible to ignore. The song’s structure mirrors that emotional journey: a soft, lulling beginning that builds into a massive wall of sound before fading into nonexistence. The final repeating piano note, meant to emulate a heartbeat that abruptly stops, is a haunting and deliberate choice—one that not only closes the song, but symbolically brings the entire record to an end.
To Live and Die in the American South is Riley!’s most cohesive and emotionally articulate release to date. It’s classic emo with a modern twist, polished without losing its edge, and rich with storytelling that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable. More than anything, it shows a band levelling up in real time, embracing collaboration, refining their sound, and stepping confidently into the next chapter of their career. If this EP is any indication, Riley! are on the cusp of something much bigger, and their fans will undoubtedly follow them every step of the way.
Riley! will be heading out on their headline run this summer before UK shows supporting label mates Ben Quad. See below for full itinerary.
NORTH AMERICA HEADLINE SUMMER TOUR Support comes from Kerosene Heights and Bugsy
20 July 2026 — Washington, DC — Pearl St
22 July 2026 — Philadelphia, PA — Nikki Lopez
23 July 2026 — Boston, MA — Warehouse XI
24 July 2026 — Hartford, CT — Webster Underground
25 July 2026 — New York, NY — Elsewhere – Zone One
27 July 2026 — Chapel Hill, NC — Local 506
28 July 2026 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade (Altar)
29 July 2026 — Orlando, FL — Will’s Pub
31 July 2026 — Dallas, TX — TX Tea Room
2 August 2026 - McAllen, TX- The Gremlin (HOME TOWN HEADLINER- TIX)
SUPPORTING HOT MULLIGAN TOUR (NORTH AMERICA)
30 October 2026 – London, ON – London Music Hall
31 October 2026 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
1 November 2026 – Ottawa, ON – History
3 November 2026 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
4 November 2026 – Portland, ME – State Theatre
6 November 2026 – Providence, RI – The Strand Ballroom & Theatre
7 November 2026 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
9 November 2026 – Baltimore, MD – Nevermore Hall
10 November 2026 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
11 November 2026 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall
13 November 2026 – Miami, FL – MIami Beach Bandshell
17 November 2026 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre
19 November 2026 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company
20 November 2026 – Nashville, TN – The Truth
SUPPORTING BEN QUAD (UK DATES)
13 October 2026 – Manchester – YES (Pink Room)
14 October 2026 – Newcastle – The Cluny
15 October 2026 – Glasgow – Stereo
16 October 2026 – Birmingham – O2 Institute3
17 October 2026 – Leeds – The Key Club
19 October 2026 – Kingston – The Fighting Cocks
20 October 2026 – Brighton – DUST
22 October 2026 – Bristol – Exchange
23 October 2026 – Southampton – The Joiners
24 October 2026 – London – Dingwalls
Purchase ‘To Live and Die in the American South’ HERE
