SINGLE REVIEW: Insecure by Riot Course
As far as debut singles go, Insecure sets the bar high for Michigan alt-rock trio Riot Course. The track opens with a hypnotising guitar riff - it’s sleek, sexy, and it borders on creepy - but with just those opening chords, you’re hooked.
When the world’s gone to shit and you’re stuck at home, what else can you do but turn your frustrations into art? That’s what songwriter and vocalist Kate Emrich did, taking her original songs to the studio and forming a new band within her inner circle of friends, including alternative DIY regular Spencer Haithcock (bass), and Sawyer Dupree (drums) who attended the same music school as her growing up.
Armed with fifteen years of musical experience, Emrich’s ideas translated through her fervent vocals, hot guitar riffs, and gritty bass tracks. On December 28th, just in time to wave goodbye to 2020 (and throw up a middle finger while they’re at it), Riot Course released their first single, Insecure, the product of ruthless persistence and independent artistry - and it’s a fucking banger.
Although Insecure is the first release as Riot Course, it is not Emrich’s first experience being in a band or releasing music. She explains: “I have been in a few bands before, but I never felt as if the other members involved had the same passion and the right intentions pursuing music. In addition, they never took me seriously as a writer. I was never even seen as an equal. The best thing I thought I could have done moving forward to protect my integrity was to write, record, and release songs without the input of other members. So that’s what I did.”
Emrich’s vocals are fierce as fuck - she embodies a powerful, commanding energy that demands your attention. With a headbanging chorus that has you bobbing your head to the beat of the drums, Riot Course came crashing onto the scene, and now we can’t stop listening.
The song is a massive ‘fuck you’ to the toxic people in your life - and what better way to introduce the world to your new band other than through an explosive rock diss track about someone who fucked you over? We love that energy.
Insecure is the first single off an upcoming EP which we can’t wait to hear! Now that we have the first taste, we’re obsessed, and expect nothing but absolute tunes from Riot Course. The alternative trio anticipates a fruitful future, and hopes for a time in the near future in which live shows can thrive again.
Stream Insecure on Spotify and Apple Music now
Review by Chloe Robbins
