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Ben Reel
Irish singer/songwriter Ben Reel will
release his 6th studio album on the 22nd April 2013
entitled “Darkness & The Light”. It will
include 11 brand new songs. This will be the first record
that he has recorded & produced in his own home
studio in Co. Armagh. There will also be a special limited
edition of the album available only on the benreel.com
website, which will include 5 bonus tracks.Since his
debut back in 1999, each album has gone from strength
to strength, touching on different styles of music from
rock,soul,blues, Alt Folk/Americana & with the occasional
injection of reggae. This was highlighted on his 2012,
18 song best of album (Ben Reel 1999-2009 Compilation
10) released only as a limited edition for loyal fans
to buy at gigs, also available on iTunes worldwide.Ben’s
music has evolved into an honest earthy sound that has
matured like a fine wine and he has very much his own
sound today. This can be heard on this new album.Darkness
& The Light is a powerful soulful album with deep
meaningful lyrics and memorable epic anthemic songs,
with strong melodies combined with imaginitive expansive
arrangements. Recorded digitally but with an analog
feeling of warmth. The songs deal with the struggles
of life of ordinary folk since the global economic
crash. Also probing for spiritual meaning and balance
between the Yin and the Yang, trying to find light,
hope and healing in these troubled times. Serious songs
from a serious artist in a serious moment in time.In
the last 10 years he has had numerous high profile TV
& Radio appearances and airplay under his belt including
Bob Harris BBC Radio 2 and has supported names like
Jools Holland, Alabama 3, The Cranberries and appeared
as a special guest at one of Hal Ketchum's shows in
Dublin. He has performed his radio hit ‘U People’
with the late great Ian Dury’s legendary ‘Blockheads’
and has recorded the song with award winning saxophonist
Gilad Atzmon.
Over the last 5 years Ben has enjoyed successful tours
in Europe, receiving rave reviews and attracting a growing
fan base . His band includes amongst the finest musicians
in Ireland, his brother in law Michael Black on Drums,
Ronnie O’Flynn on bass and Mick McCarney on guitar.
With this line up they have built up a loyal underground
following. Ben is often described as an ‘artist
lying beneath the radar for way too long’.
In 2011 Ben played showcase gigs in Nashville
& Memphis (Folk Alliance) where he colloborated
with some of Nashville's finest, David Olney, Sergio
Webb & Irene Kelley to name a few. Plans are in
the pipeline to return to the U.S in 2013 to promote
his new record and to follow up on his success on Airplaydirect.com
radio download rock chart, which he has been number
1 for the last 3 months. Plus he will be touring extensively
in Ireland, UK & Europe.
www.benreel.com
www.myspace.com/benreelband
www.facebook.com/benreel
www.sonicbids.com/benreel
www.reverbnation.com/benreel
www.twitter.com/benreel
www.youtube.com/cosmicshifting
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