Ben Reel

Play this new Ben Reel CD to any music aficionado, and ask them where it was recorded. Nine out of ten would say Nashville. Guaranteed.
Now, Ben Reel may not be a household name (yet), but let's assume for a moment his work is unfamiliar to you. OK, what genre music would you say Time To Get Real was? No problem - southern, country blues rock.
And name any influences you can hear at play? Again, no problem - Neil Young is an obvious one, but also Springsteen and perhaps Chris Isaak and even a little Clapton circa 361 Ocean Boulevard.
So, nationality? No brainer - a man from the deep south of the US of A.
Wrong on all accounts, because Time To Get Real is the 5th album in 10 years from Irish guitarist and singer songwriter Ben Reel. And naturally it was recorded in Monaghan in the north of the emerald isle.
In reviewing Ben's last album New Horizon (2007) - which had an altogether more 'west coast' feel - we pondered on image, and what might make Ben stand out from the likes of Marc Cohn.
It may be that with Time to Get Real, and diving deep into Americana, Ben has found his niche. Beautifully played and recorded it's bound to strike a chord with the market that's fuelling the resurgence of Neil Young, and Springsteen's exploration of the American psyche.
But the challenge is still to get his music across the pond. It's not easy to crack America - many have tried and failed, but the rootsy warmth of the songs, the soulful singing and classy playing (some wonderful blues guitar and harmonica work) would undoubtedly be lapped up with a little exposure.
So remember the name - Ben Reel - a real class act.
***
Review by Pete Whalley
- Get Ready To Rock

Put simply and aptly, New Horizon is all killer, no filler! Rarely have I heard an album so complete and so fully realised. From the brilliance of the playing and arranging to the magnificence of Reel's voice, this is heaven all the way. A superb album by an artist good enough to hold his own in rock’s premiere league.

Andrew Hobbs, Hi Fi + magazine - Hi Fi +

Summers Always here" is an easy-breezy, Dylan-y affair while "Feel Alive" is upbeat acoustic soul at it's best"
'hotpress' (Celina Murphy) Oct 09
- Hot Press

IRISH TIMES (JOE BREEN)

Ben Reel
Time To Get Real
B.Reel Records ***
The opening track in Ben Reel’s 20th anniversary album is a cracker. Rainy Night nails down the pang of loneliness that emigrants feel when they are far from home and someone says something that just triggers regret. The easy, soulful melody and performance underlines the impact, with Reel’s singing striking just the right note. It is the high point of the album. Though Feel Alive , the title track and the gospel of Old Bog Road come close. The Armagh singer-songwriter comes across as a honest man determined to use his love of music to best effect, and he is lucky in having a band, particularly guitarist Mick McCarney, full of expression and no little skill. www.benreel.com
Download tracks: Rainy Night, Time to Get Real
- IRISH TIMES

Northern Ireland native Ben Reel has delivered a roots album that is full of strong songs and good playing. There’s some solid keyboard playing, a rhythm section that drives things along and some very tasty guitar from Mick McCarney. Reel’s voice is accompanied by welcome backing vocals that help to portray the mood of the songs. Rainy Night sets the tone for time and place, a song that looks at what has been missed by moving away from your home town. Other topics are ageing, freedom, the nature of searching and of truth. Mature songs for a mature audience that’s given a melodic and malleable musical base that could just as easily have come from the States as from Northern Ireland. Reel no doubt has taken from those who have also come from the North, such as the undeniable influence of Van Morrison as a beacon of musical innovation. Reel does not have Morrison’s track record, but this is an album that shows all the signs of a true talent making his own way.


It’s time to get serious is the signal Ben Reel gives with the release of his latest cd “Time to Get Reel”. Wasn’t he before? Haven’t got a clue because for me Ben Reel is a complete stranger. He is (northern) Irish and has been working at his craft for quite some time.
“Time to Get Reel” sure is a good way to get to know him and the cd is full of piercing impulses. Delicate songs, strongly carried by the accompanying musicians, but by no tarnishing ben’s Vocals. (His vocals show comparisons to Rod MacDonald and John Stewart). I hope that I grow old and wise suggests that Ben has come to an age where he starts realising his own mortality, what undoubtedly determines the profundity you find again in his lyrics.
With what I don’t want to affect his compositions. As I said before, I only know Reels past from what I read in his biography, But “Time to get Reel” indeed looks like the start of a new development, a new awakening. No trace of a personal crisis. My guts tell me Ben Reel has defined he wants to make a good product. One he will be remembered by. The closing song “Old Bog Road” tells of a permanent goodbye Ben Reel manages to create a excellent variation of styles, and within a limited nr of spins I still a real positive feeling about Ben Reel. Serious, skilful. driven …. (after the official songs there is a hidden track, a live song, where you hear the presence of a modern day Elvis. Not renewed, but very entertaining.
- http://www.lonesomehighway.com/pdf/online-issue-7.pdf

Ireland has long been enjoying a good reputation, where the singer-songwriters are concerned. And with Ben Reel has another one to be proud of. With "Time To Get Real" the man has just delivered his fifth album in ten years time, and that is a very beautiful album. Reel is gifted with a warm, a little soulful vocal style, shows himself a truly excellent song smith and professional manner together in genres like rock, pop, folk, Americana and blues into his songs. He calls himself Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young as inspiration, but there really is not much sign of that. Reel sounds like a particularly original. Someone with a vision of his own writing and placing songs. Someone with an own sound. And it would absolutely not surprise us if he behave the songs on "Time To Get Real" soon break on larger scale. He fully deserves it already! Songs like it a little reminiscent of Neil Young "Rainy Night", the beautifully subdued piano and harmonica work on-going rootspopdeuntje "Summer's Always Here", the soulful rockin 'Feel Alive', the bluesy bounce "Keep On Drivin '", the summer, somewhere between pop, folk and country resident "Old & Wise" is simply magnificent. - www.ctrlaltcountry.be

The Irish hearts are often rather melancholic. Maybe the beautiful sceneries see to a tendensy of warmth and retirement. It characterizes at any rate the dark songs of Ben Reel, which the cover of the newest album, time to get real, suggest. Eleven songs written by reel himself and richly arranged with violin, piano, appropriate guitar lines and a choice of extra additioned instruments.
With this the Irish know how to display a large scale of spheres and feelings, carying names as Neil Young and sometimes Bob Dylan. Indeed in rags, because Ben Reel is a slippery costumer.
Ben’s first album, “this is the movie”, came out in Ireland in 1999, after this the EP ëxorcise me”(2000) only with 3 tracks, which seemed to be forerunner for his second album “Lost in Haze” (2001). After that came Sweet Victory (2004), U People (2006) and New Horizon (2007). We don’t have to complain about man’s releases and qualities: guitarplayer Ben Reel, born in silverbridge but now living in Castlebalyney, is a supreme storyteller; has a pleasant voice, writes, beside that, upperclass songs and has also the quality to gather very able musicians around him. At his new album Ben Reel is accompanied again by a fine equilibiated band: Ronnie, Michael. Mickey, John, Colin.
And now we are calling names: the recordings were done in the Attic studios with producer Ronan who also has a vocal contribution in the last two songs. In the quite openers Rainy Summers etc. we hear Reel’s wife Julieanne who takes the change of the singing second. Anyway, in their natural but yet larger soundscape is more than enough space for improvisation and variety, which we can hear clearly on their new album.
What Ben has settled with this successor is impressing. In 11 songs the band knows to create an oppressing atmosphere, which gets enlightened only now and then. Rasping and grating, then again with deceptive lovely acoustic guitars, then with thin guitarsounds and spacious violin, the listener is taking to a voyage through the Deep South of the mind, which only can turn out bad. It is oppressing, dark, stirring and especially very beautiful. Roots, pop and folk are going hand in hand with now and then an experimental strain.
The point is that Ben Reel makes magnificent music. Music that mixes influences from alt-country with the atmospheric and darkness the music from Ireland so often charcterizes.
Music that attracts attention by the variety and the highstanding music, because they really can play. Ben Reel searches, with his new album, joining with the greatness of the alt-country, but takes here at the same time surrender. Time to get real is just a good patterncard of the ability of the Ben Reel Band.
Everything sounds beautiful, clear and especially respectable. The sharp ends are removed expertly and almost everything is produced in a way that it has to be specially accessed for the singersongwriter radiosize.

Freddie Cells
- www.rootstime.be /Rein van den Berg Oct 09

When it comes to making classy albums, Ben Reel's your man. Year on year, Reel's songwriting is growing in stature in every department, yet he still doesn't get the wide spread recognition he richly deserves
it's one of the strongest albums this year. This CD isn't just music: it's art.

AllGigs.co.uk review of New Horizon, 8th October 2007
- AllGigs.co.uk

Ben Reel, a native of South Armagh, has in the words of one journalist ‘operated under the media’s radar for far too long’. On the evidence of this release, his fourth album, I would have to agree. The songs and the playing are really impressive, an earthy mix of rock, roots and blues, all mixed lovingly together with soulful vocals. His song writing shows maturity and progression which comes through with repeated plays. Featuring some great slide guitar from Micky McCarney and terrific vocals from Kelie Redmond, “Hell In Ur Own Head” is a standout, closely followed by the semi spoken “When Will Be Ever Be Free”. “For U And I” shows the band at their best with a lovely rock/soul groove that you wish would go on longer. All in all this is an impressive album from a major talent who needs further investigation.
Chris Field, Birmingham Post
- Birmingham Post

I guess when it comes to the blues, growing up in Ireland gives you a real introduction to spirit and passion and not always in a good way. There's lots to inspire and Ben Reel has absorbed those influences and let them inform his particular style of travelling blues. "Time To Get Real" isn't a classic troubadour album, but it is deep hearted blues packed with characters, places and just a wee bit of drinking. The songs are strong through out, all could standalone without being thought of as filler. Time to step up from being a solid support to being the headliner.

- http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/releases.html

The Irish hearts are often rather melancholic. Maybe the beautiful sceneries see to a tendensy of warmth and retirement. It characterizes at any rate the dark songs of Ben Reel, which the cover of the newest album, time to get real, suggest. Eleven songs written by reel himself and richly arranged with violin, piano, appropriate guitar lines and a choice of extra additioned instruments.
With this the Irish know how to display a large scale of spheres and feelings, carying names as Neil Young and sometimes Bob Dylan. Indeed in rags, because Ben Reel is a slippery costumer.
Ben’s first album, “this is the movie”, came out in Ireland in 1999, after this the EP ëxorcise me”(2000) only with 3 tracks, which seemed to be forerunner for his second album “Lost in Haze” (2001). After that came Sweet Victory (2004), U People (2006) and New Horizon (2007). We don’t have to complain about man’s releases and qualities: guitarplayer Ben Reel, born in silverbridge but now living in Castlebalyney, is a supreme storyteller; has a pleasant voice, writes, beside that, upperclass songs and has also the quality to gather very able musicians around him. At his new album Ben Reel is accompanied again by a fine equilibiated band: Ronnie, Michael. Mickey, John, Colin.
And now we are calling names: the recordings were done in the Attic studios with producer Ronan who also has a vocal contribution in the last two songs. In the quite openers Rainy Summers etc. we hear Reel’s wife Julieanne who takes the change of the singing second. Anyway, in their natural but yet larger soundscape is more than enough space for improvisation and variety, which we can hear clearly on their new album.
What Ben has settled with this successor is impressing. In 11 songs the band knows to create an oppressing atmosphere, which gets enlightened only now and then. Rasping and grating, then again with deceptive lovely acoustic guitars, then with thin guitarsounds and spacious violin, the listener is taking to a voyage through the Deep South of the mind, which only can turn out bad. It is oppressing, dark, stirring and especially very beautiful. Roots, pop and folk are going hand in hand with now and then an experimental strain.
The point is that Ben Reel makes magnificent music. Music that mixes influences from alt-country with the atmospheric and darkness the music from Ireland so often charcterizes.
Music that attracts attention by the variety and the highstanding music, because they really can play. Ben Reel searches, with his new album, joining with the greatness of the alt-country, but takes here at the same time surrender. Time to get real is just a good patterncard of the ability of the Ben Reel Band.
Everything sounds beautiful, clear and especially respectable. The sharp ends are removed expertly and almost everything is produced in a way that it has to be specially accessed for the singersongwriter radiosize.

Freddie Cells
- www.rootstime.be /Rein van den Berg Oct 09