Steve
Reynolds’ a breath of fresh air
for music
By
Kara Ogushi
Daily Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Soulful and eclectic are two words that define Steve Reynolds’ brand
new album, “Exile.” From the minute the first song begins, the
gentle strumming of his guitar invokes images of simpler days, before the pressures
of life took over.
Reynolds’ music has a rare quality many other artists are lacking: he
has produced an album that can be listened to until the end. His songs blend
so well into one another that you can turn his album on and just sit back and
enjoy.
His music flows from sounding folksy with songs such as “Forsaken” and “Market
Fool” to a more modern sound with “Happy” and “Painter
and Son.” He covers the themes of love, lost loves, redemption and having
run-ins with the law.
Reynolds describes his music in the January 2006 issue of Amplifier magazine
by saying, “I like to bring the messiness of life into my performances
and my writing.” But , he adds, “I have a hell of a time describing
what I do.”
However, this is what makes it a great CD to relax to but it also doesn’t
allow any particular song to stand out. Reynolds’ voice has a soft, rock-like
tone that makes me think of Bryan Adams when he sings. Reynolds wrote all the
songs that were featured on the album.
The cover of his album shows a sad but determined Reynolds carrying only the
bare necessities: his guitar and a stool as he looks back while walking away
from us. His title song “Exile,” is appropriately the last track
on the album, refers back to his picture with lines such as “Heading
out, this is not mine anymore. Had it all, now it’s my time to go. Laid
it out, there’s nothing left to show, And I need to make a call.”
Another interesting thing to note is that a few of Reynolds’ song titles
invoke images of Christianity such as “Only son,” “Forsaken” and “Exile.” None
of Reynolds’ songs mention anything about religion directly, so this
may just be a coincidence.
It seems Reynolds is enjoying his exile from his former home in Vancouver,
Canada and has been getting very cozy in his new home of seven years in Echo
Park, Cali., where he has built a large following of fans. He said he left
Vancouver because he felt like he had “run his course” there and
didn’t have a lot of family in the area.
Reynolds recently completed a European tour with Tom McRae where he gained
new fans overseas and recharged him for his newest release.
The first song that hit the radio waves in September was “Dear Rose,” which
sounds like a catchy love song but is actually about a father grieving for
his daughter after she was killed in a drive-by shooting.
In an interview with Amplifier magazine, Reynolds also talked about why he
started singing.
“My whole trip has been kind of organic. I only began singing about three
years ago. I was always a guitar player in other people’s bands. One day,
I woke up and had something to say,” Reynolds said.
You can visit his Website at www.stevereynoldsmusic.com/ for more information
about his tour in California.
He has also jumped on the bandwagon and opened up a Myspace account at www.myspace.com/stevereynoldsmusic.
Reynolds’ soothing melodies may carry you far from home, but where he
takes you on this trip to “Exile” is just as comforting and familiar.
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