BEN REEL – Time To Get Real

“Time to Get Real” is an overpowering album, beginning with “Rainy Night” which holds that typical country feel with a striking harmonica introduction portraying a noticeable influence of Neil Young which becomes more apparent as you listen to the album. Reel grew up in County Armagh, Ireland and first picked up a guitar at the age of 10, it seems that this was the wisest decision he could have made. The album is packed with beautifully emotional lyrics and when combined with the powerful guitar you find yourself occupied by the album and without realising it’s over.
Backing vocals from Julieanne Reek are especially exceptional on “Summers Always Here” and furthers the romantic feel. As the album continues you experience the wide range of musical variety Ben Reel has to offer, with more upbeat tracks with a funk beat such as “Who You Are” as well as the more traditionally Irish “Old & Wise” not to mention the title track which combines all styles put forward on the album to create a successfully typical country rock penultimate track to begin the end of the album. “Time to Get Real” ends with the mostly instrumental track “Old Bog Road” which is the non visual equivalent to a theatres encore, powerful and memorable- two words that I believe may best describe the album.