Irish bard returns with organ‑infused songs anchored in love, hope and resilience.
Ben Reel has been a musician since 1989, when he was 17. He’s been hailed as the “Irish Bruce Springsteen” by some critics and as a “true troubadour” by others. This is his 12th studio album, on which he blends a range of styles from rock, folk, soul, blues, to americana. It’s a well-constructed record with some fine musicianship on display. Many of the tracks feature some warm, 1960s-sounding, Billy Preston-esque, swirling Hammond organ, courtesy of John McCullough, which acts as a great counterpoint to Reel’s vocals. The album is on the Dutch label Mars Music. Reel has a strong link with the Netherlands via his Dutch wife, Julieanne Black Reel (who is also a musician), and the Dutch band Haarlem Buoys, with whom he has often performed and recorded.
Opening song ‘Better be Better’ is a reflection on trying to improve relationships that are “like a fragile flower”. The coda could be a nod to The Beatles’ “Getting Better”. Reel ruminates on his mortality in ‘Come What June’ singing “My future’s shorter than my past, How long more I’m going to last, Before I finally run out of gas, And run out of Road.” Reel’s looking in the rear mirror of life whilst contemplating the changes in the music industry that’s meant the wolf’s at his door, as the result of “free downloads and streams”. It’s the standout song on the album.
There are some common threads which run through every song, two of which are love and resilience. Reel has said recently that “It’s easy to feel powerless, but this album is a reminder of a simple truth: ‘Love one another.’” It’s a notion that we could all do well to bear in mind. ‘The Joker’ seems to be a commentary on the current state of the world and resilience that is needed, pondering that the world may be “Some kinda simulation, Like some crazy dream” and that “God is the joker within”. The idea of love being the answer is also addressed in “Love and Only Love.”
‘Down by the Stream’ would not be out of place on one of Van Morrison’s albums, conjuring up images of “John Constable’s countryside” and spending time with a loved one. In places, the album edges slightly towards the middle of the road, but that’s a minor criticism. Proceedings are brought to a close with the title track, “Spirit’s not Broken”, a song of hope which finishes with Reel singing “Lift me out of the dark, Spirit’s not broken.” It’s clear that Reel’s spirit is still strong, and if anything, it’s burning brighter than ever, and that he intends to keep on keeping on.
