Canadian artists are dominating the music charts. From Justin Bieber to Michael Buble, you can't go anywhere without hearing their music blasting from the radio. Well get ready, we're about to introduce you to some Montreal natives you won't want to miss out on. If you love that old school rhythm & blues vibe, you need to check out The Ria Reece Band.
The Ria Reece Band is here to bring back that powerful and soulful sound that's severely lacking in the music industry today. In fact, their music is very reminiscent of legends like Etta James, Koko Taylor, Sam Cooke and Al Green. They formed back in September of 2011 and since then have been playing at venues all across Canada. They're known for their great live shows, which include high energy and extreme passion. Last year, they were even invited to play at Gatineau-Hull's 16th edition of Blues Viree Borealis. That's not all though. Just this past summer, the Ria Reece Band performed at the highly talked about Quebec Summer Festival. This is huge for any musician.
Now they're out with their self-titled debut album. Even though it only came out in August, it already has been spun on several college and community radio stations throughout Canada. The album has also appeared on various Folk/Roots/Blues top 10 charts such as CHRW 94.9 FM ON London and 101.9 FM CFUV Victoria BC. After listening to the 10-track album ourselves, we're hooked on The Ria Reese Band.
Two standout tracks for us were "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and "Whisper". While the two numbers are completely different from one another, they showcase exactly what we love so much about this band. "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is a fun, catchy number about that feeling you get when you're starting to like someone. We can't help but jam out to it, especially since it's the perfect song to listen to in your car. "Whisper" on the other hand is a soft ballad that truly showcases Ria Reece's haunting vocals. You can feel every lyric that she sings, which is so rare nowadays. It's hard to find artists who connect to the music quite like she does.
As the Blues Underground Network once said, the Ria Reece Band is "as good as any female fronted Canadian Blues band out there, maybe even a little better." Make sure to buy their self-titled album here, follow them on Twitter, like their Facebook page and check out their official site.
