Feedbands: April 2015

Recently, we started a partnership with Feedbands. Feedbands is a truly unique monthly record club. As a member of Feedbands, you would receive the first pressing of a vinyl record from various artists around the world. They are probably the best at explaining their services.


"We love music and feel there are so many amazing artists out there that are just too cool for mainstream. We want to support them and share their music with their world!

All our artists keep the rights to their music, are paid by us, and offered free records in exchange for allowing us to ship their vinyl all around the world. A service truly made to support artists by a group of passionate artists."


I started receiving subscriptions with their April release of Pray for Rain by Marty O'Reilly and The Old Soul Orchestra. Marty O'Reilly and The Old Soul Orchestra formed two and three quarters of a year ago. The founding members (Marty O'Reilly, Jeff Kissell, Chris Lynch) combined their musical backgrounds into a sound best described as folk blues. The bio included with the record states, "The band lives and thrives on tour, spending most of their time planning and playing shows all over the country and in Europe. If you love their album, and you feel like your whole town would get stoked on them, reach out and tell the band!" You can find them on Facebook here.

Upon opening the record and reading the sleeve, I immediately had expectations. When I saw banjo listed as an instrument, I expected a Mumford and Sons sound. Marty O'Reilly and the Old Soul Orchestra are so much more. There is a slight similarity to Mumford and Sons, but Marty O'Reilly and the Old Soul Orchestra pull from so many other genres and influences. Marty O'Reilly's vocals and lyrics definitely have a soulful blues sound.

The band does not use the term 'orchestra' without reason. The members play a variety of instruments not often seen in modern music. Their arrangements include glockenspiel, trumpet, cello, banjo, and the basic guitar, drums, bass. Their large arrangement is showcased throughout the album, especially on "The Captain's Daughter (Pt. 1)" where the band takes a dark, rich sound. Marty O'Reilly and The Old Soul Orchestra are definitely a band worth listening.