Unsigned The Magazine Review, May 2008
Does the world have any more room for angel voiced songstresses? I certainly hope so because debut album “Inside My Head” by Clare Reynolds is a testament to what a sweet voice can do for your mood and heart. Think Sarah Maclaughlin but a tad bit more upbeat. The album has been five years in the making as Clare took time to live life and share her very real experiences with us. Her songwriting is clear and simple. Her voice is steady and beautiful. This is not an album for bitter hearts and minds. It’s for those that have learned from and are made happier by life’s lessons. The tracks that stood out to me were ‘Inside My Head’, ‘Time to Love’ and ‘Garden of Hope’. “Inside My Head” is a wonderfully strong first effort.
RadioIndy Review, May 2008
Wow - "Inside My Head" is an outstanding pop/adult rock CD that features the tremendous vocals of Clare Reynolds. Clare uses pitch-perfect vocals delivered with excellent emotion to provide a set of outstanding tracks. This is a commercial, radio-ready CD that has a "wow" factor that we find in the initial independent recordings of some of today's big-name artists.
Australian born singer/songwriter, Clare Reynolds, is a rare find. Brave, pure and honest storytelling. Her natural ability to engage listeners, showing a vulnerability, telling real stories about love and life.
Her sound, described as Vanessa Carlton mixed with Sarah McLachlan and Jewel with an essence of Sheryl Crow, is earning recognition from the international music community.. In March 2008 Clare signed a deal with Isabel Pappani at Undercover Tracks, an American Based Licensing Company for Film and Television Synchronization and was the support act for prominent Australian Artist Wendy Matthews in June 2008. Clare Reynolds has been awarded winning Finalist Runner-Up in the POP Category of The UK Songwriting Contest. Her song 'I Won't Break' scored a 9/10 by the International judges and has beaten over 6500 entries. Reynolds' was the only Australian songwriter in her category and one of the only Australians in the top 40 finalists across all categories. Clare is the Winner of SongwriterUniverse 'Song of the Month Contest for April 2008, She was invited to showcase at the New Music West Festival in Vancouver Canada, where she performed 2 shows in May 2008, She was a nominee in the 2007 LA Music Awards which she attended in Hollywood, Semi-Finialist in the 2007 International Songwriting Competition. She was featured as 2007 Runner Up for the "We are Listening UK" International Singer/Songwriter Awards and received an Honorable Mention Winner in the 2007 USA Unisong International Contest.
Clare's debut album 'Inside my Head' was independently released in August 2007. The songs narrate beautifully raw and enlightened stories about the patterns of life. Capturing our imagination with her heartfelt lyrics delivered by a voice that is sincere and unpretentious.
"The album is a collection of stories and experiences, summing up who I am and where I've been". "They are songs that I've written over the last 5 years so for me it's about my journey up until this point in my life".
Time for Love, the first track on the record is an 'inspiring and hopeful song' about the roller-coaster of one's life. Amongst the chaos we sometimes fail to remember that "there is a time for everything, a time to wait, to wish, to ache, to hurt, to hate, to lie and to love". "If we could surrender to this universal truth, we could bring ourselves closer to embracing the journey and the places life takes us", explains Clare. "Sometimes we have to come emotionally and mentally undone to be reminded that love has a power greater and brighter than ourselves".
In September 2007, Clare and her fiance, Daniel McGahan (co-producer of 'Inside My Head' with Simon Watson) set out on a 5 month journey to America. With a desire and fascination for America, Clare set out to experience the music, the culture, it’s people and some of the most talked about cities in the world. Her journey was one of self discovery as an artist, a songwriter, a musician and a human being. To read the detailed blog of the up’s and down’s of following a dream, head to Clare’s journal. www.clarereynolds.net/blog/
To read the feature article in the SongwriterUniverse online magazine go to www.songwriteruniverse.com
'Inside my head' presents life's happenings through which we can lose and discover, belong or remain on the outside; come to better know or no longer recognise ourselves; witness illuision and truth; and experience faith and despair. 'Two worlds' certainly co-exist in one space, simultaneously uniting and dividing us against ourselves and sometimes each other.
"I try to write openly and with real honesty ", she says, unable to hide the stars in her eyes.
Band Members
Clare Reynolds- Singer/Songwriter/piano player
Website
www.clarereynolds.net
Influences
My influences are life, my friends and family, movies, books and of course music.
Other Artists
Shawn Colvin, Ben Lee, The Weepies, Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, John Mayer, Marvin Gaye, Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin,The Beatles, Coldplay, Alison Krauss, Crowded House, Fiona Apple, Jewel, Mindy Smith, Reeve Carney, Tori Amos, David Gray, Ani DiFranco, Brooke Fraser, Elton John, Joni Mitchell and loads more..
