Press

INTERVIEW IN AMERICANA GAZETTE: http://www.americanagazette.net/news
June/July 2011 Issue (pages 21 & 31)

PRAISE FOR RAGGED CHOIR

"Listening to the music of Bob Rea is a little different than most musical acts.  There’s not a smiley face, “Have A Nice Day” song anywhere to be found.  Rather, these fourteen songs are all about real life—-and the decisions that you make in life–sometimes good, sometimes bad ...he has released an album that tells the truth—at least how he sees it.  And, in this day where nobody wants to offend, he’s to be commended for that!"
—Chuck Dauphin, Music News Nashville

"'Ragged Choir is an incredible album by a man who has the nerve to turn his words into the most blatant and furious assault on America propriety."     — John Shelton Ivany, National News Bureau

“Rea sings in a craggy baritone with a touch of the sardonic, which is appropriate to his lyrics to story songs full of reflections on hard lives lived by the down and out in a country going to hell in a handcart. Producer Tim Lorsch surrounds Rea's dire pronouncements with attractive folk/country arrangements...and the backup musicians assure that even if things are as bad as Rea supposes, there is some pleasure to be had in listening to songs that elucidate the crisis.”  — William Ruhlman, AllMusic

"An earlier album of Bob's, Black Highway, received a lot of praise and I'm sure that Ragged Choir can only enhance his reputation. The fourteen songs let his imagination range around all sorts of aspects of the underbelly of American life. The musical landscape is changing fast...If part of this change is that guys like Bob Rea, articulate and musical down to the toes of their cowboy boots, can conjure a musical career as they approach retirement age then that's just fine by me."    —John Davy, Flyingshoes Review

“...Even in some of his darkest songs [Rea} leaves some room for a glimmer of hope. And, in the end that is what this beautiful amalgam of swamp and roots rock, gospel, country and folk does. We should praise our lucky selves that Rea is making records like Ragged Choir. A great recommendation!" —Alt Country Forum

PRAISE FOR BLACK HIGHWAY

"The coolest, outlaw-ish, Southern-rock-spiced release in ages.  — Lord Litter, Lord Litter Radio Show

"Black Highway" is an independent masterpiece equal in tone, texture, and meaning to more recent recordings by Marty Stuart (Pilgrim), Rodney Crowell (Fate's Right Hand), Dave Alvin (Ashgrove), and J.J. Cale (To Tulsa and Back) ... it is full of graphic imagery, produced to rural red dirt perfection ... and easily the BEST pure Americana release I've heard to date here at CDBaby. If you're an Americana fan and you don't buy this cd, you're just plain crazy."  — Chris K., Big Bender Records, Hapi Scratch Entertainment