The Reynolds Number
Austin, Texas, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
“The Reynolds Number is an Austin indie pop rock band that if you’ve never heard of, you probably will in the next couple years.”
- readthehorn.com
“The Reynolds Number is an Austin indie pop rock band that if you’ve never heard of, you probably will in the next couple years.”
- readthehorn.com
Some bands are much more Beatles than Stones, and then much more McCartney than Lennon. It’s a long line of heart-on-the-sleeve nice-guy rock that runs through Coldplay and the Fray and doesn’t lose much steam in the hands of young Austin band the Reynolds Number. Fronted by singer-songwriter-keyboardist Om Shankar, they come through the speakers like sunshine through a stained-glass kaleidoscope. If Shankar ever had a cynical thought, he didn’t work it into any of these songs, most of which lean lyrically into various kinds of love or feel-good philosophy. His default vocal setting has the clarity and tenor of Phil Collins after a long dip in the fountain of youth, and he does actually have a pretty formidable rock ’n’ roll scream whenever he ups the intensity (such as around three-quarters of the way through “Follow You”). Along with the occasional biting guitar break among the keyboard swirls, it’s a welcome edge amid the sonic elation. If you think there’s such a thing as being earnest to a fault, this may not be the band for you: cheerier listeners will find their happiness both reflected and magnified. - Texas Music Magazine
“Taking a page from Coldplay’s songbook this band has crafted a booming pop-rock record complete with crashing crescendos and earnestness to spare.”
>> Paul Carrubba | Austin Monthly Album Review Oct 2013 - Austin Monthly
AUSTIN, Texas — The guys in the Reynolds Number hadn’t planned to record an album when they entered Austin Signal Studios for an informal woodshedding session. But they wound up creating so much great music, they just had to go for it. The result is THE REYNOLDS NUMBER, their debut album for new Texas label Big Bend Records, releasing Sept. 17.
On their third release and second full-length album, lead singer/keyboardist Om Shankar, guitarists/backing vocalists Josh Atkins and Colin Campbell, bassist/backing vocalist Gabriel Elpers and drummer Mack Arnos have created an energetic blend of well-crafted melody lines, groove-based rhythms, polished harmonies and ambient textures, as exhibited by leadoff tracks “Awake” and “Follow You.”
Those songs, already on their way to College radio programmers, carry elements of a concept that threads throughout these nine tracks, according to lyricist Shankar.
“This album tells a story of my relationship with my family, and how we have changed as I have grown older,” he explains. The bandmates consider the Reynolds Number as a family unit, too. Shankar, Elpers and Atkins have known one another since their high-school days in Cypress, Texas, and Shankar, Elpers and Campbell all attended the University of Texas at Austin, where they majored in various science, engineering and math disciplines. The band name, not coincidentally, is a term used in the study of fluid dynamics — which, come to think of it, is what playing music together is all about.
In October, they’ll do exactly that, opening for Quiet Company Oct. 3 at the Vanguard in Tulsa, Okla., before embarking with that band and Alpha Rev on their Texas Music Live tour of Lone Star state venues.
Texas Music Live tour dates
Oct. 23 ­– Common Grounds, Waco
Oct. 24 – Grand Stafford Theatre, Bryan
Oct. 25 – The Belmont, Austin
Oct. 26 – Prophet Bar, Dallas
Oct. 27 – House of Blues, Houston
Follow the band at:
thereynoldsnumber.com
facebook.com/thereynoldsnumber
twitter: @Reynolds_Number - Austin Music City
Beating Lights Interview w/ Om Shankar - Beating Lights
"Awake" Live on Fox 7's Good Day Austin - Fox 7 Good Day Austin
“Upon first listen, it was immediately apparent that the sound of The Reynolds Number is dripping with positivity. The music is very uplifting and accompanied by plenty of melodic hooks and a wealth of talent from each band member. The bottom line is that the Reynolds Number shows an overwhelming amount of promise and maturity on this record and are more than capable of establishing themselves as a force in this ever evolving music scene.” - Do512.com
Another exciting band stemming from Austin Texas. Awake is an infusion of everything you have heard before and something fresh for the ears. It’s an intense ballad that haunts you and pumps you up at the same time. I can’t for the life of me figure out how the hell he is playing that guitar riff but it sounds fantastic. They are also doing the right move and letting anyone have this song – you can download it for free at http://thereynoldsnumber.bandcamp.com/ - The Music You Seek
“We walked into the inside area of Stubbs to a packed house with music from the fairly new band The Reynolds Number. Throughout the set, the group took the audience through songs that were heavier and more up tempo, a cover or Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” and even pulling out the acoustic guitar informing the crowd: “All you guys with girlfriends, hold them tight and all you without, the bar is in the back” gaining chuckles from the crowd. It was a good opening act.” - Andrew Miller
“We walked into the inside area of Stubbs to a packed house with music from the fairly new band The Reynolds Number. Throughout the set, the group took the audience through songs that were heavier and more up tempo, a cover or Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” and even pulling out the acoustic guitar informing the crowd: “All you guys with girlfriends, hold them tight and all you without, the bar is in the back” gaining chuckles from the crowd. It was a good opening act.” - Andrew Miller
“The Reynolds Number is relatively new but has already made quite an impression amongst Austinites. Lead-singer Om Shankar’s powerful voice goes well with his piano-playing and the guitarists’ lyrical riffs. These guys really know how to harness the power of harmony, however, all of the elements of the band blend well together to buildup to inspiring jams and a chorus of back-up vocals.” - 101X
Discography
The Reynolds Number” (September 17, 2013)
Extended Play” (October, 2012)
For November” (February, 2012)
Photos
Bio
The guys in Austin-based band the Reynolds Number trace their shared musical existence to an informal writing and recording session at Austin Signal that somehow morphed into a gig at a respected local club — an “accidental” booking, according to lead singer/keyboardist Om Shankar. But there’s nothing accidental about this quintet’s skill at creating melodic, piano-driven indie rock; exhibit A would be The Reynolds Number, their self-titled debut release for Big Bend Records.
The band’s energetic blend of well-crafted melody lines, groove-based rhythms, polished harmonies and ambient textures flows from the combined talents of Shankar, guitarists/backing vocalists Josh Atkins and Colin Campbell, bassist/backing vocalist Gabriel Elpers and drummer Mack Arnos, who claim musical kinship with acts such as the Fray, Coldplay, Keane, the National and U2.
According to Shankar, family is the core concept behind these nine tracks. “This album tells a story of my relationship with my family, and how we have changed as I have grown older,” he explains. The song “Grow,” in fact, reflects a conversation between Shankar and his father, “and my struggles to be as great of a man as he is.” “Awake” and “Follow You,” two more of its many standout tracks, also express personal experiences. The former is about loss, the latter about his parents’ relationship to religion and his search for his own. Guest cellist Steve Bernal can be heard on “Awake” and another song, “Prophet.” Producer Jon Niess added sonic textures throughout the recording. Though Shankar guided the lyrical content, the album is definitely a combined effort.
Shankar, Atkins and Elpers have known one another since their high school days in Cypress, Texas. Elpers, born in Massachusetts, lived in Australia for six years as a kid. His diet of Radiohead, the Flaming Lips and Yes, segued to Wilco, Local Natives, electronic and experimental music. Atkins, alum of Cypress metal outfit Atriad, leans on classic rock and blues. Campbell, a veteran of Austin alt-rock band the Canvas Waiting, grew up in Galveston listening to rap and hip-hop before finding indie rock in college. Ohio native Amos, who played in acoustic-oriented Austin band Paper Mache, performed in his high school jazz band, marching band, pep band and concert band. Shankar had numerous previous projects, but says, “The Reynolds Number is the first true band that I have ever been in.”
Like Elpers and Shankar, Campbell, a more recent addition, is a University of Texas at Austin graduate; his degree is in mechanical engineering. Elpers, who confesses, “a couple of us are kind of nerdy,” earned his degree in physics and math. Shankar paired aerospace engineering with materials science and engineering. The band’s name refers to a concept in the study of fluid dynamics, which is engineering speak for something the rest of us can leave to them. But come to think of it, that term might also apply to the band’s music — and their collective bond. They love hanging out together over drinks and Mexican food, and, Elpers says, “making each other laugh as much as possible.”
Formed in 2011, they already have an album, For November, and an EP, Extended Play, under their belts. But there’s more to come — whether accidental or engineered with precision. With the Reynolds Number, it doesn’t matter how they get there, as long as they keep it flowing. Good thing they know a little something about fluid dynamics.
"These guys really know how to harness the power of harmony and all of the elements of the band blend well together to buildup to inspiring jams and a chorus of back-up vocals." - 101X Austin
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