The Smiling Strangers
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The Smiling Strangers

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"Smiling All The Way"

A stunning second album from The Smiling Strangers. From the opening track and new single `Smile On Your Face`, the pace never lets up. As always there is a nice mix of upbeat three minute pop gems with sensitively produced quieter stuff. The overall production and songwriting is top notch and there are great vocal performances from Lucy Winkett, Rue Randall and backing from Peter Moreton.

I predict big things for this five piece from the UK.

**** - buy it now! - Jon Philips


"Strangers No More!"

The Smiling Strangers

Hardly strangers, making great ‘pop/rock’ music! The Smiling Strangers are honest about life, love and faith in their songs. There are tunes about relationships, tunes that make you think, tunes that make you sing, tunes that stick in your head and turn up days later…

We at the Bridge (thebridgeonline.co.uk) were celebrating our 10th anniversary and had a great evening as the Smiling Strangers entertained us richly with their wit, music and lyrics.

Strangers no more and we’re smiling.

Tim Lea

Leader of the Bridge, Hinckley, LEICS



- Tim Lea (Leader of the Bridge Community)


"Great First Album!"

This is a stunning first CD buy it! This is obviously a band that we will hear a lot more from. A set of catchy ballads that swing between moody love songs and bouncing pop tunes. Musicians that know what they're about. Winkett's angel voice is the perfect compliment to Randals' powerful and moody vocals. Best tracks on the album are Be the one, Love in a different time and Before I fall. This is an album of troubador proportions let's have some more.
- CD Baby


"Catchy songs and hooks"

This is an album that has catchy hooks and melodies in abundance. Jeff Reynolds is a songwriter who deals in songs about real life situations, both the joy and the pain but wraps them all up in very listenable and hummable songs. The music is basically guitar driven pop/rock but will some excellent touches by ace keyboard player Mark Pearce. The vocals are shared between the wonderfully pure yearning voice of Lucy Winkett and the harder edged rock voice of Rue Randall but they dovetail beautifully and give the album a nice eclectic feel. I recommend Dangerous Times to anyone looking for good, hook filled, three minute pop songs that deal with the real issues in life. Go on, take a risk and buy a copy - you will not regret it!
- CD Baby


"BBC Radio"

"An album that swings wonderfully between cynicism and joy" - BBC Radio


Discography

`Dangerous Times` - CD album 2004
`Spaces Graces and Smiling Faces` - CD album 2006

`Smile On Your Face` CD single released April 2006

`ALL THE WAY` - CD Album released November 2007

Appearances on:
Tunetank SXSW 2006 New Generations CD
Sounds Like Cafe Vol 11 CD
Musselman Triathlon Compilation CD
Best Of Drophit Compilation CD
Sounds Like Cafe Vol 14 CD
Rockermoms Best Of CD
Apache Rose Best New Bands CD
Realm Music Best New Artists CD

Songs streamed on:
www.cdbaby.com

Songs played on:
Radio Crystal Blue
104.7 iRadio LA
Rockin Moms Podcast
This Befuddled Universe
On The Network podcast
and many, many more . . .

Photos

Bio

The Smiling Strangers were formed in 2004 by songwriter Jeff Reynolds and are based in London and the Midlands area of the UK. Jeff had played in bands and appeared at both the Edinburgh Fringe and the Greenbelt Arts Festival but had a break from music before writing a batch of new songs that were meant to be a solo project but which quickly developed into The Smiling Strangers.

The band features Jeff on bass and guitars, Rue Randall on guitars and vocals, Lucy Winkett on guitar and vocals, Peter Moreton on piano and vocals and Pete Powers on drums.

The band primarily write and perform `catchy and hook filled` three minute pop songs but also include many different styles and types of music in their eclectic live set. All of the band are accomplished musicians and writers in their own right and they bring this mix to both the live and recorded material of the `Strangers`.

The musical influences for the `Strangers` are many and varied and range from pop, rock, jazz, blues and folk music. This makes them a very original group of people and musicians. They constantly change their live sets to include their own songs and the occasional cover version, which could be very well known or totally obscure.

Their live shows are usually sold out and the audience is guaranteed to have a fun and exciting time with the set list varying every time they play.

Their first CD `Dangerous Times` was released in late 2004 to great reviews and their new album, `Spaces Graces and Smiling Faces` is due to be released in March 2006. The aim of the band is to consolidate their fan base throughout 2006 with the new releases and also gigs all over the UK and abroad.

In February 2006, The Smiling Strangers were accepted to be part of the TuneTank SXSW New Generation 2006 CD with their track `Smile On Your Face`. The same track also appeared on the Australian compilation, `Sounds Like Cafe` Vol 11 which was released in May 2006. In December 06, they also appeared on Volume 14 of Sounds Like Cafe and also Apache Rose Publishing (USA) Best New Bands of 2006 CD. So world domination for the `Strangers` is nearing completion!

The Smiling Strangers released their third CD album in November 2007. It is entitled "ALL THE WAY".

The Smiling Strangers . . .
. . . well worth getting to know