By a strange twist of fate, Melissa found herself in a band called The OaKs, smack dab in the middle of the growing indie music scene of Orlando, after years of playing singer/songwriter stuff in and around churches and coffeeshops in north Florida with her pal Sydney Schaef. Under the Justice Road Productions label, Sydney and Melissa recorded their first album in 2004 entitled "Intricate," a unique blend of their individual styles to produce an introspective, harmony-rich album. In 2006, Sydney moved out to L.A. for bigger (though not necessarily better) things, leaving her songwriting/singing pal Melissa a bit aimless and wandering for awhile. She eventually wandered her way back home to Orlando and found The OaKs, an indie band (heavily influenced by the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, The Album Leaf and Sigur Ros) that just happened to be in need of a female vocalist and someone to slap a mallet on a glockenspiel every once and awhile. Thrilled to pieces at having another musical outlet, Melissa said "sign me, up!" and today provides back-up vocals and plays a random assortment of instruments (including glockenspiel, keyboard and melodica) for The OaKs, a six-piece band that also features an accordion, trumpet, trombone, saxophone and even a genuine 1959 Wurlitzer (oh yeah...). The OaKs released their second album "Songs for Waiting" in March 2008. She is currently gearing up to record her first solo EP of original material, as well as contribute to an additional EP for The OaKs. You can hear samples of her first project "Intricate" (recorded in 2004 with Justice Road Productions) at www.purevolume.com/sydneymelissa. Visit www.theoaksband.com or www.myspace.com/wearetheoaks to find out about Melissa's crazy shenanigans with the OaKs."What helps incredibly on this new OaKs album is the introduction of a female voice, in this case vocalist Melissa Reyes. She handles the harmony and background vocals, but somehow becomes the angelic voice on an album full of hellish voices.... If anything that delicate voice does help give the album a bit of optimism to work on)" The Run-Off Groove review"Costello, often employing massive volume peaks and falsetto experimentation, has moved past the standard sing-song folk delivery that contributed to the tired feel of Our Fathers. Additionally, the flourishing backing vocals, mainly provided by Reyes, are of substantial benefit." Wireless Bollinger review"Released in March 2008, The OaKs band members, Ryan Costello, Matthew Antolick, Jeremy Siegel, Tim Cocking, Greg Wilson, and Melissa Reyes weave a beautiful album with intense lyrics that peer into the lives of people such as Dietrich Bonheoffer and Costello’s friend from Afghanistan. Rhythms and electric jazz sounds make Songs for Waiting an eclectic album on a musical level, as well." Athens Exchange
