Jim Reilley was co-founder of the late-lamented folk rock "gangstas" The New Dylans. Along with songwriting partner Reese Campbell, Reilley roped in friends John Lombardo and Jerome Augustyniak from 10,000 Maniacs to record The New Dylans' 6 song eponymously titled debut ep in 1986. Earning praise from The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau (who placed it in the top 5 of the Voice's famed year-end "Pazz and Jop" poll), and R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe (who called it his fave album of that year), things were certainly rolling for the boys. They of course did what every band with that kind of instant success does-they broke up. Confronted with the workaday life that until then had eluded them, the boys soon realized their mistake and reunited. Soon after, they inked a deal with Minnesota-based Red House Records who subsequently allowed 2 New Dylans albums to escape their folky clutches in the mid-1990's. The New Dylans barnstormed the country playing to anyone who would listen (and many who wouldn't), sharing stages with The Band, Townes Van Zandt, Shawn Colvin, The Fleshtones, Superdrag, Syd Straw, The Silos, Steve Forbert and even old pals 10,000 Maniacs. The New Dylans received glowing reviews from Rolling Stone, Musician, Pulse, Spin, Stereo Review, Mojo and Dirty Linen just to name a few. AAA radio also fell hard for the boys with feature spots on Acoustic Cafe, World Cafe, Idiot's Delight with Vin Scelsa, NPR's All Things Considered and even a handful of spots on ex-partridge family imp Danny Bonaduce's morning zoo on WLUP in Chicago. MTV also featured The New Dylans on their shows 120 Minutes and The Cutting Edge.
Reilley broke up The New Dylans and moved to Nashville in 1998. After a brief and near disastrous stint as fashion consultant to Porter Wagoner, Reilley signed a deal as a staff songwriter with Curb Publishing. In his 8 years at Curb, Reilley's songs were recorded by Jack Ingram, Vince Gill, Hal Ketchum, Tim O'Brien and Sam Bush, Lauren Lucas, Susan Haynes, Cowboy Crush, Lisa Brokop and Ronna Reeves. Soon after signing with Curb, Reilley began work on his first solo album, 2003's "The Return of Buddy Cruel" released on Silent Planet Records. Produced by Grammy Winner Don Henry, the album was added to 28 AAA stations and lingered for 10 weeks in the top 25 of the Roots Rock Album Chart. Reilley paid a return visit to Acoustic Cafe and the album also garnered significant airplay on BBC Radio 1 in UK, Radio Golden Flash in Belgium, Real Roots Cafe Network in central Europe, and BRTO's Crossroads in Bergen, the Netherlands, whose host Jos Van Den Boom also placed the album in his top 10 albums of 2003. Performing Songwriter and Paste magazine both ran feature articles on Reilley's return, and the album also earned rave reviews from Billboard, Puremusic.com, Exclaim! magazine in Canada, Ctrl.alt.country in Belgium and Glitterhouse in Germany. Nashville's local newspaper The Tennessean proclaimed "The Return of Buddy Cruel" one of the top 10 albums of 2003 and the track "Won't Let You Make A Fool Of Me" as one of the top 10 songs of 2003 in their year-end critics poll. The album was also nominated for a Contemporary Folk Grammy in 2003.
Reilley has just completed work on his second solo album "Thank God I'm A Contrary Boy" due out in late 2008. Co-produced by Reilley and Grammy Winner Robert Reynolds of the Mavericks, the album features the talents of Ken Coomer (Wilco/Uncle Tupelo), Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick), Audley Freed (The Black Crowes), Jen Gunderman (The Jayhawks), Al Perkins (Gram Parsons/Flying Burrito Brothers/Manassas), David Mead and others. In December 2007, Reilley was asked to write an original composition for the film "The Canyon" set to be released in summer 2008.
Jim Reilley/The Return Of Buddy Cruel (Silent Planet)
Full of well-written alt-country/alt-rock tunes about love and life. Fun rock 'n' roll with a cynical sense of humor. -Randy Peterson KXCI 91.3 FM Tucson, AZ
"...poignant, empathetic and blazingly literate." -Craig Havighurst/The Tennessean Top 20 albums of 2003
"...great line after great line: 'Hard times in the kissin' booth'; 'I may be dumb but I ain't stupid'. Somebody hurry up and make this guy famous." -Peter Cooper/The Tennessean Top 10 Albums of 2003
"THE RETURN OF BUDDY CRUEL is a sensational collection of powerful folk-pop" -Jason Killingsworth/PASTE Magazine July, 2003
"Intricate narratives poetically rendered, these songs have the makings of offbeat classics." -Paul Evans/ROLLING STONE Magazine of The New Dylans album WARREN PIECE
"My first reaction to hearing THE RETURN OF BUDDY CRUEL was to send a copy to Jacob Dylan with a note saying, 'This is what The Wallflowers are supposed to sound like'. Reilley has crafted an irresistable roots rock sound and if there is any point in calling someone a 'new Dylan' anymore, Reilley certainly fits the bill in the best possible sense." -Jason Schneider/EXCLAIM! June 2003
"Jim Reilley has re-emerged with a wonderful solo album called THE RETURN OF BUDDY CRUEL. The album actually sounds a bit like the Wallflowers, only with better lyrics and less chance of mass success...although this stuff is pretty accessible to be so cool sounding. Jim Reilley's built a better Wallflower." -Peter Cooper/The Tennessean April 2003
Buy CD Now:
www.cdbaby.com/reilley
itunes: jim reilley-the return of buddy cruel
Website:
www.jimreilley.com
www.digitalrodeo.com/jimreilley
Legal Contact:
Robert Baker at Gladstone & Baker 615.329.0900
[email protected]
Press Contact:
Lance Cowan LCMedia 615.331.1710
[email protected]
Discography:
with The New Dylans:
The New Dylans EP (Caveat Emptor/1986)
Fester EP (Caveat Emptor/1992
Warren Piece (Red House/1993)
House On Fire Sampler (Red House/1995)
The American Way (Red House/1995)
Joe 6-Track (Caveat Emptor/1996)
solo:
Rainy Days & Semi Automatic Weapons Always Get Me
Down (Luck Of The Amish/1999)
The Return of Buddy Cruel (Silent Planet/Redeye/2003)
Network Totally Adult Tune Up Sampler 68 (March 14, 2003)
American Songwriter Magazine CD Sampler (Nov./Dec. 2006)
Thank God I'm A Contrary Boy (not yet released)
songs appearing on:
Tim O'Brien & Sam Bush-Celebration Of The American Farm/Almanac
Chase Daniels-Bound And Determined/ind.
Peter Belli-Ny Dag Pa Vej/CMC-EMI
Melissa Gayle-The Difference/ind.
Ronna Reeves/ind.
Jamie Richards-No Regrets/D Records
Eve Selis-Do You Know Me/Hippie Chic Twang
Lisa Brokop- Hey, Do You Know Me/Curb
Susan Haynes-Crooked Little Heart/Epic
Lauren Lucas-The Carolina Kind/Warner Brothers Nashville
Must Love Dogs Soundtrack Album/Epic Nashville/Sony
Hal Ketchum-Live/ind. (unreleased)
Jack Ingram/Lucky Dog
Cowboy Crush/Curb
Rachel Shay-Magic Of You/ind.
Gary Portnoy-Keepers/Argentum
Jennifer Hicks-Lost In The Magic of You/ind.
Amy Chappell-Kansas/ind.
Bethany Dick/ind.
Mollyjack/ind.
Harry Luge and Haywire-Two States Away/ind.
Hal Ketchum/Curb (late 2008 release)
as guest musician/vocal:
It's My Party-That Boy John EP/Mister Cat Records
Randy Russell-A Sad State Of Affairs/ind.
Randy Russell-Long Way From the Start/ind.
Ronna Reeves/ind.
Hank Williams Jr.-I'm One Of You/Curb
Casey Kessel-Ripple In The Water/ind.
Megan Light-Weightless/ind.
Jenna von Oy-Breathing Room/ind.
Brooke Ludwick-When The Circus Leaves Town/ind.
Jon Roniger-Charmed Life/ind.
Dustin Overbeek-I Can't Fly/ind.
Jennifer Dixon/ind.
Jenn Franklin-Girl Invisible/ind.
Jenny Baker/ind.
Sunny Fitz/demo
as producer:
Randy Russell-A Sad State Of Affairs/ind.
Ronna Reeves/ind.
Casey Kessel-Ripple In The Water/Major Bob *
Lisa Brokop-Hey, Do You Know Me/Curb ***
Megan Light-Weightless/ind. *
Jenna von Oy-Breathing Room/ind. *
Rachel Shay-Magic Of you/ind.
Brooke Ludwick-When The Circus Leaves Town/ind.
Jon Roniger-Charmed Life/ind. *
Willie Kelly-In The Unlikely Event Of Fire/ind. **
Dustin Overbeek-I Can't Fly/ind. *
Jennifer Dixon/ind.
Jenn Franklin-Girl Invisible (in production)
Jenny Baker (in production)
Sunny Fitz/demo
* Co-produced with Robert Reynolds
** Co-produced with John Carter Cash
*** Co-produced with Kim McLean
Film/TV:
Zoe/ind.
Must Love Dogs/Sony Pictures
The Canyon/summer 2008 release
