Having just released a new album, it’s all systems go for The Reynolds Number. Here’s lead singer Om Shankar thoughts on the new music, playing live, and what’s to come next.
Arin: What is your favorite part of the new album?
Om: I think the message of this album is what I am most excited about. When we started writing this album, we all had a talk and clearly decided that we wanted this to be a concept album with every song revolving around our relationship with our families. I am so proud of what it became, and the stories that we were able to tell.
A: What do you love most/ least about recording?
O: The best part of being in a studio, for me at least, is being with your best friends in the world and working together. We worked on this album for over a year, and being in the studio really let the five of us get super close, both musically and personally, which I am beyond thankful for. My least favorite part would have to be the waiting. With this album specifically, we worked on the songs in chunks, and it always seemed like the best ideas came to us when we weren’t in the studio! With that said, we couldn’t be happier with how the record turned out.
A: Once the album drops, what’s in the plan for the rest of the year as of now?
O: Our record is out at the end of April, and we have an insanely busy year following its release. As of now, we have a big radio and PR campaign set up that will come into effect once the songs are released, and then we will have a few tours coming up towards the middle and later parts of this year to support the album.
A: What do you love most about music in general?
O: Regardless of the genre, music has the power to move people. Music has influenced every part of my life, and I know that will never change.
A: How would you describe the overall sound of the music?
O: That’s a really tough question to answer actually. We think our self titled album is pretty diverse, and we are really excited about that. The five of us have incredibly different musical tastes, and that has helped us tremendously in crafting our sound these past couple years. In general though, we are a rock band with a splash of indie/pop thrown into the mix.
A: If you could work with any songwriter or producer, dead or alive, who would it be?
O: This answer may seem strange, but my answer would be to work with Chet Baker. I have never been moved by an album as much as Chet Baker Sings, and I would give anything to learn from him and understand how he crafted those songs the way he did.
A: When it comes to live shows, what’s your favorite part about performing?
O: The audience’s reaction is what it’s all about for me. My fondest memory playing live was in June of 2012; we were playing a show at The Parish, in Austin, TX. I remember debuting our song “When It Begins” there, and seeing two girls light up when we hit the final chorus. Anytime we get these types of reactions, we know that the long hours and struggles of being a musician are all worth it.
A: How important is social media to you and how do you keep in touch with fans?
O: In this day and age, social media is everything. Our entire presence has something to do with social media, and we could not be more thankful for it. It’s especially exciting for pages that used to be dedicated to music (purevolume, reverbnation, bandcamp) are all integrating social media into their platforms, and making it easier than ever for us to share our music with the masses.
A: If you could achieve one thing through your music, what would it be?
O: With this album, I think we really poured our souls into telling stories that are very important and close to our hearts, and it would amazing if the messages in our songs resonated with others the way they do with us.
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