As you may or may not know, back in 2003 Ike Reilly and bandmates (Tommy O'Donnell, Ed Tinley, Dave Cottini, and Phil Karnats) assumed the name The Ike Reilly Assassination (IRA for short) and released "Sparkle in the Finish."

Six (6) CDs later, inclusive of a couple of digital EP only releases, and the band (minus The Assassination part) are back again (early next year, actually!) with the wonderful, 'Hard Luck Stories' (Rock Ridge Music).

Reilly, a true indie rock raconteur and singer-songwriter, has brought to us (thankfully), a more groove-oriented, melodic album than previous recordings. Inclusive of stimulating rifs, clever thought-provoking lyrics, a James Dean personna and an outstanding band have generated positive activity in many media areas, and this album will go a long way in keeping both them and their fans very happy.

Featuring a melting pot of R&B, furious punk-blues, lounge-pop and classic rock, Reilly's razor-sharp insight and wit are woven throughout as usual. Just more so on this new outting. The ten songs on "Hard Luck Stories" were recorded in Chicago and produced by Reilly and Ed Tinley.

In closing, I'd like to say that as good as the CD is, Reilly truly shines even more in concert. My daughter, Samantha and I were lucky enough to see the band in North Carolina and it proved to be a nice father-daughter bonding experience. So, check them out for yourself as it will be something that you'll remember for a long, long time!