Reece Ratliff – Jaxon’s Local Shots Artist of the Month
A native of Wilmington, DE, 17 year old singer-songwriter Reece Ratliff picked up his first guitar at the age of two, took the requisite guitar lessons in grade school, and cut his teeth in his local chapter of School of Rock, playing the classics from the Beatles to AC/DC in the school’s prestigious house band, DE-team. Drawing on his musical influences such as Smallpools and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Reece began expressing himself through songwriting.
Reece Ratliff’s debut EP, I’ll Take The Fall, sounds like the work of a thoughtful songwriter, a seasoned musician, and a captivating vocalist, capable of raw power and vulnerability. The record offers all those things and more, so when you find out that he wrote these songs at the age of 14 and recorded them when he was 15, it’s hard not to do a double take. Reece Ratliff isn’t interested in being “great for a teenager,” this young artist wants to be great, period, and I’ll Take The Fall is a formidable opening salvo toward achieving that goal. Combining his personal experiences with worldly narratives and political undertones, the EP mines territory that provides lyrical food for thought and musical hooks to spare. The title track examines the current state of the world with determination and optimism, encouraging us all to “bring a little light to the dark empty space.” “Think For Yourself” takes an unflinching look at notions of mob mentality while evoking musical shades of 90’s rockers like Live with a dash of Alice In Chains for good measure. “Dirty Mouth” and “On My Mind” are radio-ready pop gems, and funky closing track “Stand” is a horn-laden anthem worthy of uniting the broad audience that Ratliff is reaching for.
After touring for the first time in the summer of 2019, Reece traveled to Nashville to write and record his most recent single, “Cruise Control.” The anthemic indie-pop hit describes the desire to return to a sense of normalcy after being on the road for an extended period of time. Currently trending on Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist, the song has introduced Reece and his story to tens of thousands of people across over 70 countries worldwide.
A live performer to watch, Reece has already wowed audiences from top area stages like The Queen and the Baby Grand at Wilmington’s Grand Opera house, where he participated in the finals of “Musikarmageddon,” an annual showcase of Delaware’s most promising up-and-coming artists, as well as a number of venues across the Eastern half of the United States during his I’ll Take The Fall Tour. Reece will be continuing to book tour dates, both solo and full band, in the coming year.
Keep up with Reece Ratliff: Official Site | Instagram | Facebook
Hear even more Philly-based music on Jaxon’s Local Shots Podcast!
