The sad song troubadour with a voice burrowing deep into an
emotive state of mind returns in the mystique that is Daniel Romano and the
vehicle of his latest album release IF I’VE ONLY ONE TIME ASKIN’. It’s a pure
record paradoxically heavy on production, far from single driven and achingly
formed for the vinyl event. The Canadian can come across as a curious character
on stage, probably due to being someone totally engrossed in his music, which has
that compass pointing in the right direction on a path to righteousness and once
again blessed with the winning formula. Daniel is unequivocally and reassuringly
country.
Many addictive plays of the disc reveal a record commendable
from tracks one to eleven. Although that killer number like ‘Helen’s Restaurant’ from 2011’s SLEEP
BENEATH THE WILLOW remains allusive, perhaps time and the live experience may
ultimately crown a subsequent heir. In the meantime a trio of tracks in the
latter part of the album make credible cases for peak spot without demeaning the
effect of the entity. ‘There’s a Hardship’
is pure pain, ‘Learning to do Without Me’
is acute loss and the grainy intro to ‘Two
Word Joe’ opens up into a splendid storytelling ditty. As you would expect from
such a record, dreamy pedal steel leads the nostalgia evoking sound closely
followed by accordion, piano and the odd horn input.
In an almost discard of contemporary evolution, fans of Gram
Parsons will love every moan and groan from Daniel Romano as will those who
have been totally smitten by the emergence of Cale Tyson over the past year.
The release of the album on the prestigious New West Records label gives the record a
solid platform to prosper and an enhanced opportunity to pierce into the roots market where
folks are besotted by the infectious sounds of traditional country music. Of
course such listeners savour lyrical majesty as well and Daniel is on the
literary ball with ‘I get more happiness from a bottle/ And get more love from
a stranger’ as he delivers the excellent ‘Old
Fires Die’.
If you place suitable emphasis on the opening and closing
tracks of an album then IF I’VE ONLY ONE TIME ASKIN’ won’t disappoint as ‘I’m Gonna Teach You’ with its almost
orchestral appeal perfectly sets the tone and mood of a record consistent in
ear piercing quality. Likewise the drifting sentiment of album closer, the
appropriately titled ‘Let Me Sleep (At the
End of the Dream)’, leaves Daniel’s creative mark, a talent which extends to
other outlets for his artistic tendency including design. Although faint to
detect on the track, further lauded association for the record is the vocal
addition of Caitlin Rose on ‘Strange
Faces’ which suggests the sphere of Daniel’s industry manoeuvres.
Radio airplay has supported this album in the run up to the
release and the profile of Daniel in the UK has risen on the back of a couple
of fairly low key tours to date with the untapped potential to float to grander
scales. With the support of his backing band The Trilliums, it is a mouth-watering proposition to imagine the live airing of these focussed tracks. However rather
than fast forwarding the appeal of IF I’VE ONLY ONE TIME ASKIN’ just
concentrate on the accessible at the moment and immerse yourself in a sound
that conjures up a delightful air of simplicity and provides warm affectionate
music for that personal place of solace.
www.danielromanomusic.com
