Daniel Romano - Workin' for the Music Man

  by Paul Waller

published: 12 / 8 / 2010

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There is a great scene in 'The Blues Brothers 'where Elwood asks a barmaid what kind of music they usually have here as his band enters the venue and she replies, “Oh, we got both kinds. We got country and western.” At this bar Daniel Romano may well have found a home. This is the first that I have heard from the Canadian solo artist and whilst there is a firm foot in the current wave of Americana coming from across the pond it’s easier to say that if you’re thinking of purchasing this record that you consider it a country album. The press release claims its country folk but the only folk song I can find on here is the cautiously religious 'She Was The World to Me' and whilst the line “When we meet in the spirit land” is sung as gently and beautifully as possible it is alone and stand outs as the only folk song here. I wish they would just admit that this album is a country record pure and simple. In places it is thrilling. The title track shows great song writing skill and the instrumentation is pure 'Walk the Line'-era Johnny Cash. The vocals shimmy across the bouncy rhythm and Romano even let’s out an audible giggle half way through a line. The key changes throughout lend the song a quality that most others here lack. It’s maybe a gimmick but it’s subtle enough to raise a smile every listen. Elsewhere his slacker vocal style and simmering piano adds a touch of modern swish to an otherwise standard country ballad 'Missing Wind and Your Hands' is equally as good as the title track, It’s one of those songs that has a chorus that after just a few listens refuses to leave your head. Other tracks worthy of note are 'On the Night' and 'My Greatest Mistake', but I think the mistake in question in the case of the latter was allowing a song in this day and age (country or not) to contain a saxophone solo. Overall this is a solid record with the general theme being one of Romano’s disillusionment with the music industry. As a first time listener I found myself warming to the album with each listen. For once I’m able to sit through a country album without skipping through filler after filler, so thank you Daniel Romano for breathing some life into this most unhip of genres.

Track Listing:-

1 Workin' For The Music Man
2 Missing Wind
3 A Losing Song
4 On The Night
5 So Free
6 She Was The World To Me
7 Poor Girls Of Ontario
8 Your Hands
9 My Greatest Mistake
10 Joseph Arthur
11 Workin' For The Music Man Pt. 2

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