Daniel Romano/R Grunwald
Daniel Romano
Visions of the Higher Dream // Independent
“Okay Wow” // You’ve Changed Records
Daniel Romano's Visions of the Higher Dream starts off with "Where I May Take My Rest", launching us into a tempo changing pop tune reminiscent of the Halifax 90s pop explosion of Superfriendz, Flashing Lights and Sloan.
The album is a collection of songs from his vast archives, put together while Romano was in a self-imposed 14 day quarantine that started on March 15 - the day he released it digitally to the world. Two weeks before the March 28th release of his live album “Okay Wow” with The Outfit.
Daniel Romano's strongest suit has always been his ability to write a good hook...strong and catchy. In Visions of the Higher Dream the country sounds from his past incarnations of musical projects lurks underneath the surface of the album but what percolates to the top is a 1960s pop-folk swagger.
The delicate “Nobody Sees A Lowered Face”, “Girl In A Bath Full Of Tears” and "At Times the Fools Sing Freely" are loving and gentle. “Lilac About Thy Crown” shines no matter how chaotic the world is around us. "Paper Rose" brings us back to his country prose with its ebb and flow of gentle folky crooning.
What makes me sad is that Romano again is teasing us by making the album a limited-time digital release, much like he did with Nerveless and Human Touch in 2018. I want a physical copy of it. I want the artwork and the lyrics inside the jacket. I want to hold it and put in on my record player on a Sunday morning.
Luckily for us the album “Okay Wow” with the Outfit is available to hug and hold physically. It is a collection of past Romano bangers recorded LIVE. I want to repeat that word. Live. Sitting at home not being able to go see live music, the clapping and shouts from the crowd made me so happy. It's exactly what I needed. It's a raucous album with a superb backing band of all my favourite Romano songs with a couple of rarities from Nerveless and Human Touch. The sound is so good that it's hard to believe it's live, but you know it is because you can feel the crowd's energy. How I miss that energy.
To release songs and albums in various shapes and forms like Romano does you'd think that there was some form of bottom to his creativity. There is not. He is a bottomless cauldron of overflowing songwriting. He is a musical savant and the artist we need to get through the weirdness that is now. We need passionate tenderness. We need creativity. We need evolution. We need vulnerability. We need strength. We need love like a paper rose.
Both albums will forever remind me of the isolation and lonesome heartbreak of this fucked-up time, but also the feeling of knowing we are all dealing with it. And for some people, an outpouring of amazing creativity will come from it. I give thanks that we have people like Romano that share his with us...because I might go crazy if I didn't have them to lean on.
- Mo and Jay Lawrance
R Grunwald
OMA // Outside Music
I picked the album for the beautiful bright yellow cover! I was naturally drawn to it like the sun!
R Grunwald from what I learned is quite the established and experienced musician. I only hope to play that well one day. This isn’t your typical piano album. It’s kinda dark, haunting, but soothing still. Definitely stirs something inside of you. The album is what was created from writers block. I think it removed the blockage and got the inspiration flowing. This may be a new style doing a solo piano album and a first but I hope there’s more to follow this this album.
I did things backwards and listened to the last song first....only because its named the same as my daughter. Very nice song I might add. Then onto track 1.
Once I put the album on the feeling guided me to do some yoga and meditation. I usually follow along a video but this time I just wanted to flow to music. I was sure glad I did. By the second track I was warmed up and ready to go. This song sure had a rhythm and gentle intensity that gradually built up and brought the heat to the flow. With a nice change of tempo. Really enjoyed this one.
I usually dig Tori Amos for a piano sound. This album had that feel at times minus the vocals. It’s an emotional creation and from what I understand was a 3yr labour of love to complete… it’s perfection.
OMA has the heart and soul of some pretty powerful feelings and memories. The video for “Said He To Thee” was like lifting the veil of the past. Memories came flooding back of my own Baba’s home. Felt like I was there again. Thank you for that moment and the memories that brought back R Grunwald.
I truly hope you find this album as moving as I did. Let it move you through these uncertain times with a new strength, hope, and determination. Let it remind you of your ancestors and the challenges and struggles they faced. Maybe it’s a call to go back to the old traditional ways.
I wish you peace, good health, and many blessings to you my dear friends!
Sincerely,
Noreen Hurst
