Daniel Romano

It used to be that when punks decided to play country music it was with tongues planted firmly in cheeks. But today, especially in Canada, it's the opposite: young musicians raised on both styles don't see differences anymore. The result is a fresh blue-collar aesthetic aimed at an entirely new generation. Daniel Romano has been at the forefront of this shift, having started with Attack in Black, played with City & Colour and, most recently, collaborated with Julie Doiron as part of the folk-tinged trio Daniel, Fred & Julie. On this full-length solo debut, Romano fully wears his country heart on his sleeve, creating a deeply personal statement that transcends any preconceived notions of what a punk-turned-balladeer should be. Much of this has to do with Romano playing nearly all the instruments, including some haunting pedal steel, and his singular vision of what classic country music is supposed to sound like is consistent with the aching sentiments of "Missing Wind" and "She was the World to Me." Workin' For The Music Man is the kind of album that brazenly echoes the past, but by its sheer honesty will be regarded in the future as the moment an artist discovered his true voice.