Music Review: Daniel Romano, If I’ve Only One Time Askin’

By Melissa Bratcher

Daniel Romano’s new album, If I’ve Only One Time Askin’, is the best kind of time machine. It shares both DNA and feeling with country classics (Romano covers George Jones’s “Learning To Do Without Me” and does it with an panache that’s admirable) but there’s a modern edge to it as well. The songs bleed into each other, sometimes using a plucked bass line, a hum of neon. a chorus quietly fading, or a lo-fi version of the track that just played. This adds a rich dimension to the album, making it cohesive and fascinating, and keeping If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ from feeling like a self-consciously retro pastiche.

Daniel Romano is serious, though. If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ is loaded with songs of heartbreak of all stripes. Betrayed lovers, death doing them part, falling out of love: it’s all here, and it wouldn’t be a country album without that. Though, it’s not exactly a country album, and certainly not what qualifies as a country album by today’s ridiculous standards. Americana? Folk? It’s not an album easily slotted into one category, and that’s a joy.

If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ bears the instrumentation of old school, mid 1960s country: fine pedal steel, accordion, strings (but used sparingly and gracefully), and a chorus that dips in with a bit of harmony. Romano has a classic country sort of voice. Sometimes his delightful baritone croon sounds like Gram Parsons; sometimes there’s a hint of George Jones.

Romano has a deft, poetic touch for lyrics, and married to his fine songcraft, the songs transcend. The honky tonk heartbreak of “All The Way Under The Hill” is molded by weeping pedal steel. The gently galloping title track, propelled by a lively bass line, features a truly lovely vocal performance from Romano and a crushingly sad storyline. The closer, “Let Me Sleep (At The End Of A Dream)” is a poignant, glorious track, elegant in its simplicity, and boasting another unforced, wonderful performance from Romano.

They’re not all maudlin songs. On the charming “Strange Faces,” Romano is joined by Caitlin Rose. The lyrics are deliciously poetic: “If I gave my whole collection to a weakness made of man / I would steal it back in darkness, wake up shaking my own hand / If I ran away from something, I’d be needed for a time / I’d return to my replacement, finding things that I can’t find.” “Two Word Joe” also feels deceptively upbeat, but despite the twang and glittery accordion, tells the story of a fellow quite unlucky in love. The chorus is terribly sad and effective.

In the timeless If I’ve Only One Time Askin’, Daniel Romano has made an exceptional, moving album. By coupling rich and poetic lyrics with his gift for melody and meaning, the album is immersive and wonderful.

If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ was released on July 31 by New West Records.

Tour Dates:
JUL 31: Rough Trade; Brooklyn, NY
AUG 1: Milkboy; Philadelphia, PA
AUG 7: Wolfe Island Music Festival; Frontenac Islands, Canada
AUG 22: Down From The Mountain Music Fest; Eureka, MT
AUG 23: The Pub Station; Billings, MT
AUG 25: Turf Club; St Paul, MN
AUG 26: Frequency; Madison, WI
AUG 28: Downtown Summer Music Festival WSG Spencer Burton; Welland, Canada
AUG 29: Whispering Beard Folk Fest; Friendship, IN
SEP 3: Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill,; Grand Rapids, MI
SEP 12: Hopscotch Music Fest; Raleigh, NC
SEP 14: Boone Saloon; Boone, NC
SEP 16: Jig & Reel; Knoxville, TN
SEP 17: Americana Festival; Nashville, TN
SEP 18: Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion; Bristol, TN
SEP 19: Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion; Bristol, TN
SEP 24: The Earl; Atlanta, GA
SEP 25: Normaltown Hall; Athens, GA
SEP 26: Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival; Waycross, GA
SEP 30: White Water Tavern; Little Rock, AR
OCT 1: The Lightbulb Club; Fayetteville, AR
OCT 2: Hot Water Hills Festival; Hot Springs, AR
OCT 3: The Foundry; Dallas, TX