Daniel Romano, Royal Canoe, and Arlo Maverick
Daniel Romano
Fully Plugged In // You’ve Changed Records
What I appreciate most about live albums is that it removes second chances from a recording session. It’s a true test of one’s musical talent and resourcefulness to perform a song live and still maintain that high fidelity sound that’s indicative of a studio album. There are some musical artists that fail to capture the magic of the studio, sometimes beyond the point of recognition. On the other hand you have artists who combine stellar mixing with a great performance, such as in Fully Plugged In.
Fully Plugged In is the newest live album from Daniel Romano, a prolific musical artist with a handful of projects under his belt. (26 albums over the last 11 years). If it weren’t for the applause strewn throughout the album, I’d have never known it was a live album. It’s mixed well with a crisp sound and no instrument drowns out the others. It shows consideration for making a good sounding record, rather than a simple live recording.
Recorded in Atlanta hours before a certain pandemic changed the world as we know it, Fully Plugged In takes a collection of songs – some from Romano’s earlier work, some original to the album – and seamlessly weaves them together to form an almost endless track. For example, the opening track “Rhythmic Blood” is a rock version of a track from Romano’s 2018 album, Finally Free. “First Yoke”, the albums fifth track, is taken from his 2020 release How Ill Thy World Is Ordered.
This record takes influence from a variety of genres such as punk, classic rock, country, and folk, and tosses them together into my commonly mentioned “genre-salad”, a blend of musical elements to form a sound that’s both fresh yet familiar. I wouldn’t exactly call it indie rock, it’s much more optimistic in tone. You could call it analogue-rock-revival, but I think it would easier to just say that it’s good. It’s a good album that’s fun to listen to, and if you miss the beautiful feeling of looking up at that stage and watching someone rock their hearts out, Fully Plugged In will give you that fix you’ve been looking for.
- Brandon Kruze
Royal Canoe
Sidelining // Paper Bag Records
This 11-track album may just make my top ten releases of 2021. Royal Canoe has pushed their limits with Sidelining and created music that goes above and beyond their previous releases. The band bleeds an exciting new energy that makes their already lively sound seem immortal.
I am particularly fond of the harmonies throughout the 11 tracks, specifically in “Butterfalls” and “Scratching Static”. Royal Canoe has been known for their tasteful harmonies, and did not fail to deliver with Sidelining. They place them in a way that makes these songs irresistible, using them as a sort of powerhouse.
If you’re looking for catchy songs to add to your summer playlist, “Butterfalls” and “Surrender” are sure to make the list. “Butterfalls” has an incredible ear worm melody that is really fun to sing-along to and contains a beat that gets your head bobbing, making it a great contender for a cruisin’ track. Following is an interlude that bleeds into “Surrender”, which is arguably the best song on Sidelining. The vocals mimic the fun energy of the bouncy bassline and add colour to their clashing harmonies.
Another noteworthy song is the title-track, “Sidelining”. Opening the album, it catches your ear immediately. Within the first bar, the band’s impressive song writing is put on display. It is simple, yet has a lot of moving parts that carry it smoothly from start to finish. It’s a classic example of short and sweet. If you only listen to one track on this album, I definitely recommend “Sidelining”.
Giving the album even more life, Royal Canoe brings on two guest artists for a couple of the tracks. Jazz musician NNAMDÏ appears on groovy track, “Scratching Static”, and local Juno-nominee Begonia appears on the album-closer, “Alexandria”. These two really stand out, as it appears both artists brought their unique sound to these songs and made them their own.
I was pleasantly surprised listening to Sidelining. I wasn’t’ sure what to expect with their new album, but this was not it. I love when bands push their limits and light a fire under their ass. Royal Canoe accomplished this and more with their latest release through their electric energy and snazzy harmonies. Block out 40 minutes to immerse yourself in this masterpiece, add a couple of tracks to your summer playlist, go wild. I truly think there’s something for everyone on Sidelining.
- Holly-Anne Gilroy
Arlo Maverick
Soul Merchant // Self Released
Those with a passing awareness of Edmonton’s Hip-Hop scene should know of the local mainstay that is Arlo Maverick. In Canada, in general, and even well outside its borders, Arlo has received recognition, with his music having been covered by the likes of CBC, Exclaim, and Vice. Soul Merchant, Arlo’s latest EP, is composed of seven tracks that display the range of his particular style, and discuss with clearheaded poignancy, despite the short length of the project, themes ranging from the Black Lives Matter movement to relationship troubles.
Arlo Maverick’s style is smooth, taking influence from electronic, reggae, and more danceable styles while keeping itself firmly rooted in Hip-Hop. The production on Soul Merchant sets a very specific mood for the bevvy of Edmonton heavy hitters that are featured on the project to flex their writing and musical prowess. Simultaneously low key and full to the brim, Arlo Maverick’s relaxed style would be hard to mistake for laziness given the depth of his writing and delivery, not to mention the cohesive overall feeling of the album, supported by everything from the themes to the curation of the features and production.
Soul Merchant covers a variety of topics, but relates everything to Arlo Maverick’s experiences as an artist and presents them engagingly through his personal worldview and style. The first song on the album, “Wait Your Turn”, sets the tone, encouraging the listener to focus on their personal journey and not worry about what other people have to say, telling them “wait your turn”. “Tap” It discusses the tension of trying to live up to a glamorous lifestyle beyond your means instead of meeting things where they are, and also features the second of four banger hooks from Oozeela on the project. As Soul Merchant progresses, Arlo Maverick continues to dissect similar themes of the dichotomies of his lifestyle with his lucid style, speaking on the difficulty of holding down a relationship while those around flaunt their freedom and cover up the downsides, as well as the tragic suicide of his cousin on “Solitaire”, colorism, and the heavy focus on the BLM movement over the past year and the subsequent Instagram activism. Ending off on a positive note, the final track “Award Tour” celebrates how far Arlo Maverick has come and the things he’s been able to accomplish for himself and his community through his work: “I’m on a world tour, and I’m taking my fam.”
Altogether, Soul Merchant is the product of an artist whose artistic vision is developed and who has the skill to make a project that is exactly what it’s intended to be. The writing is effortlessly poignant, and the production echoes both the ecstatic and tragic of Arlo Maverick’s world, taking the bad with the good and vice versa. For fans of Canada’s vibrant scene, or even just fans of Hip-Hop that is only concerned with being good Hip-Hop, Soul Merchant is a necessary addition to their library.
- Devon Acuña
