Okay Wow

In the press release that comes with Okay Wow, the live album from Daniel Romano and the Outfit, either Romano or one of his representatives declares that they have decided to give you exactly what you asked for, and that he and his unparalleled live band, the Outfit, have decided that you deserved it. If youre wondering just what it was you asked for, you probably have company. But while you might not have asked for an album documenting Romano and his band in front of an audience in Scandinavia, this turns out to be an example of something you didnt know you needed until you heard it. On his studio albums, Daniel Romano is a sly and gifted songwriter with a voice that puts the right twangy spin on his lyrics. On Okay Wow, hes the leader of a top-notch band who add an extra level of passion and excitement to the music. With their help, Romano sings like a master frontman, with just a touch of Dylan in the twang of his voice while his musicians support the songs and raise the roof the way the Heartbreakers did for Tom Petty. While the alt-country flavor of Romanos melodies is still audible, Okay Wow documents a rock & roll band, one well-versed in roots rock but more interested in drawing sweat and moving the crowd than in worrying about what separates one genre from another. This is an unexpectedly great live album thats more than another catalog overview with crowd noises in the background. On Okay Wow, Daniel Romano and the Outfit bring these songs to life in a new and unexpected way, and after hearing this, the thing you ask for will probably be a ticket to one of his concerts. ~ Mark Deming