Tony Romanello and the Black Jackets — Pleased to Meet Us

Sure, Romanello doesn’t have the gravitas of a Westerberg and Stinson, but
he doesn’t need to. Those guys have already paved the road; let’s just
let Tony and the Black Jackets drive on it.

“The
Way It Goes” is a good intro to the group, and a song I’m sure kills
live, with its intonations of only needing five bucks to have a good
time on Lindsey Street. “February’s Falling,” in the hands of a hipster
band like The Strokes, would come off cloying and desperate, but here
emerges raw, honest and hungry.

My
favorite track has to be “Lifting Me Higher.” Its hymnal aspirations
and wonderful vocals mature the sound of the album — and the band — past
the aforementioned pop-punk sound and into U2-esque arena rock in four
minutes flat. I easily could picture myself standing in the rain,
lifting my hands to heaven in hopeful, spiritual freedom.

I don’t get
that feeling from music much anymore. Thanks, guys. —Louis Fowler

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