Can’t Stop the Music

Jason Daniello was raised near the lava fields of Grants, home to prehistoric ice caves and dinosaur fossils. Maybe that’s why there is something unusual about his music: His distinct style of desert rock sounds familiar and fresh at the same time. Daniello now calls Albuquerque home, perhaps to find a larger arena for his alternative rhythms, or is it the growing music scene? The city is filled with skilled players, and Daniello has recruited several for his band, Jason and the Argonauts, Ryan Anthony on drums, Dan Spanogle handling bass along with Daniello on guitar and vocal have made them a monthly favorite at The Taos Inn, and at many venues around the Southwest. “Music is something that has always driven me throughout my life,” Daniello said. “It’s just something I do, I can’t stop.”

It started at age 11. Since then he’s become a multi-instrumentalist and played in several bands. His first solo album, “Re-creation” was one of the best regional releases in recent years with stations throughout the state giving airtime to an unprecedented five tracks. KTAO-FM 101.9 continues to get regular requests for several of his tunes and it’s been out for five years. I’ve played it enough that I have many of the lyrics memorized, so when his follow-up, “Everything Good” hit the streets, I couldn’t wait to slide it into the player.

I must admit that in my first listen I wasn’t sure it could measure up to my worn copy of his first album. He’s changed, and his music reflects that. Don’t get me wrong, he still cranks out 10 original songs, but the electricity comes from another storm. By the third listen, I liked this one as much as “Re-creation”. With Daniello, it’s not simply his lyrics or even the melody of his songs, rather it’s the sound, something in the arrangement, that creates the edge.

His voice conveys traces of angst, which belie his easygoing nature. Still, there is something happier about this album, something more played out. It opens with a pounding track, “What You Can,” that you know the drummer just loves to play. “Resist” starts with the lines: “It’s crazy to think I had it all in my hands, then I lost it at the sight of myself with a glance,” which is typical of the irony he threads through his lyrics. The ballad, “I Do,” comes next, with his wife, Liz LeBleu, helping out on backing vocals, making this one a stand-out.

The title track brims with steely emotions brought from the music’s composition
and subtle playing of the band. Daniello calls it one of his favorites. “I like the simplicity of it,” he said. “I’m trying to aspire to be able to appreciate the ordinary in life.”

“Elizabeth Anne” is a sweet tribute to his wife, but you could miss all that because of the catchy tune in which he’s wrapped it. “Walking away,” with the fewest lyrics, is the power-core of this record. It’s a mood-shifting, life-refleting force that reminds how deep a song can cut into us.

The “hit single” buried at track nine, “Tiny Pill,” moves tempo while still posing questions- but the answers are cool. And in spite of everything I’ve said up until now, the final cut, “Daylight,” is my favorite. This is one of those records that gets better with each listen and “Daylight” seems to tie together the extremes of his music, from bitter lyrics to contentment and excitement, slow beats to rocking out.
Daniello, who is also going to school for graphic design, did the layout and took all the photos for the album. He’s created a spread that is odd album-art in an interestingly bazaar sort of way. His wife’s 91-year-old grandfather, F. Boyce LeBleu, painted the cover of the CD. Daniello plans for his next project to be a “home-grown acoustic album.” We’ll miss the drums, but change is good. Seeing him play live with his band is another treat- These three guys are tight and put out more music than seems possible. Whatever desert rock really means, Daniello is there with his guitar from sunrise to midnight, among the coyotes and cactus.

By Brandt Legg for The Taos News


<Prev |Index| Next>

 

 

 

 

© 2005, Jason Daniello Music.