Interesting! Ruben A. Romano’s The Imaginary Soundtrack to the Imaginary Western “Twenty Graves Per Mile” feels like a journey through a hazy, cinematic dream. Known for his pioneering role in the stoner rock scene with bands like FU MANCHU and Nebula, Romano steps away from the heavy riffs you might expect and dives into something completely different here. This album feels intimate and personal, like we’ve stumbled into his late-night creative sessions in the garage, where ideas turn into soundscapes, and those soundscapes slowly build into a whole world of their own.
From the first notes, there’s a sense that you’re not just listening to music – you’re being transported somewhere. Imagine the wide-open plains, a quiet breeze rolling through, and maybe the sun setting in the distance. The atmosphere is thick with a kind of raw beauty, created through acoustic guitars, subtle percussion, and a whole lot of reverb. Romano layers these elements in a way that feels spontaneous yet thoughtful, letting the songs breathe and evolve naturally.
The album is not a polished, studio-perfect record, but that’s part of its charm. You can almost feel Romano experimenting in real time, playing with sounds and seeing where they take him. The result is something deeply human – imperfect in the best possible way. There’s a warmth to the music, even in its quieter, more melancholic moments, and it’s easy to imagine Romano sitting with his guitar, lost in thought, letting these songs unfold late into the night.
You feel like you’re wandering through dusty landscapes, the echoes of distant trails following you along. But rather than leaning into obvious cowboy clichés, Romano lets the feeling of the frontier come through in more subtle ways, like the way a guitar riff might stretch out, echoing into the distance, or how a soft, atmospheric sound creeps in, like the wind picking up.
This album isn’t here to deliver big, in-your-face moments. It’s more like a slow, meditative experience – something you put on when you want to get lost for a while. There’s a quietness to it, a restraint that feels almost introspective. You can sense Romano exploring not just the outer world of the West but his inner world too. It’s music that asks you to slow down, take a deep breath, and just listen.
And while the album feels like a departure from Romano’s stoner rock roots, it still carries some of that spirit of exploration. Instead of heavy riffs and driving beats, he plays with mood and texture, layering sounds that feel both vast and intimate. It’s a shift, but it’s clearly a natural one for him – an artist who’s just as happy tinkering with an acoustic guitar and a microphone as he is behind a drum kit in a loud rock band.
The Imaginary Soundtrack to the Imaginary Western “Twenty Graves Per Mile” is not trying to be flashy or prove anything, but that’s what makes it so compelling. Romano invites you into his creative space, lets you in on his late-night musical wanderings, and in the process, takes you on a journey that feels both expansive and deeply personal.
If you’re in the mood for something a little different – something that feels like an escape into a world of sound and imagination – this album is a beautiful, laid-back ride. It’s Ruben A. Romano doing what he does best: making music that’s unfiltered, authentic, and full of heart.
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Released by Desert Records on August 9, 2024
