roman around – ‘The Toll of Unconditional Love’ [Album Review]

The Toll of Unconditional Love is the new album from roman around, aka Roman Rivera. The album explores the intricate interconnection of trauma and love through a mixture of various styles, including grunge, jazz, electronic music, and alt-rock.

According to roman, “‘The Toll of Unconditional Love’ is deeply inspired by my personal experiences, particularly the complex emotions surrounding relationships that have been marked by absence and abandonment. In this album, I delve into the emotional weight of maintaining unwavering love despite facing personal struggles and the challenges that come with it.”

In their other life, roman around is a music educator. In their artistic life, they have been featured in the crème de la crème of media outlets, had their music premiered on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Electric, and had their music featured in Good Trouble, Freeform’s television series.

Standout tracks on The Toll of Unconditional Love include “Get It From You,” a hazy, shoegaze-like song topped by roman around’s dreamy, sighing vocals. Tangs of jazz give the tune sensual facets that make it harmonically interesting.

A personal favourite simply because of its bouncy, pushing motion, “Moves” merges pop and rock into a charming, chiming song. The voluptuous, tropical flow and percolating accents of “In Your Head” forge a drifting, swaying tune that summons up past, wonderful memories.

roman around, photo by BluTorres

Flowing on a beautifully elegant classical piano, “Lexapro” immerses listeners in gentle washes of sound, simultaneously a bit sad and at times suffused with ominous colours. The plucking, folk-flavoured guitar of “In a While” initially conjures up suggestions of James Taylor. Yet roman around’s breathy vocals quickly negate the Taylor comparison. There’s a hypnotic ambiance to both the harmonic movement and roman around’s hazy vocals.

Glowing, descending vocal harmonies and staccato, jazz-like percussion give “No One Else” an indulgent, shuddering, dreamlike motility that envelopes listeners in mists of romantic sprays.

Relentlessly harmonically hooky and thematically expansive, The Toll of Unconditional Love offers finely detailed music and encompassing emotions.

The Toll of Unconditional Love Track Listing:

1. Get It From You
2. Moves
3. The Thanks
4. Out to Get Me
5. In Your Head
6. Lexapro
7. Pity Party
8. Take it Back
9. In a While
10. No One Else
11. Bedtime Story

Run Time: 31:12
Release Date: October 4, 2024
Record Label: Trailing Twelve Records