Dan Cooney, Broadway performer and Dexter’s The Encore Musical Theatre Company’s artistic director and central beating heart, released his first EP last week, and it is wonderful.
Most of the songs are co-written by Dan Cooney and Grammy Award-winning Nashville singer/songwriter Chris Roberts. Not surprising then that the album has a modern Nashville sound, from Pop Rock Country anthems to slower ballads – but it all revolves around family, parents, friends, spouses, children.
The title tune, “Never Really Gone”, honors his mother, “Go Fishin'” his father. Other songs are about his brother Jeff (“14 Foot Dream”,) brother Chuck (“Streets of Monroe”) and his wife, Jessica Grové gets the lovely “My Over the Rainbow” which is particularly clever if you know the couple’s history.
The radio-ready “Come Home” celebrates being able to go home to your parents and family no matter what is happening in life, no matter what the current relations are at home. It’s a stunning piece.
Cooney’s clear bari-tenor soars on the songs, and as soon as you’re done, you’ll be going back to listen to it all again. I joked to Dan that it’s an album filled with “Sondheimesque Country Rock” – because the lyrics are moving and often clever, and his vocals have wonderful mid-phrase modulations and tone only a trained Broadway performer can achieve. This is a great first EP, and here’s to many more down the road.
Highly recommended.
Stream wherever you listen to music, or buy and download. I bought my copy on Apple.
Mostly Musical Theatre 
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