The Dojo Workhorse

Weapons Grade Romantic

LOADMusic

Indie/Acoustic

A

Weapons Grade Romantic, the Dojo Workhorse’s debut album, is the perfect soundtrack for a lazy Sunday afternoon spent musing in pyjamas on life and love.

Dan Vacon, the creative centerpiece of Calgary rockers the Dudes, has cast off his Rock N’ Roll attire for this solo project, covering his tattoos with a t-shirt that happens to have his heart on its sleeve.

Weapons, as its name suggests, is preoccupied with the pain and potency of love, which Vacon approaches with an unabashed sincerity. With tracks such as “Laval Street,” “How To Be Lonesome,” and “Getting Over It,” it is evident that the soul of this album is perpetuated by his bleeding heart.

Fortunately, Vacon understands and courageously embraces loss. Therefore, the music – woven together as a complete symphony – has a maturity and beauty in its simple but poignant arrangements.

The eclectic fusion of backing vocals and instruments – which includes string arrangements, organ, trumpet, glockenspiel, and tap dancing – is overlaid by Vacon’s soulful delivery. The musician himself sounds like the lovechild of Jack Johnson and Joel Plaskett.

He sings about universal emotions in an inviting and straightforward style. The album is easy to appreciate because Weapons is about real people and real feelings that avoid the trap of becoming trite. That’s because the lyrics take an honest, cathartic approach to rather uncomfortable emotions. The Dojo Workhorse’s first musical attempt is a radical shift from concert arenas to intimate concert halls, but it is a movement that seems natural. The opening track, “You Heartbreaker,” insists: “We all know that everybody hurts, everybody’s wounds gonna get the salt.” Sure, there are some people who seem to be experts on good relationships and bad romance, but for the rest of us, Weapons Grade Romantic is really just what we need.