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CMJ New Music Monthly (New York, NY)
"...Romanello's symphonic grandeur is front-and-center. The Beatles-esque "An Insomniac's Diary" sports an aching sweetness that recalls Rufus Wainright. Beneath the strings and horns, though, beats the heart of a power popper... Counting Stars offers enough inventive twists and fresh energy to collar a pop fan's attention." - Glen Sarvady

Uncut Magazine (London, U.K.)
"Paisly Meets Flannel in Tulsa, OK... Remember back in 1995 when Eric Matthew's mix of contemporary rock sonorities and Brian Wilson production values (It's Heavy in Here) was supposed to be the cat's pajamas? Well, singer-songwriter Tony Romanello from Oklahoma has finally delivered on that promise. Post-Sergeant Pepper glockenspiel and horn section lead into Jeff Buckleyesque wailing. String quartets give way to distortion-laden guitars. The presence of Flaming Lips skin-pounder and multi-tasking whiz Steve Drozd is further clue that Counting Stars is psych-pop successfully made modern." - Jim Allen

Modern Fix Magazine (Los Angeles, CA)
"...It seems the Frog Queen Jeremy Enigk has been dethroned. Tony Romanello has really outdone himself with this album... arrangements of the songs are immaculate and beautiful on so many different levels. On the surface is a pop wonderland of catchy interludes and amazing vocal ability, but if you are willing to fully download the whole album you will find extremely complete songs with deep and meaningful lyrical themes... sends chills down my spine just like good music should." - Tom Maxwell

Pop Culture Press (Austin, TX)
"Tony Romanello wants to combine sensitive, poetic lyrics and Beatlesque pop with grunge melody and dynamics, and for the most part he succeeds on his debut album The MumbleOdd - it's actually kinda cool to find a singer/songwriter as influenced by Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam as he is by the usual acoustic guitar-wielding types and Paul McCartney. He'll be a modern rock force to be reckoned with." - Michael Toland

The Tulsa World (Tulsa, OK)
"...It seemed impossible for Tony Romanello to expand the broad vision he displayed on his debut, the expansive and dreamy modern rock of 'The MumbleOdd.' 'Counting Stars' was eagerly awaited, and it delivered on its anticipation -- turning Romanello's musical world view into a grand vision of the universe. It's a magnanimous opus. " - Thomas Conner

Allmusic.com (New York, NY)
"...Already being compared to other singer/songwriters such as Jeff Buckley, Jeremy Enigk, and Brian Wilson... The vibe here is more akin to Richard Davies' chamber pop experiments or the skewed Brian Wilson homages of June & the Exit Wounds or later Elliott Smith and Michael Penn albums. Romanello's tastes run towards sweet and sour string sections (as on the swirling opener, "An Insomniac's Diary," or the delectable, fully orchestrated "Finally Found"), softly strummed acoustic guitars, and his own slightly hoarse but effective voice... the dark-hued "My Opinions on the Tragedy," which recalls Lisa Germano's Happiness album, and the almost perky '70s-style art-pop of "Dances," which almost has a sort of early Electric Light Orchestra vibe..." - Stewart Mason

Norman Transcript (Norman, OK)
"...Their rock was irresistable counterpoints of hardness and sensitivity. TR's vocals were pillow talk punctuated by brief cyclonic intensity. Sharp edge rock collided with dazzling emo pretties. TRB are making Tulsa's 21st century New Wave. "Counting Stars" is a amazing work, lush with viola, violin and glockenspiel. Ritch as butterscotch sundae, Romanello's lyrics are seriously stream of consciousness." - Doug Hill

Rockpile Magazine (Philadelphia, PA)
"...semi-orchestral sounds pop up from time to time, invoking the melancholic spirit of Sunny Day Real Estate. Romanello handles guitar and vocal duties with his six-string prowess accounting for the more rocking moments on The MumbleOdd making up the backbone of the band's sound and providing clever textures to counter Romanello's emotive vocals." - Stuart Pitt

PitchForkMedia (Chicago, Il)
"...He's attempting to bring the epic structures of classic prog-rock to the unsuspecting pop listener..." - Craig Griffith

Skyscraper Magazine (Denver, CO)
"...From the first track to the last, it soaks in this relentlessly carnival-like atmosphere, its songs' lush, baroque arrangements manhandling the more delicate melodies beneath. Counting Stars often seems like thirteen isolated mini-symphonies... and will perk the ears of anyone whoe wonders what The Verve would have sounded like if fronted by Jeff Buckley and if all their songs had the string section of 'Bittersweet Symphony.'" - Jonathan Wright

Leicester Bangs (U.K.)
"Tony Romanello, has released a debut album of epic, progressive pop, which has already found itself getting likened to bona fide legends such as Jeff Buckley and Brian Wilson. Actually, it's with the former that Romanello has most in common, laying the emotional intensity on thick and true on The MumbleOdd's dozen tracks and underpinning everything with pitch dark arrangements. It's not a million miles away from what Pearl Jam achieved on songs like "Jeremy"." - Rob Forbes

Urban Tulsa Weekly (Tulsa, OK)
"...the music will wind up into a gorgeous melodic roar that explores the aesthetic values of distortion. Tender melodies drift and blissful guitar walls gyrate. This is rock that draws you in." - Joe Felzke

Adrenalyn (France)
"Tony Romanello will not cease to shine. It is said that each person on earth possesses a double ["a doppelganger"] or a resemblance to another individual; for Tony, that proves to be reality, with a voice that is mysteriously identical to that of Jeff Buckley. Tony possesses a sound oscillating between despair and spokesman for an immense inner force, who ultimately constructs 12 titles of pure emotion capable of making us weep at the sound of the guitar strings or piano notes" - Trouillard Stephanie

Leicester Bangs (U.K.)
"Tony Romanello, has released a debut album of epic, progressive pop, which has already found itself getting likened to bona fide legends such as Jeff Buckley and Brian Wilson. Actually, it's with the former that Romanello has most in common, laying the emotional intensity on thick and true on The MumbleOdd's dozen tracks and underpinning everything with pitch dark arrangements. It's not a million miles away from what Pearl Jam achieved on songs like "Jeremy"." - Rob Forbes

www.inmusicwetrust.com
"...Tony Romanello, backed by several musicians, including The Flaming Lips' drummer Steven Drozd, delivers an astonishing collection of well-written, vibrant pop songs. From glowing melodies to heartwarming hooks, the lush creations, which are propelled by a full string quartet, horns, and various keyboards, swim and float around in your head. Romanello's voice further pushes the songs pop abilities to the max, his range a factor in many of the gorgeous melodies touching you so dearly. This is a prime example of the power of pop; a tight, glorious mixture of rock and sweet melodies, strings heightening the experience while the keyboards, vocals, and horns flesh everything out and ensure a pretty listening experience throughout. I'll give this an A-." - Alex Steininger

www.tangzine.com
"...The opening track, "An Insomniac's Diary," in spite of its trite titling, seems to be just the ticket to a wider audience. Thick orchestral arrangements at the onset give way to Romanello's muffled voice and instantly dispel any myths the name or solo artist billing might create. "Novocain" continues that full-on ear assault with orchestral elements mixing with a throbbing beat on the drums by none other than Steven Drozd (Flaming Lips). Romanello also displays a nice range in his vocals, mixing in a slight falsetto throughout. ...Romanello does mellow things out a bit and pulls from his more sensitive side to pen an overly dramatic "Cry For Me", and a tender mostly acoustic based "The Artist," ..." - Matthew Ralph

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