Reviews

June 5, 2006
By Ginnie Moon
10 of 10

The first time I ever heard Fields of the Nephilim, I cried. I know. I'm a sentimental fool, but it was more than that. The whole sonic experience of the Nephilim was something I was unprepared for. Not even Joy Division or Bauhaus had fully readied me for the initiation into the resplendent swirling netherland of jangling guitars and healing baritone. An entire world was opened to me with one CD. A world where Rosetta Stone, the Birthday Party, Chameleons UK, And Also The Trees, Sisters of Mercy and countless others used a formula of post-punk Irish/English brokenhearted stubborn optimism coupled with breathless pain and wonder, to dazzle and transform every set of ears they touched.

Fast forward to 2006. An envelope arrives in the mail containing a CD by a band called "Romance". I press play and lose the ground beneath me. There I am again, back in the clutches of Carl McCoy, Porl King, and Peter Murphy.

This isn't simply a re-interpretation of 80s goth rock. It's not a tribute album. This album could have held its own against the big boys. I'm sure the record companies would say no one's listening to music like this any more. Stupid record companies. This music is timeless. For every kid who hunkers in the corner of a room just to make it through one more awful night at home. Every sardine-canned hopeless-lived young adult who's ever looked in the mirror and slid the necktie knot tighter wondering, "Why not just hang myself with the damned thing? I can't face another day at work." Every person who battles seemingly endless depressions, isolations, and the lifelong sense of being trapped-- this music is forever yours.

I close my eyes when I listen to songs like "Guiltless", and I think about how there were days when Robert Smith's voice singing, "Fight, fight, fight!" was all I held on to. A thin thread of music is sometimes just enough.

It's 20 years later, and by god it's hard to come by Bauhaus tickets. But contrary to CNN and popular opinion, goth is neither the cause of all things wicked, nor itself dead. Romance are one of the best of a number of CDs that've shown up in the mail over the past few years; proof the hinge still swings just fine at the cemetery gates and DVD sales of Harold&Maude are holding strong.

Grave humor aside, this is one of the best goth rock albums I've ever heard. No I mean, ever. As in, "Are you sure the year's right on this disc?" Here's my dream concert since I can no longer afford the pomp and circumstance of Peter Murphy and Co.: Romance, Myssouri, Nothing Inside, Thanatos and Phantom Vision. I might even dig out the old black lipstick and eyeliner for that one.
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DJ JOSH

90.9 and 104.1 WMPG Radio Portland

A quick perusal of Romance's influences lets you know right away that this is a band who has taste. Bauhaus, Joy Division, Echo & the Bunnymen, and a slew of other greats are welcome names dropped here. A short listen to any of Romance's songs shows that they are seriously following the precendent established by those great bands. They aren't simply rehashing those sounds, either; this is clearly the foremost band to mix modern indie sensibility with the better sounds from the 80s. Fall in love with Romance!

For more reviews go HERE

1:16 PM - 3 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Radio Play

We're starting to get airplay on several radio stations.

They all play a really good mix of music and should be tuned into.

And if you feel like it you could request us

Here are the ones we know of:

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97.7 XFM Manchester/104.9 XFM London www.xfm.co.uk

X-Posure is Xfm's showcase for all that's cutting edge. Broadcast live via Xfm London (104.9fm) and Xfm Manchester (97.7fm), the show is presented and produced by John Kennedy four nights a week (Monday-Thursday, 10pm-1am), and covers the best singles, live cuts and album tracks that the alternative underground has to offer. Email john.kennedy@xfm.co.uk or text 83xfm.

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90.3 FM KEXP Seattle www.kexp.org

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88.3 FM WXOU Rochester, MI  www.wxou.org

Hard Wired w/DJ Rob Frank

Spinning the best in industrial, synth-pop, ambient-dub,
ethereal, dark-wave, gothic and Brit-pop.  Its two hours of music you won't hear anywhere else.

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107.7 FM KNDD The End Seattle www.1077theend.com

The Young & The Restless
-->NB-->Two hours of local music, Sunday night at 8pm.

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Breakthruradio w/DJ Wynn

www.breakthruradio.com

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90.3 FM WARC AlleghenyPennsylvania www.warc.allegheny.edu

Black Planet w/DJ Kirk Nesset

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100.5 FM KATT Oklahoma City www.katt.com

Take a walk on the cool side of music with SPY RADIO Thursdays @ Midnight on ROCK 100.5 THE KATT with your host Ferris O'Brien. SPY RADIO features the best in new artists & classic tracks.

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88.9 FM KUCI Irvine, CA www.kuci.org

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90.5 FM KHSU Arcata, Ca. www.khsu.org

The Buck Calhoun Show /wed. night 10 to midnight

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90.1 FM KKFI Kansas City www.kkfi.org

Retro Red Eye Express w/DJ Sunshine

Saturday 10pm to 1am

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WOXY.com www.woxy.com

Great internet radio station.

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WMPG 90.9 and 104.1 FM Portland, Maine

www.wmpg.org

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12:24 AM - 5 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

post-punk.com compilation disc 3

We're very honored to be included on post-punk.com's latest

NOTES FROM THE NEW UNDERGROUND vol.3 compilation.

Make sure to check out their great myspace profile at

 www.post-punk.com

Volumes 1 - 3 of the Notes From the New Underground series of compilations is available HERE NOW

Oh and just so you all know this is a totally free series. There is no money involved at all. This is their gift at www.post-punk.com to the masses of fans of this wonderful music!

2:22 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment