THE ROMEROS

The Romeros represent all the best elements of rock and roll. Punk that’s not stupid, pop that’s not saccharine, rock that’s not boring and real country twang. All these elements come together in songs that are short and sweet with hooks around every corner. The Romeros might remind you of a great 45 single that you found digging in your mom’s record collection or a band your older sister played on her college radio show in 1984, sometimes during the same chorus. The tunes are by no means dated, they are more so timeless with lyrics that sing of heartache, lust, late night telephone calls and love gone wrong. What more could you want from power pop? But what are the critics saying? The Romeros have been featured in The Tinley Park Star and Maxim Magazine. I like the spirit of the band..." -Richard Milne, 93.1, WXRT Warning: this EP may actually be cooler than your boyfriend. Or girlfriend. Or friend. In fact, it’s pretty darn cool, full stop. I have discovered a host of cool new bands lately, most of which released a really good, solid debut. None have been on this level of greatness though. Think I’m exaggerating? Hear the rock ‘n’ roll whirlwind that is The Romeros debut ep ‘Cooler than your boyfriend’ and then try saying that. This really represents something different going on in the current hotbed that is the US pop punk scene. The Romeros hail from Chicago (a famous pop-punk band also originates from there, but I can’t quite remember the name...I think it may have had otter in it somewhere...), blasting out their own awesome take on the power pop genre. Their sound harks back to the late ‘70s, when good time pop-rock songs like those heard here dominated radio playlists. The initial temptation is to cite The Ramones as their primary influence but it would be a huge disservice to The Romeros to simply cast them off as another “Ramonescore” band. Instead, they are reminiscent of all the power pop greats of the past- Cheap Trick, The Boys, The Undertones et al. Irony. That’s what they will label this as an attempt at- but this couldn’t be further from the truth. They bring simple yet effective pop ditties that last for generations to come. They are NOT simply rehashing an old genre, as is oft the case these days- they totally re-invent an old sound for a new generation. What’s not to love? ‘Tonight’ kicks off this 5-track EP with aplomb. It is just about the best song here- the hooks and melody here just seems endless, and THAT chorus is a killer. It is a song destined for stadiums. I can picture thousands of fans screaming along to “Hey watcha doing tonight?/ I really wanna see you tonight/ Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight!” with ease. The Romeros are no one trick ponies though. All five songs represent powerpop and pop-punk in completely different ways, something very pleasing to see in these genres often criticised for their rigidity. The last song ‘Love Notes’ proves this more than anything else- a 2 minute love-torn folk ditty, in which the protagonist labels himself as Eric Carmen. A song which is hilarious and heart-breaking simultaneously. ‘Big in Japan’ is the other key highlight here- a tale of pop-punk musicians being rejected by American culture and subsequently favoured by the Japanese, and is done wonderfully both musically and lyrically. The music is in fact good enough for the lyrics not to make any sense at all, and the songs would still be brilliant. As it is, the lyrics are fantastically written and fit very well around the music- “Looks like I got more than I bargained for/ Passed out together on a bathroom floor”. This band need to be heard so the ‘Big in Japan’ scenario doesn’t develop- they are the latest in an ever-growing line of pop-punk bands that defy reason as to why they are small and “other” pop-punk bands remain big with nowhere near the same level of quality. Admittedly though, The Romeros have only just begun- this being their debut EP- and I absolutely cannot wait to see where they progress to next and what a Romeros LP sounds like. For me, this is a pretty much perfect EP- I wouldn’t change a thing about it- and right now I consider The Romeros to be one of the most exciting new bands on the planet." -Skankin D', Punk Or Nothing Chicago's Romeros remind me a great deal of one of my favorite bands from the late '90s and early '00s - Pat Dull & his Media Whores. They're the kind of power pop band that probably rocks your socks off live. I imagine them playing so loud that their amps blow, jumping up and down like hyperactive kids, swigging whiskey shots mid-song, bangin' hot chicks in the bathroom stalls after the set, and storming back to encore with a cover of "Surrender" (or better yet, "He's a Whore"). Welcome to the rockin' side of power pop, ladies and gentlemen. What I like about this EP is that it plays up the kind of band that The Romeros are. There's no info in the packaging on the specifics of the recording, but it sounds to me like this thing was done live in the studio. I don't hear any obvious overdubs, and it sounds loose and raw enough to pass for a soundboard tape from a live gig. A lot of power pop bands kick ass live, but then you hear the record and they sound all wussy. But here, you get the true flavor of The Romeros. The down side of that is that there are no smooth harmonies, note perfect guitar leads, or other popular frills that one usually looks for in a power pop recording. But I'll take that trade-off in this case. If this were the "Oh, my heart is so broken" brand of power pop, maybe the production wouldn't work for me. But this is the "Yeah! Let's have a good time tonight!" brand of power pop. This is fun, high-energy music that's meant to rock. And the melodies and harmonies are still there - they just aren't dressed up in shimmering studio slickery. Singer Mike Vanderbilt has got a nasally, "rock n' roll" kind of voice that threw me for a loop at first but quickly grew on me. Apt for a band that plays the middle ground between Cheap Trick and Material Issue, love songs take center stage on this EP. Vanderbilt is clearly in his element writing songs about ex-girlfriends (either real or fictitious - that's his secret!). One is now a lesbian; another is about to get married. If he has his way, he'll be hooking up with the latter tonight. And "Big In Japan", about a power pop band that struggles in the States but finds fame and adoration halfway across the world, is an absolute blast. If there's a prevailing motif here, it's that The Romeros are an "up" kind of band. They want the audience to dance, have fun, and get laid at the end of the night. These songs are teeming with good humor and gargantuan hooks. Hell, they even do a country song! And being a proud bald man, it pleases me that there's one of my kind in this band. Count me in as the newest convert to Romeros fandom! Lord Rutledge, Now Wave Magazine Power pop is alive and well on the Chicago's south side. Drinking and dancing have been mainstays of that area for years, partly due to its largely Irish contingent, but also thanks to the likes of Chicago area bands like Cheap Trick and Naked Raygun. The Romeros pick up the torch and spit cheap whiskey all over it, with their hoppy punk tunes that incorporate both rock and rolling all night as well as partying every day. The Romeros would probably cite bands like the Replacements, the Cars and the Old 97s as their heroes, and its obvious when you listen to their songs. Songs like "Tonight" sound like demos begging to be produced by the likes of Ric Ocasek, while "Big In Japan" is as much a nod to Cheap Trick's Live At Budokan as it is a daydream of the rock star life. Live the Romeros are at the top of their game. They beg you to get up and be part of the party. Bands like this don't come around much anymore, the kind of old school attitude that doesn't believe in irony, even though the other bands on the bill are probably singing songs about Sega Genesis and Chuck Norris.Yeah, thats funy, sort of, but does it ROCK? I didn't think so. -Kevin McCullough, Pop Zeus The Romeros are a classic rock n' roll band, that models itself after The Flaming Groovies and The Ramones. The sonic assault is catchy, especially on "Tonight" with scratchy vocals by Mike Vanderbilt. They have played at IPO Chicago last year and made a really good impression. These guys have a good start, but need some polishing before they really hit it big. Get the EP "Cooler than your Boyfriend" and crank it up at your next backyard party. -Aaron, Powerpopaholic What a great discovery. On their absolutely scorching new ep Cooler Than Your Boyfriend, Chicago power popsters the Romeros blast in with a BIG anthemic sound, an absolutely relentless twin guitar attack. They love Big Catchy Hooks. Cheap Trick is the obvious comparison, but without that band’s frequently cloying, dweeby vibe. They also evoke Stiff Little Fingers at their cheeriest and catchiest. Thirty years ago, they would have had a slew of AM radio hits – and that’s a compliment. The Romeros understand that hit songs are simple and catchy: after all, you don’t walk around all day with a Joe Lovano solo running through your head. The album kicks off with Tonight, almost like a slower oi-punk song with a pop feel, like something you would have heard at CBs circa 1980. It’s simple and catchy, maybe echoing what you’d hear on the Saints’ first album, with a simple but effective guitar solo then back into the crunchy chorus with tasteful lead licks on the way out. Wow! Big in Japan isn’t a cover of the Alphaville hit: it’s another anthem with a sardonic lyric about a band not being able to make it big where their obvious audience is. It sounds like it’s a big crowd-pleaser. Love Notes is fast over a bed of acoustic and electric guitars: it sounds live, maybe better that what they’d be able to do with it in the studio since they completely cut loose with the vocals. Chicago has long been known for killer party bands and these guys are as good as they get. These guys offer a really cool deal: not only can you get the ep, you also get the "gift pack" which includes a Romeros t-shirt PLUS another bonus disc of live tracks, bootlegs, acoustic demos, basement tapes and rarites along with pins, stickers and a poster for your bedroom door for the obscenely low price of $7! If that’s not fan-friendly, nothing is. What a great way to get to know a totally kick-ass band. CDs are available online and at shows. -Lucid Culture, March 22nd 2008 "Do you remember rock & roll radio, because that's what The Romeros are." -David Bash, International Pop Overthrow Founder "The Romeros--for Ramones fans like me, this band is HEAVEN. Short pop tunes that have SO many hooks they stick to the roof of your mouth LONG after the last note of the song! Pure heart, outta-sight hooks, and complete honesty. That is The Romeros!!! -Power Pop Pat Keenan 89.5 FM KOPN Columbia, Missouri Retro punk outfit The Romeros come off sounding like your everyday high school garage band on their debut EP, Cooler Than Your Boyfriend: They’ve got the vigor, the carefree attitude, and decent enough musicianship. – Max Herman, Illinois Entertainer