ROMERO - Turn It On! LP
The debut full length from Melbourne, Australia’s ROMERO is a burst of
hard hitting, punk-laced powerpop. Well informed by the classics and
every bit as relevant-as-it-is timeless, "Turn It On!" is a memorable
party. An album that captures the vitality of a young band hitting their
stride and doing it on their own terms without a single note of
indecision. Much in the way that The Undertones, Blondie, and even Big
Star debuted with a sense of purpose, ROMERO invite us to eleven tracks
of soulful powerpop gold.
Sharp production across "Turn It On!" catapults the impressive guitar
work of both Adam Johnstone and Fergus Sinclair to the front of the mix
alongside Alanna Oliver’s heart-pounding energy and show-stealing vocal
prowess. Anchored by the smooth rhythm pocket of Justin “Murry” Tawil
and Dave Johnstone, ROMERO waste no time in showing their hand on the
quick-paced album opener ‘Talk About It’ - recalling 80’s powerpop
rhapsodies. The title track beckons bodies to the dancefloor with a rich
Runaways-like temper that naturally explodes into a fiery guitar solo.
Meanwhile ‘Halfway Out The Door’ and ’White Dress’ show off the band’s
adept ballad-writing, boasting truly emotional highs, lows and soaring
choruses. Those hip to the incredible debut ROMERO single - ‘Honey’ b/w
‘Neapolitan’ (Cool Death, 2020) will be overjoyed to see these relatable anthems recast in the album’s tracklisting.
"Turn It On!" reveals stories of personal striving, restarting,
mulling-over the unsaid, resisting control, deteriorating relationships,
the emotional throes of uncertainty and celebrating growth through all
such experiences. The rollercoaster of life is mirrored by the sonic and
lyrical turns ROMERO have crafted into their debut album - a hopeful
tonic for whatever you’re going through, and a dose of excitement for
what’s to come.