ROMERO – TURN IT ON!
Turn It On! is the debut album from Aussie five piece Romero. Based in Melbourne and with an abundance of energy, it would be easy to compare this to compatriots Amyl & The Sniffers. Easy, but so wrong. Hard-hitting and energetic as this is, it is more powerpop than punk rock, more Redd Kross than The Saints.
Giving things a nice twist, the playing of drummer Dave Johnstone and bassist Justin Tawil recalls the Southern soul of Muscle Shoals and Stax rhythm sections. Guitarists Adam Johnstone and Fergus Sinclair deliver a mix of Wilko Johnson’s choppy style and a less polished take on Thin Lizzy’s twin-lead attack. Alanna Oliver’s soul-inflected voice is kinda reminiscent of Lydia Knight of The Regrettes, albeit technically better and less bratty. Throughout, there are hints of first and second generation punk – Undertones, Ramones, Adverts – along with early Blondie, Big Star and Green Day
Too classic rock to be punk, too punk to be powerpop, too pop to be classic rock this hits a sweet spot where all three genres overlap. It is not perfect – a bit more variety wouldn’t go amiss – but it is a very promising debut. Here’s hoping that Romero get over here to show just what they can do live.
7/10
