The Dark Romantics: Some Midnight Kissin

The Indie Review

By Derik Hefner
March 13, 2008

Artist: The Dark Romantics
Album: Some Midnight Kissin’
Label: Lujo Records
Rating:

There’s something to be said for originality. But there’s also something to be said for a band that melds indiscreet influences into a sound that’s equal parts catchy and well-executed, and allows you to take a break from the tiring search for something “new” long enough to enjoy something that’s just downright listenable. The Dark Romantics find their niche in the latter category, and God bless ‘em for it. On Some Midnight Kissin’, it’s not hard to see why Jason Martin (of Starflyer 59) offered to record the band’s demos free of charge in exchange for first dibs on producing this solid full-length debut.

The disc opens strong with So Confused (And We Like It), a rocker that conjures up hazy memories of Franz Ferdinand with its tastefully wailing guitar leads and tight, sassy bass line, all while taking full advantage of the band’s multi-gendered line-up for some great layered vocal action. Following right on its heels is A Million Bucks, undoubtedly the album’s high point. Here we hear singer Eric Collins (formerly of Denison Marrs) given even more opportunity to shine as Amanda Jones’ keys worm their way underneath Collins’ and Dean Paul’s restrained, surfy guitars before the song morphs into a rollicking, handclapping chorus full of enough attitude to put some real bite into otherwise tired lyrics. With its catchy, sing-along chorus it’s not hard to imagine the energy that must permeate the air at their live shows. From there, Another Song For Another Night sets the tone for the the bulk of the album’s remainder, as Collins & Co. take a detour into The Bravery’s backyard, and apparently find that they like their sandbox just a little better. This is a somewhat disappointing departure from the punch of the opening two tracks, but more due to those tracks’ strengths than the others’ weaknesses.

The songwriting muse continues to endure the pestering of The Bravery until She’s A Fire, one of the album’s subtle gems, where they’re nudged to the side (but only slightly) by… well, by The Strokes. The final few tracks find their way back into slightly more original territory, but still lack the punch of the first two. The songwriting still stands up however, and these last few stragglers are so well-crafted they bring with them a certain melancholy in the knowledge that you will forget them and this band if the gang doesn’t take the initiative and start blazing a path worthy of their obvious skill.

But naysaying aside, Some Midnight Kissin’ remains a strong debut; a display of solid song crafting that makes up for in execution whatever it may lack in originality. Like The Bravery’s The Sun and the Moon and The Strokes‘ First Impressions of Earth, it’s an album that will keep you coming back almost in spite of yourself, a good standby when you’re in the mood for nothing more than a confident dose of melodic, danceable rock. Beyond that, you won’t find much in the way of lyrical profundity, unless the basic pop-infused musings on “love” and relationships are your idea of profound. But this is good old fashioned rock ‘n roll in a 21st century wrapper, and rock ‘n roll doesn’t always need earth-shattering lyrics so much as a good reason to shake your hips, which this album has in spades. Even the order of the track listing reflects the progression of a backyard party full of beautiful people aglow in the light of the tiki torches; the dancing becoming more mellow and natural as the night progresses. The obvious chemistry of the band (Collins and bassist Carla Jones are married, as are Paul and keyboardist Amanda Jones— who also happens to be Carla’s sister, to round out the Brady Bunch dynamic) is reflected in the music, adding that x-factor of sex appeal that serves as the mortar for a brick wall of sonic solidarity.

Despite the clear comparisons, there really is something special going on here. No new ground may be broken, but sometimes it’s nice to take a trip down familiar roads with someone who knows the territory. And The Dark Romantics seem to know it quite well, taking you on a tour of their favorite seaside make-out spots with a solid, sexy soundtrack wafting through the breeze. Only time will tell if they can craft this into something that will outlive the trend and become something truly great, where less comparisons are drawn and they can stand on their own legs, far removed from the Hot Topic flavor of the week. In Collins’ own words: “Where do we go from here, my love? I don’t know, but at least we’re together…”

Stand Out Tracks:

“A Million Bucks”

“So Confused (And We Like It)”

“This Is The Sound”