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Self-Released, 2018
8/10
A rising outfit from Rochester, New York who are spearheaded by Chrissie Romano’s guitar and versatile pipes, this debut album brings a heartfelt approach to timeless songwriting via memorable, glorious tunes that are universally relatable.
The title track starts the listen with sophisticated melodies as keys from Adam Whiting help accent Romano’s expressive and pretty pipes in the pop-rock fun, and “Stay” follows with a more cautious approach as soaring vocals highlight the flowing rhythm section of Ken Romano and John Pasquarella.
Near the middle, “Dance Outside” indeed brings a dance mood to the energetic and bouncy delivery, while the soulful acoustic strumming of “Bittersweet And Unkind” finds a playful place to reside with plenty of dynamic instrumentation. “Broke Mine”, one of the album’s best, then recruits bluesy guitars as the setting turns toward balladry, where Romano’s singing shines bright with plenty of power and emotion.
Near the end, the breezy folk qualities of “Morgan’s Song” leave an immediate impression, and “Romeo” exits the listen with punchy bass lines amid the lively pop melodies.
In a time when so many bands are twisting and integrating countless genres into an inevitable mess of oddness, sometimes it’s nice to just hear straightforward, thoughtful rock’n’roll that’s easy to absorb and hard to forget, and the Chrissie Romano Band seem to have found the niche well.
Travels well with: Skand- Dive; Scarlet Rivera- All Of Me