Romeo Void Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Perhaps in reaction against the more commercial sound of Benefactor, Romeo Void returned to producer David Kahne and the sound of their first album, It's a Condition, on their third, Instincts. Nevertheless, it proved to be their bestselling album. The group's instrumental attack continued to be spearheaded by saxophonist Benjamin Bossi, whose floating lines contrasted with the drive of the rhythm section and guitarist Peter Woods' Morse code leads. And Debora Iyall continued to pour out disappointed reflections on the romantic condition in songs with titles like "Your Life Is a Lie" and "Say No." One of them, "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)," managed to be both provocative and vague enough to inch into the Top 40, such that the album gained greater exposure and sales. But instead of marking a breakthrough for Romeo Void, Instincts marked their breakup, with Iyall going solo. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Those danceable beats, that tough-girl stance -- maybe somebody at Columbia thought the label was getting its own Blondie by buying up 415 Records and its principal asset, Romeo Void. Certainly, Benefactor was a more commercial-sounding effort than their debut album, with the band even agreeing to eviscerate the four-letter word in "Never Say Never," and elsewhere playing up-tempo dance-rock that almost, but not quite, overcame the disaffection of Debora Iyall's lyrics. But Romeo Void still was less a Blondie clone than an heir to X-Ray Spex or the Bush Tetras, playing bass-heavy, minimalist rock behind a pissed-off singer who, unlike Deborah Harry, wasn't kidding. "You don't get it?" asked Iyall. "Rain on you. And the world disappears." ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Romeo Void ably represented the post-punk zeitgeist. Their simple, relentless beat and repetitive riffs complemented singer Debora Iyall's huffy posturing, in which the denial of emotion became an emotional statement in itself. In "White Sweater," Iyall obsessed on the clothing in which her sister committed suicide; she might demand "Talk Dirty (To Me)," but never forgot that "Love Is an Illness," and one is best off keeping "Myself to Myself." Meanwhile, the band maintained a minimalist backing in which every note counted. If punk spoke of unmitigated rage, Romeo Void's music was no less angry, but far more resigned. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
