The Romantics - The Romantics / National Breakout (Reissue) (1979-80/2008)

The Romantics were the first band from Detroit's new wave scene to sign a major-label deal and gain a national audience, which was regarded as a goof by many musicians and critics, given that there was little if anything "new" in their decidedly retro sound, and their allegiance to British Invasion pop sounds was a far cry from the high energy, guitar-fueled chaos of the Motor City's glory days. But if the Romantics weren't the hippest or the most trail-blazing band in town, they were very good at what they set out to do, and their debut album remains a classic example of revved-up power pop with a nod to the Kinks and the Easybeats. The Romantics' first two albums are paired up on this two-fer reissue from American Beat Records, and the 11 songs from that classic 1979 debut still sound great; "What I Like About You" is as timeless a single as any cut by their influences, and there are plenty more fine tunes and chiming guitars to be had on the disc. Unfortunately, album number two, 1980s National Breakout, isn't nearly as satisfying. Almost as if they were listening to their critics, the Romantics aimed for a harder sound with more forceful lyrics on their sophomore set, but the songs simply weren't as good, and while the band shows a lot more muscle on these recordings, the hooks aren't quite there, the lyrics are dumb more often than they're inspired, and beyond a fine cover of the Michigan garage rock classic "Friday at the Hideout," this album doesn't have much going for it. Still, this reissue puts National Breakout in very good company, and if the second half of this CD has its ups and downs, the first half is fun stuff that will shift your party into high gear.