Customer Reviews

61/49

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here it is folks, The Romantics are back and better than ever with 10 Hot New Tracks. Highly regarded by most critics, 61/49 re-unites Wally Palmar, Mike Skill, Coz Canler with former drummer Jimmy Marinos. Although Clem Burke is now the bands current drummer, he only plays on a few tracks along with Johnny Bee. All the songs here are smokin' with stand outs, Midnight To Six, Devil In Me, New Kinda Pain, When The Angels Hear Me Callin', 61/49 and Out Of My Mind Into My Head, but ALL the songs here are terrific. These kings of Infectious Rock & Roll display what many people have known for years..that The Romantics
are one helluva Rock and Roll band. The Romantics are an awesome act in concert and the great thing about '61/49' is that it captures the band with that raw live sound.

Hey forget about imitations...Buy the real thing.

While at college, My roommate and I worn down the stereo needles listening to " The Romatics (1st album), National Breakout, Strickly Personal and In Heat." This album (CD for you kids)is about redemption and respect. The Romantics put a collection of tracks together that will not disappointment the listener. They really did it right this time with their song selection, writing and personnel. The songs will immediately grab a Romantics fan from the start. You don't have to be a Romantics junkie to enjoy this one, you just need to know great music when you hear it.

Wow! I was blown away by the new Romantics CD. These guys know how to rock n roll! 10 tracks...all killer...no filler baby! I dig the gritty guitars, bluesy harp, and awesome hooks! This is blues, rock, power pop at its best! Pick this one up! The song "out Of My Mind (Into My Head)" is BETTER than "What I Like About You" in my opinion! Old drummer Jimmy Marinos plays on half the album...so for you purists, you can't complain. I love the cover art too! It bleeds tough rock n roll all the way through! Great job Coz, Wally, Mike, Jimmy, and Clem...you guys kick A*S! Dave from New England

Reunion or return albums by some of my favorite artists often are bittersweet and somewhat disappointing. Not in this case however. The Romantics have maintained there ability to deliver cohesive,interesting high energy rock as good as they did in 1980. The last song on the disc, "Still We Remain" shows some diversity they did not possess years ago. The CD might have benefited from another such effort to change the pace in the middle of the collection. But why "knit pick". It is great to have the fellows back and find that they are continuing to move forward. Cheers!

This is a(nother) fine example of the spirit and staying power of Detroit Rock City.
On 61/49 there is a mixture here of primarily 60's British clang and Detroit bang with just a hint of Southern U.S. blues while that inherent, infectious, classic Romantics sound is ever present.
Superb solid and swinging drum contributions are made by local rock legends Jimmy Marinos and Johnny Bee as well as newest member Clem Burke (of Blondie fame). The sounds of American made guitars overdriving British amps provide the ifectious rhythms. The group's main members as well as a few select guest musicians all supply great performances.

Congradulations to the boys for this damn good recording, which same as the city of Detroit, exemplifies the inner and outer spirit of Rock and Roll...coarse and real with a just a drop of polish.

It's been one long-ass haul for Detroit's Romantics. Nearly a quarter-century since their debut album was released, these guys have pretty much seen it all, both good and bad. At their peak, they were world beaters atop the power pop mountain. Their nadir was seven years spent in litigation limbo, successfully battling ex-managers for control of their publishing rights and music catalog. I'm sure they're tired of hearing the "S" word (you know - the one with a first syllable rhyming with "cur" and a second rhyming with "jivers"), so I won't mention it here.

Although their commercial zenith came in the form of two top 10 singles from 1985's "In Heat" album, it's those first two hook-riddled discs ("The Romantics" and "National Breakout") featuring the original lineup (with the band's alpha male, drummer Jimmy Marinos, and bassist Richie Cole), and those red leather suits, that punters here in the Murder City will forever hold close. Working a little lower on the radar than say, The Knack, both albums are overflowing with tough, energetic, and loose rave-ups like modern-day frat rocker "What I Like About You," "Little White Lies," "Tomboy," "Stone Pony," "21 And Over," and "Girl Next Door." Doug Fieger may well have offered up his left nut for such a canon.

Which brings us to 2003 and "61/49," the first Romantics album proper in nearly 20 years - I'm still trying to decide if 1994's "Made In Detroit" EP counts - either way, the very thought makes me cringe. Original members Wally Palmar (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and Mike Skill (bass) are once again joined by long-time bandmate Coz Canler (guitar) and have implemented a revolving stool policy behind the drum kit, with Marinos, Clem Burke (apparently double dipping with Blondie), and ex-Detroit Wheel Johnny "Bee" Badanjek all taking a turn.

Besides finally getting to hear some new tuneage from these hardscrabble survivors, uh, veterans, "61/49" is especially heartening in that the group have decided not to tinker too much with their trademark punchy, fiery, guitar-driven blend of British Invasion and scrappy R&B. The title is a tip of the hat to the crossroads in Clarksdale, Mississippi where seminal bluesman Robert Johnson allegedly cut his deal with the de'bil but it's doubtful the band had to resort to such drastic measures to craft what can't rightfully be termed anything but a "comeback," although it may have seemed they were fighting a fallen angel or two during that protracted court battle. Based on some of the song titles and lyrics on this album, it may appear as though they've found religion anyway. "Devil In Me" swaggers in with Canler and Palmar's instantly recognizable chiming guitars, Palmar grunts "Owwww" and two things are immediately apparently: these guys haven't lost a step and Palmar isn't singing about the Goat Lord. Skill, Canler, and Palmar have certainly perfected the perfect pop song about girls, if not raised it to an art form, and this one has radio airplay written all over it. Palmar ain't half bad on harp, either, and isn't afraid to stretch out a bit (actually quite a bit - he blows the hell out of it on several songs).

What's immediately noticeable about "61/49" is that it may be the noisiest Romantics album yet, thanks in part to it being recorded at Jim Diamond's Ghetto Recorders on vintage analog recording equipment ("'cause digital's for suckers"). The title track, in particular, benefits from a thick layer of fuzz and distortion that really packs a wallop, almost like a demo submitted as an audition for the house band at Fat Possum Records. If you're still not convinced this is a group on a mission (from God or otherwise), check out yet another nod to a higher power, "When The Angels (Hear Me Callin')," with its velvety harmonies, jangling guitars, and enough hooks to reel in a school of pirahna, or "Out Of My Mind (Into My Head)," which is cut from the same sonic fabric as their early singles on Bomp. Coming full circle, the band knock the snot out of another Kinks song, "I Need You," like they did on their first album with "She's Got Everything," and end the album with the dreamy psychedelia of "Paint The Sky" and the rather solemn Beatlesque "Still We Remain," a song almost guaranteed to inspire flickering cigarette lighters in a live setting.

During The Romantics' long, lost weekend, while the band was spinning its wheels in a nightmare world of subpoenas, motions, suits, and countersuits, Palmar and Canler would occasionally come out of hiding in and around Detroit, looking rather downtrodden, but still holding their heads up high enough to sit in with locals like Black Market. The low point for Palmar may have been when some mental midget half-heartedly chucked an empty beer bottle at him across a crowded St. Andrew's Hall lobby. The look in his eyes is something I'll never forget. "61/49" is the return volley he and the rest of the group have been waiting too long to launch. Welcome back, guys! First round's on me.

Finally a real rock CD. A real pleasure after a decade of force-fed whiny grunge rock. This Cd rocks from the first notes to the very end. I've always liked these guys...especially their grittier stuff like "On a night like this". This is definetely their best album ever and the best new music I've heard in a long time. Rock is fun once again. "Devil in me" and "Midnight to six man" could easily be included alongside the great garage rock songs of the 60s. And when you think you've heard the best on the album, "Out of my mind" and "When the Angels" ups the ante even more. "I need you" is a Kinks like rave-up. The last 2 songs are a bit mellower, but great. "Paint the sky" reminds me of George Harrison with the Beatles joined by the Beach Boys after listening to the Strawberry Alarm Clock. The song stuck in my head for days after hearing it. "Still we remain" is reminiscent of John Lennon's "You've got to hide your love away". That's pretty good company. If your ready to enjoy music again, that rocks, buy this Cd now. I can't wait for the tour.

3words: BUY THIS CD!!!! It is fantastic. Every song is great,
filled with infectious grooves and harmonies. I guarantee you wont be sorry. Any person who liked the Romantics in the 80's will not be dissapointed.

2003's "61/49", is the Romantics best studio offering in my opinion. Good blues rock and modern 60's swagger. Wally Palmer, Mike Skill, Coz Canler along with drummers Jimmy Badanjck who plays on 2 songs, Jimmy Marinos plays on half the tracks and then new member at the time Clem Burke from Blondie. The band put's on one hell of a show here. You get: "Devil In Me", the bluesy title track, the ooutta here tune "Out of My Mind(Into My Head)", a song that should of been a top 40 tune in any decade "When The Angels (Hear Me Callin'", "New Kinda Pain", "Paint The Sky", the beautiful acoustic number "Still We Remain" and their 2 covers The Pretty Things "Midnight to Six Man" and The Kinks' "I Need You". Excellent music for a depressed decade of rock 'n roll records. P.S. There's no "What I Like About You" here.

This album is very, very good. Raw, infectious rock and roll of the best kind. It's still the Romantics, but with more balls and conviction. Give it three spins and your hooked. It has that raw simplicity of the best 60's stuff...like The Kinks. If you like raunchy, simple rock and roll GO OUT AND BUY THIS RECORD....you will not be dissapointed.