Rome Romeo – Make Up Her Mind

Rome Romeo occupies a curious place on the rock spectrum.  Too brooding for the conventional masses, yet too trendy for the “in” crowd, the Montreal sextet builds their personality from the dark corners of imagination.  While a female fronted rendition of The Strokes makes for an easy copout, vocalist Geneviève Tremblay feels far too natural for such a robotic formula.  Serving as my introduction to the group,Make Up Her Mind is memorably unlike most indie rock that ends up coming my way.

Opener “Wish Me The Best” projects an immediate confidence.  ­­­­ Tremblay’s smokey vocal style takes command of the room with the strength of Biff Naked and the grace of a ball.  A clear connection with the material ensures a steady, almost jazzy ebb and flow coats songs like “Short Inventory” with a sense of business-like class.  A catchy, undulating rhythm stems forth from the very systematic drumming of bandmate Jean-Benoit Rodrigue, complimenting the unequivocal call of authoritative electronic organ notes.  Such passages bind songs like “Lonely One On One” to their mechanics without risking strangulation.  Speaking of which, the solemn, instrumentally reserved inching of “Closer’s” vocal heavy nature paces Make Up Her Mind remarkably well.

Rome Romeo’s only significant challenge hides in the lyrics.  The moody delivery comes at the cost of lyrical connection, masking many of the words in favour of an overarching aura.  Lyrics almost feel like an afterthought, despite the effort obvious after a quick glance through the lyrics booklet.  Perhaps the content is intended to connect with others, and I have a feeling that I’m not in their target audience.

Overall I can recommend Rome Romeo as a healthy alternative for many of the typical alternative-radio buffs out there who might be looking for something different without risking wandering too far from their safe zone.  Make Up Her Mind balances crunchy riffs with subdued yet commanding melodies that would stand apart on most playlists.  Something different, something familiar, something enjoyable.