GZR-026 || The New Romantics - 'The New Romantics' Vinyl

Tennessee-based multi-instrumentalist Brandon Biondo has been writing and recording as The New Romantics for years, but his new self-titled LP serves as the project’s formal introduction. Over ten tracks, The New Romantics blends a wide range of moods and styles, from post-punk to synth-pop to psych rock, into an experience that’s both timeless and singular. There are tight hooks and catchy riffs in Biondo’s music, but it’s not quite pop; there are layers of echo and reverb, but it’s not totally shoegaze either. What unites the diverse sound of The New Romantics is in the name itself: not romance per se, but deep emotion, as Biondo leaves his listeners with a distinctly tender and star-crossed feeling.

As a member of projects like Coolrunnings, Walsh, and Royal Bangs, Biondo is a long-time lynchpin of the Knoxville, Tennessee music scene, and his work combines a strong melodic sensibility with a careful attention to sonic detail. The stylistic diversity of The New Romantics underlines the sheer variety of music that Biondo has played throughout his career: “Every Day” feels like the woozy dream pop you’d hear on a Sofia Coppola soundtrack, while the jangly sock-hop sound of “Julia” almost channels American Graffiti. The synthesizer symphony of the instrumental “Untitled” has a cinematic ambience that’s soundtrack-ready, but The New Romantics isn’t pure fantasy. Songs like “Hard To Let You Go” bring a new vulnerability and personal depth to Biondo’s lyricism, offering a sense of comfort and catharsis.

-- Nadine Smith

All songs performed by Brandon Biondo
Additional Vocals by Nichole McMinn on "Something"

All songs written by Brandon Biondo except:
"Liquid Sky" - Biondo / Ferguson
"Julia" and "Something" -  Biondo / McMinn

Recorded at home in Knoxville between Deery Street, Vucrest Ave, and Fairmont Blvd