There's this style of US indie-punk that has definitely been on the high rise in the recent years, coming out of a number of DIY scenes in various states. Bands like The Front Bottoms, Tiger's Jaw and PUP have gained international recognition with their mixture of indie lyrical wit and distorted, playful instrumentation. Sleater Kinney returned last year with a No Cities To Love, a great album that just reinforced how influential they have been on the alternative music scene in the last two decades. Scranton's Petal released one of my favourite albums of last year. And bands like RVIVR, Wavves and Iron Chic have embraced this new direction, making their aggressive punk rock fun more appealing to a wider audience, whilst still staying true to their punk DIY-integrity. Into this scene come New Jersey band ROMP with their debut LP Departure From Venus. And let me tell you this, ROMP are fun. Departure To Venus is an energetic and exciting listen, full of indie-pop shine, shimmering keyboards, crunchy guitars and pounding rhythms. But below the pop sheen, Departure To Venus also has a deep, thoughtful and challenging lyrical narrative that adds a real sense of maturity to the band's compositions.
