The Dark Romantics - Some Midnight Kissin'

Label: Lujo Records

Release date: 2/13/07

Hot Lips and guitar licks. This album rocks, picking up right where the Another Song EP left off. Exactly as billed, all ten tracks are dripped in hot guitar licks, sexy lyrics, and singable choruses that will have you moving your booty in no time.

First off, it's always a smart move to mention it was produced by Jason Martin (frontman of indie rock favorite Starflyer 59). Enough said.

Also, I LOVE the cover art. It sets the tone for the record before the CD even leaves the jewel case. The lips on the cover lure you in and say to you,"this album is hot, sexy, and it's about love and breakin' hearts." The flip-side of the cover insert is the exact same, except it has red lips instead of blue. You have a choice depending on your mood, which is unique.

Some Midnight Kissin' has two tracks from the EP: "So Confused", and "Another Song For Another Night". The tracks sound the same and essentially untouched and not re-recorded. They sound great packaged with the new songs, so why mess with them, right? Of the new tracks, the stand-outs for me are "A Million Bucks", "This Is The Sound", "Baby Boy, Baby Girl", and the closer "I Gotta Feeling". All tracks have scorching guitars and singable hooks that will grip you like a vice.

I have to say that the final track on most albums is normally forgettable. That is not the case with last track on this record, "I Gotta Feeling" is arguably the best song of the bunch. It's a very sulty, 1980s-sounding song that has the best chorus I've heard in some time:

It's alright if you wanna dance

I gotta feelin' that these jams will lead you to romance.

It's alright if you wanna move I gotta feeling that you know exactly what to do...

Staunch indie rocksters may recognize the bluesy tune "This Is The Sound" which was taken from lead singer Eric Collin's side project The Party People EP, released by Velvet Blue Music. The song was re-recorded to fit the sound of this record and as a fan of The Party People, I was very stoked to see it included on this album. It sounds even better than the original version.

The debut LP from The Dark Romantics certainly lives up to it's moniker. It's dark. It's romantically dark and sexy. It's 10 tracks of unrelenting rock 'n roll, so don't expect it to give you and that special someone a slow dance. Listen to some tracks from Some Midnight Kissin' at their Myspace page.