“Their debut seven-songer… negotiates a gargantuan alterna-rock/post-punk pact… [like] Catherine Wheel’s guitar sound on Chrome, unafraid of dramatic emo… passages.” - Jack Rabid
— The Big Takeover
Riot For Romance is a Rock band from the United States, consisting of Jason Hansen (vocals, guitars, keys); Brett Miotti (bass); and Kelly Nunn (drums, guitars). The band integrates Post-Punk, Alternative Rock, and Shoegaze into what the members would like to call a "glorious racket of Rock n Roll."
The musicians, who have 20 years of collective experience and history of charting on radio and streaming, have produced many international releases and featured in national music festivals. The band shared their self-titled EP, including the singles "Less For Regret" and "The World And Its Weight, and a cover of Starflyer 59's classic shoegaze song, "The Dungeon." The EP received acclaim, including a spot on longtime critic Jack Rabid's Best of 2022 list in The Big Takeover Magazine.
Medium.com had this to say about the series and collection of new songs: "Theirs is a narrative punctuated not by the destination but by the exploration itself. It is a reminder that in an era where music often feels transient, there remain those who are dedicated to the album as an art form, a collection of chapters that together tell a story greater than the sum of its parts." With new recordings in hand, Riot For Romance is poised to build on their previous success with the release of the first installment of "Learning to Unburden Myself" on April 5, 2024.
“There was a time when making music like this cost a ton of money, took forever, and then no one could actually find the CDs. Now - some twenty years after I went into a smelly basement and wrangled a painful CD's worth of songs out of ADAT recorders and digital effects - these guys have returned with three songs that I have just looped over and over and over. (It helps that Jason learned how to sing!) The tone here is rich and satisfying (something we could not really afford back then) and the energy is somehow both current and retro at the same time. It takes some serious nerve to cover Starflyer 59, but these guys tackle "The Dungeon" like reckless renegades. I love it. I'm a little pissed that I didn't get asked to produce it - but the rock and roll emotions are soothing me nonetheless.”
— John J Thompson, True Tunes
“One of [Riot For Romance’s] new arrivals is a stunning cover of Radiohead’s OK Computer single ‘Karma Police,’ which is reimagined in the band’s signature style, incorporating emotional vocal performance as well as roaring music that won’t leave a single soul untouched."
— Bobby Braunstein, groovytracks.com
“I’ve known these gentlemen personally and musically for over two decades and have been consistently awed by their ability to capture a feeling, a spirit or a mood and transcribe that into a song.”
— Matt Traxler, Steadfast Records
"It carries enough reverence for nostalgia to sound comforting while still sounding fresh—even within the context of its own seven tracks... If I had a single complaint, it’s that its twenty-six minutes are over all too briefly. But, I suppose that’s why God created the repeat button."
—Nathaniel Fitzgerald, Tuned Up
“Their debut seven-songer… negotiates a gargantuan alterna-rock/post-punk pact… [like] Catherine Wheel’s guitar[s] sound on Chrome, unafraid of dramatic emo… passages.”
— Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover
"'Would Be Remiss' opens with controlled feedback that bursts into a catchy melody while the ethereal pop sensibilities of 'Destination Somewhere' have the strength to catapult the band into the stratosphere. It allows listeners to hear what the band is capable of..."
— Eddie Ugarte, Ghettoblaster Magazine
“Fantastic energy…I would love to catch this live. The vocal delivery really drives it home. From the writing to the performance all around – this is really strong.”
— Art Garden Songs, Spotify playlister