DESCRIPTION:
From romper's debut album, "Sifting Through The Rubble"
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/romper1
romperband.com

REVIEWS
Review by Mike Wood for Foxy Digitalis:
Romper's new record manages to be political without being preachy. Bolstered in its indie-pop style by touches of garage rock and dark, Modern Lovers-esque disjointed melodies, "Sifting Through the Rubble" is a breezy but occasionally chunky tour of cowardice and surrender, personal and political. That isn't to say that their insights are all that original: evil corporations, pod people, slaves hypnotized by media, etc...Yet the fact that some are willing to keep crying out in the cultural wilderness is comforting.

Comfort would turn to nausea if the music wasn't good and the lyrics were preachy. Fortunately, Romper supply plenty of hooks, and lyrics that are jaundiced and darkly humorous rather than self-righteous. Message songs like "The 99," "Corporation Nation" and "Sifting Through the Rubble" are propelled by tasty guitar lines and subtle but insistent grooves. Songs of a more personal apocalypse, like "Road to Ruin," Little Ball of Hate" and "In the Neighborhood" are similarly rescued from bathos with humor and a strong rock ethic.

Bay Area's Romper (predominately shepherded by guitarist/writer Paul Freeman) debut with a record that tells us that all is lost and most of us are too self-absorbed or stupid to know it. Right On! "Sifting Through the Rubble" is jaded, arch and, given the totality of its sense that we are all fucked, funny. Is it possible to love and hate your own demise? Romper offers clues.
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Review by pop culture author/journalist Chris Epting:
""Beautiful, ethereal and mysterious... this 18-song epic runs the sonic gamut from mood pieces to glam-era sparklers and sinewy roots rockers. There is a brooding undercurrent to be sure, but the startling and dynamic range of romper is a testament to what must be very deep pools of influence -- psychedelia meets garage meets poetic folk meets metal meets grunge -- and the sharp contrast of musical styles coupled with smart, evocative wordplay make for a thoroughly satisfying musical journey. There is a river's rush of fresh, cool and strangely engaging music on this record -- and it is well worth getting lost in its eddies."
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By Tim at http://www.indiebandsblog.com/
Indie bands blog
The best indie bands from around the world [British site]
Romper
"From San Francisco in the USA comes Romper -- a space rock project by Paul Freeman (vocals / acoustic guitar) with additional support from Wendy Flower (harmonies), Adam Rossi (keyboards / harmony), Gawain Mathews (lead guitar), Ezra Lipp (drums / percussion), Paul Oguin (bass), Savannah Jo Lack (violin) and Joe Cohen (bari and tenor sax / clarinet) and of course Romper the character from The Planet Edenus around whom all this centres.

The debut LP was released in mid June - Sifting Through the Rubble - the title gives a clue as to the gravitational pull of the tracks, which focus on social inequalities current and the apocalyptic end of the world. But don't let the tone of the lyric get you despondent, whilst thematically the music is in tune with the lyric, there is plenty on the 18 track release and just in general to concentrate the mind.

The musicians are used intelligently as the sounds wanders from space Bowie through Reed alternative to Morricone shoegaze each style subtly daubed in the paints of the instruments as the lyric holds centre stage to the carefully composed and orchestrated pieces. That isn't to say that this is a major theatrical production, far from it, there is a genuine emotional anxiety which holds the core of the out-fit that is Romper."
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babysue.com"Romper - Sifting Through The Rubble (CD, Rompytown, Pop)
We were immediately drawn to this band and album...the image and overall concept caught our attention fast. Apocalyptic pop with various verbal and visual references to kids? Hmmm...interesting. Of course the name Romper is a huge plus as well. To try and describe the basic sound of Sifting Through The Rubble... Imagine mixing some elements from My Dad Is Dead with other elements from The Velvet Underground...then mix them around and add some sedatives...and you might begin to get an idea of what's going on here. This is a true underground album created first and foremost from inspiration. The man behind the music is a fellow in Pacifica, California named Paul Freemanwho is also a music journalist and screenwriter. This man's moody slightly obtuse pop will be embraced by fans of the underground...while probably confusing for folks who exist on a lower level of consciousness. There's a lot to take in here...eighteen tracks that clock in at just over 60 minutes. We can't help but dig peculiar songs, "Road To Ruin," "One of the Wanted," "The Neighborhood," and "Contemplating Suicide."