It Was Romance
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = It Was Romance
| origin = Brooklyn, New York, United States
| genre = garage rock, Indie rock, folk rock, blues rock, alternative rock
| years_active = 2015–present
| instrument = Vocals, electric ukulele, guitar, piano, synthesizer, bass guitar, drums, accordion
| website = {{URL|www.instagram.com/itwasromance}}
| current_members = *Lane Moore
}}
It Was Romance is an American rock band formed by Lane Moore. It began as the bedroom recording project of lead singer and songwriter Moore, who years later added a backing band.{{Cite web|url=https://teamclermont.com/|title=Team Clermont|website=Teamclermont.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}} Moore is the chief songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, using an electric ukulele with distortion that she plays like an electric guitar as well as piano, synthesizer, accordion, bass guitar, and percussion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/music/2015/05/01/out-entertainer-lane-moore-taking-over-world|title=Out Entertainer Lane Moore Is Taking Over the World|website=Advocate.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}} Bust magazine called It Was Romance The Best Band Of 2015.{{Cite web |url=http://bust.com/best-band-of-2015-we-think-so-listen-to-new-tracks-by-it-was-romance.html |title=Best Band Of 2015? We Think So {{!}} Listen To New Tracks By It Was Romance |access-date=2015-05-05 |archive-date=2015-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507180406/http://bust.com/best-band-of-2015-we-think-so-listen-to-new-tracks-by-it-was-romance.html |url-status=dead }}
History
The Village Voice premiered their first single, "Philadelphia" off their self-titled debut in 2015.{{Cite web |url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2015/04/lane_moore_it_was_romance_philadelphia.php |title=Exclusive Premiere: Listen to It Was Romance's 'Philadelphia' |access-date=2015-05-03 |archive-date=2015-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430181048/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2015/04/lane_moore_it_was_romance_philadelphia.php |url-status=dead }}
Paste Magazine described their sound as "hearkening back to a Dig Me Out era Sleater Kinney, Moore’s expansive sound covers love and all its mishaps with a catchy, blast loud and sing proud thoughtfulness. Blending garage rock with soul and experimental undertones, It Was Romance...walks multiple genres with a deft grace to mirror Moore’s bubbly wit and eye-catching presence."{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/style/lane-moore/with-charisma-and-charm-for|title=Talking Style with It Was Romance's Lane Moore|website=Pastemagazine.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}}
The band released a music video for the first single "Philadelphia" in June 2015. The video was directed by Moore and was an homage to the John Waters film Cry-Baby, with Moore playing Johnny Depp and Traci Lords.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/death-and-taxes/|title=SPIN|date=October 27, 2022|website=Spin.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}}{{Cite web|url=http://bedfordandbowery.com/2015/06/watch-lane-moore-channel-john-waters-in-the-video-for-philadelphia/|title=Watch Lane Moore Channel John Waters in the Video For 'Philadelphia'|date=June 2, 2015|website=Bedfordandbowery.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}} The Advocate praised the video.[http://www.shewired.com/music/2015/06/02/watch-gender-bending-music-video-will-have-you-singing-all-day Gender-Bending Music Video Will Have You Singing All Day] Curve Magazine called the video "badass."{{Cite web |url=http://www.curvemag.com/Reviews/It-Was-Romances-Gender-Bending-New-Vid-561/ |title=It Was Romance’s Gender-Bending New Vid |access-date=2015-07-01 |archive-date=2015-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702065605/http://www.curvemag.com/Reviews/It-Was-Romances-Gender-Bending-New-Vid-561/ |url-status=dead }} Out Magazine praised the video as well.{{Cite web|url=https://www.out.com/popnography/2015/6/10/watch-lane-moore-plays-both-johnny-depp-traci-lords-new-video|title=Watch: Lane Moore Plays Both Johnny Depp & Traci Lords in New Video|website=Out.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}}
The music video for "Hooking Up With Girls" was released in late 2016 on the front page of Nylon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nylon.com/articles/it-was-romance-hooking-up-with-girls-remake-fiona-apple-criminal|title=It Was Romance’s New Video Is A Remake Of Fiona Apple’s “Criminal”|date=July 27, 2016|website=Nylon.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}} The video is a shot-for-shot remake of Fiona Apple's "Criminal" music video. Moore starred in and directed the music video.
The video was featured in Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Vogue, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, VICE, BUST Magazine, Refinery 29, and The Onion's AV Club New York Magazine and The Observer praised Moore for the video{{Cite web|url=https://observer.com/2016/09/the-lesbian-homage-to-fiona-apples-criminal-is-exactly-what-you-need-right-now/|title=This Lesbian Homage to Fiona Apple’s ‘Criminal’ Is Exactly What You Need Right Now|website=Observer.com|date=September 6, 2016|access-date=June 18, 2025}}
The Laugh Button described Moore's voice as, "incredible [voice], smoky and edgy and closely resembling the kind of stuff soulful grunge bands aspired to back in the 90s."{{Cite web|url=https://800poundgorillamedia.com/blogs/the-laugh-button|title=Comedy News! Powered by The Laugh Button|website=800poundgorillamedia.com|access-date=June 18, 2025}}
In 2017, Moore created a music series at Arlene's Grocery called "90s Albums Live," with the first one being the Empire Records soundtrack, which It Was Romance performed live.{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/media/podcasts/soul-sisters-podcast-lauren-lapkus-lane-moore-90s-7964611/|title=Soul Sisters Podcast: Lauren Lapkus and Lane Moore on Why They’re Obsessed With the ’90s|first=Jessie|last=Katz|website=Billboard.com|date=September 13, 2017|access-date=June 18, 2025}}
Also in 2017, Billboard named It Was Romance one of 16 Female-Fronted Bands You Should Know.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/7958070/16-lesbian-bands-singers-you-should-know | title=16 Lesbian & Queer Female-Fronted Bands You Should Know | magazine=Billboard }}
Discography
= Studio albums =
- It Was Romance, self-released, 2015
= Videos =
- "Philadelphia"
- "Hooking Up With Girls"
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Musical groups established in 2009}}
- [http://itwasromance.bandcamp.com It Was Romance] on Bandcamp
Category:2009 establishments in New York City
Category:Alternative rock groups from New York (state)
Category:American blues rock musical groups
Category:American folk rock groups
Category:American musical quartets
Category:Garage rock groups from New York (state)
Category:Indie rock musical groups from New York (state)