Rhythm Romance
{{About|a pop album|the rock album of the same name|Nils Lofgren#Solo discography}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Rhythm Romance
| type = Album
| artist = the Romantics
| cover = romantics-rhythm-romance.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1985
| recorded = April–May 1985
| studio =
- Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida)
- New River Studios (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
| genre = Rock
| length = 35:27
| label = Nemperor
| producer =
- Peter Solley
- Gordon Fordyce
- The Romantics
| prev_title = In Heat
| prev_year = 1983
| next_title = 61/49
| next_year = 2003
}}
Rhythm Romance is the fifth album by Detroit-based rock band the Romantics, released on Nemperor Records in 1985. It peaked at No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web |url=
https://elpee.jp/album/Rhythm%20Romance/The%20Romantics/ |title=Rhythm Romance - Billboard Hot 100 |website=elpee.jp |access-date=15 January 2025}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r16858/review|pure_url=yes}}
}}
On Rhythm Romance, the Romantics had moved further away from their power pop roots towards more mainstream rock.{{Cite web |last=Prato |first=Greg |title=The Romantics Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-romantics-mn0000895074 |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=AllMusic }} In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Chris Woodstra opined that the band had become "full-fledged arena rockers complete with a big ultraslick production... and an utterly forgettable batch of songs."
Trouser Press called it "another likably dumb batch of pop songs culminating in a credibly rootsy version of "Poison Ivy."{{cite web|title=Romantics|url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/romantics/|website=Trouser Press|first1=Jon|last1=Young|first2=Ira|last2=Robbins|access-date=15 January 2025}}
Track listing
All tracks written by Wally Palmar, Coz Canler and Mike Skill, except where noted.
{{Track listing
| title1 = Let's Get Started
| writer1 =
| length1 = 3:58
| title2 = Mystified
| writer2 =
| length2 = 3:29
| title3 = Be My Everything
| writer3 =
| length3 = 3:52
| title4 = Test of Time
| writer4 =
| length4 = 3:24
| title5 = I Got It If You Want It
| writer5 =
| length5 = 3:26
| title6 = Rhythm Romance
| writer6 = Palmar, Canler, Skill, David Petratos
| length6 = 3:48
| title7 = Never Thought It Would Be Like This
| writer7 = Palmar, Canler, Skill, Peter Solley
| length7 = 3:34
| title8 = Better Make a Move
| writer8 =
| length8 = 3:19
| title9 = Make It Last
| writer9 =
| length9 = 3:41
| title10 = Poison Ivy
| writer10 = Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
| length10 = 2:56
}}
Personnel
;The Romantics
- Wally Palmar – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
- Coz Canler – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Mike Skill – bass, guitar, backing vocals
- David Petratos – drums, backing vocals
;Additional personnel
- Peter Solley – keyboards, production, mixing
- Gordon Fordyce – production, engineer, mixing
- The Romantics – co-production, cover concept
- David Axelbaum – assistant engineer
- Ted Stein – assistant engineer
- Mike Fuller – mastering
- Chris Austopchuk – art direction
- Larry Williams – cover photography
References
{{reflist}}
{{The Romantics}}
{{Authority control}}
{{1980s-pop-rock-album-stub}}