Search - Roman Holliday :: Cookin on the Roof

Finally- a lost gem out on CD!

D. H. Richards | Silver Spring, MD USA | 03/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am really glad to see this classic lost 80s debut album on CD, finally. Too bad it is such a pricey import. One of the first bands signed to Jive (back when it was a British New Wave label, something the current label seems determined to forget), Roman Holiday was discovered by Boy George and toured with Culture Club around the UK.
However, the band does not sound like Culture Club, rather they mix New Wave attitudes with Swing (back before Swing came back). And to top it off, they had a batch of killer tunes, tight vocal harmonies and a fun, shiny brass section that kept the music upbeat and happy.
Standout tracks include "IOU," "Motormania" "Stand By" and the "big" hit here in the US - "Don't Try to Stop It." The band manages to mixes a bunch of styles, from 50s doo-wop to UK New Romantic disoc, it was just too bad that most of those styles were passé in the early 80s.
This album is a little gem and will please those who enjoy good pop music with a beat. The songs are shiny, bright and while close inspections of the lyrics reveal the band were no Pollyanna, it will lift your spirits and set your toes a tapping. Come discover a truly lost treasure from the 80s."

Once again, the Japanese reissue a pop classic

cindyinthewind | Cleveland, OH USA | 02/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It seems that if it were not for the Japanese we would not have CD reissues of some of my favorite pop music of all time. This was one of my favorite "not a bad cut on the whole thing" albums of the early '80s, but I owned it only on LP and have not been able to find it in any other form for two decades. I'm so delighted to be able to get a copy of it now. (Actually, my US version of the LP was missing the title track...I wonder who made the decision not to include it! Duh!) Back before Brian Setzer invented swing music in 1997 (yes, that WAS a joke) and all the bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers and the like came along, these guys were already making music to jitterbug to. Had they not had the "Stand By" video on MTV, though, I might never have heard of them. Lucky I took a chance on this album and loved it. Unfortunately it was not time yet for a revival of this kind of music and I seemed to be the only one listening. I was extremely disappointed with their followup album, in which the group was stripped of all its "swing" sound and homogenized to sound exactly like Wham!, possibly with the idea in mind that if they sounded like Wham! they too would have hit records. (And it wasn't difficult given that Steve Lambert sings just like George Michael.) End result: their uniqueness was gone. And they broke up soon after, I believe. If you enjoyed any of the swing music revival of the late '90s, get this!"

A long-lost gem from the '80s

cindyinthewind | 04/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's pretty amazing to finally get Roman Holliday's debut album on CD. The original cassette kept me entertained for years until the thing wore out. Roman Holliday's music -- brassy, joyous and energetic -- helped provide the soundtrack for my high school years. Highlighted by the warm voice of charismatic lead singer Steve Lambert, the group created a killer debut, fueled by the singles "Don't Try To Stop It" and "Stand By." But the rest of the disc is remarkably consistent, including the pseudo ballad "Serious Situation" and the delightful "Midnight Bus." This stuff predated the swing revival by years, but is more energetic and original than almost anything to come out of that scene. Roman Holliday completely changed their sound (no more swing) and image (no more sailor hats) for their second and final album, "Fire Me Up." Still, it's a fine disc -- hopefully that will be coming out on CD some time soon."