The band's self-titled full-length debut surfaced in 1980 (recorded
in just three weeks) and is often considered to be the quartet's best
due to the inclusion of such gems as "When I Look in Your Eyes," a cover
of Ray Davies' "She's Got Everything," and one of the Romantics'
best-known tracks: the power pop gem "That's What I Like About You."
Although the latter track peaked at only number 49 when originally
released as a single, it later became an early MTV favorite and classic
rock radio standard and in the '90s, was used in several commercials.
At its best, the Romantics' self-titled debut album sounds like the greatest album Shel Talmy
never produced. The Detroit band's British Invasion-style power pop may
not have been an especially original creation, but it was good enough
that no one with a taste for high-voltage hooks would ever dream of
complaining, and as a meeting of mid-'60s style and late-'70s volume and
passion, it's all but flawless. Wally Palmar and Mike Skill and drummer Jimmy Marinos, are a glorious pastiche of period pop styles (think the Kinks and the Easybeats with a bit of the Hollies
thrown in for melodic appeal) played with a hard-stomping energy and a
genuine love for the vintage style that doesn't reek of nostalgia. The
production by Peter Solley is simple but smart enough to put both the hooks at the energy up front where they belong, and the Romantics
never had a set of tunes this strong again; "What I Like About You"
richly deserved its status as a hit single, and "When I Look in Your
Eyes," "Tell It to Carrie" and "Girl Next Door" would have followed it
up the charts in a just world. The Romantics
didn't exactly reinvent the wheel with this album, but they sure knew
how to make it roll, and for sheer party enhancing energy, this album is
hard to beat. 
A sophomore effort was issued the same year, National Breakout, which saw the band expand their sound to include such other styles as surf and classic Motown and was supported by an extensive world tour (including the Romantics' inaugural visits to both Europe and Australia).
Mike Skill left the band after the release of the second album and was replaced by lead guitarist Coz Canler. Rich Cole left the band in '82 and was replaced by a returning Skill, who then became the band's bassist.
The Romantics' fortunes began to rise again in the middle of the 1990s, as the band's success in its lawsuit against its former management freed the band to record again (and ensured that future earnings from the licensing of Romantics songs would go to the band).
Rich Cole returned to the band after a long absence in 2010. Longtime lead guitarist Coz Canler left the band in 2011, allowing Skill to return to the original lead guitarist role he held in the band.
Yep, that's the reduced history of the Romantics (I used excerpts from Wiki and allmusic.com) . Hope you have fun with the music and i'll
see you later, Alligators.
Cheers
SB1
links in ...bla...bla...
