Press Play: Trudy and The Romance

In an age of algorithms, Trudy and The Romance are a breath of fresh air. This three-piece band from Liverpool is far from tethered to one genre because of their resourceful use of music found in past decades. The trio, (comprised of Oliver Taylor on vocals, Lewis Rollinson on bass, and Brad Mullins on drums), deliver 1950s rhythm and blues to today’s indie listeners. Their finger-snapping doo-wop style is intentionally cartoony– and that’s no gibe for the band that self-identifies as “50s mutant pop”. Trudy and The Romance further introduced their theatrical portrayal of 1950s rock and roll with the release of EP “Junkyard Jazz” in 2017.

“Junkyard Jazz” was not only an EP but a transportive showpiece that takes listeners to a time and place they have never experienced. The rhythmic melodies and addictive choruses hold all of the heart-warming nostalgia of a bygone decade. Tip-toeing upon the line between reality and fantasy comes with ease for Trudy and the Romance. 

Their latest album “Sandman”, released in May, is a more grandiose project teeming with staginess. The album centers around a circus of characters and their trials in a day-dreamy story nowhere short of pure imagination. The band was inspired by American jukebox tunes and Disney classics when composing the sound to follow their cinematic concept. Oliver’s warbled crooning backed up by spellbinding background vocals craft a dreamscape worthy of drifting off to.  Jazzy numbers with rowdy rock beats and shining guitars also contribute to their whimsical reverie world. 

Trudy and The Romance are an outfit that seamlessly incorporates the saccharine sound of the 1950s into modern indie music. They are delightfully different and don’t fit any genre precisely. Instead, they opt to occupy a category created all on their own.