Belle and Sebastian

The Online Romance: still online

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 | musiX, pdX | No Comments

It was just over a year ago that I wrote about Portland twee-pop sextet The Online Romance while still doing The Days of Lore in column form. I was drawn in by their song “hey Abraham,” and a bit suspicious of group founder Jack Saturn’s name. All right, that’s probably his real name … I’m just jealous.

The members of The Online Romance have been holed up in the studio working on their first proper recording, set for a spring 2009 release. It’s been six months since the group has performed live. Eighteen months since they’ve posted an update on their Web site. More than three years since they’ve released any new material. But the group is coming out of studio hibernation Friday, Nov. 14, to open Portland singer-songwriter Grey Anne’s CD release show … and then that’s it for a while …

… I see how it is—you don’t call, don’t write, then you come back just long enough to make them all fall in love with you again—then you’ll go away. But they’ll come back to you. Especially after they hear the new music you posted this week.

The Online Romance posted four songs (including a couple of new versions of older ones) on the group’s MySpace and Virb profiles, all of which will appear on the new as-yet-to-be-titled record. “Sever the Fabric” and “The Broken Bannister” are smart and catchy, giving a nod and a wink to yé-yé girls and the coy pop of Belle and Sebastian. I promise the extra layers of piano and strings along with the sunny boy-girl harmonies will keep you warm this winter. There. Isn’t getting back together fun?

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