Crumb's major-label debut,
Romance Is a Slow Dance, ebbs and flows between strings of single-note sullen melodramatics and cacophonous chord crunching outbursts tied together with driving melodies of pure alternative rock. The exception to this formulaic song construction is the acoustic track "Carter," which finds the band getting back to its roots when it started as an acoustic duo. Robby Cronholm's vocals are strained almost to the breaking point on several songs, as his voice rises and falls attempting to match the emotional force of Mark Weinberg's guitar playing. Consequently, Cronholm's vocal range is exposed for what it is, favorable on quieter melodic pieces and intensely gruff when the intensity picks up. This record is best when the listener allows it to just play as the background to a moment, rather then trying to make sense of it all by dissecting every note and lyric. ~ Erik Crawford