The self-titled debut album from Melbourne’s Future Romance is a labour of love for singer-songwriter Bec Birchall, who steps into the spotlight proudly brandishing her gen-X stripes as a pop-loving kid of the 80s and teen of the 90s grunge era.
This is the band’s first full-length release following singles ‘Want-You’ (Dec 2019), and ‘Not Beaten 4U’ (May 2020).
Despite the term ‘debut’, Bec is no newcomer, having written and recorded music from a young age, and graced the Melbourne and Geelong scenes for 20 years on guitar/keys/vocals alongside sister Claire Birchall in indie-rock groups Paper Planes, and Claire Birchall & The Phantom Hitchhikers.
The origins of Future Romance lead back to Birchall’s hometown of Jan Juc, where she wrote the album, and spent a quiet coastal winter laying down a demo that would establish a basis for the sound, and many elements that would feature on the final studio recording.
After teaming up with friends, fellow Phantom Hitchhiker Jarrod Brown (drums), Kensington Daze (lead guitar), and former Paper Planes bandmate Mark Brant (bass), the band worked on refining the 12 dynamic tracks they would take into Melbourne’s Soundpark Studios in 2019.
It's a bold debut from Future Romance, with aspirations reminiscent of an 80s power ballad - words and music stripped back for maximum impact, lofty production, and plenty of heart. While the album displays undeniable depth and maturity, it also shows a band unafraid to ditch inhibitions and push the limits with the playful audacity of a Van Halen lead-break, but when it comes to words, Bec always shoots straight from the heart. Future Romance may not strictly tell the love story, but there’s a whole lot more going on between the lines.
The Future Romance self-titled debut album is OUT NOW on Bandcamp, CD and major streaming platforms.