Collects material from Romeo Void's three albums ("It's A Condition", "Benefactor" and "Instincts") and the Ric Okasek-produced 4-song EP, "Never Say Never".
Romeo Void: Debora Iyall (vocals); Peter Woods (guitar); Benjamin Bossi (saxophone); Frank Zincavage (bass); Aaron Smith (drums, percussion); John "Stench" Haines, Larry Carter (drums).
Producers: Ric Ocasek, David Kahne, Ian Taylor, Romeo Void.
Personnel: Debora Iyall (vocals); Peter Woods (guitar); Benjamin Bossi (saxophone); Aaron Smith (drums, percussion); Larry Carter, John Haines (drums).
Audio Remasterer: Mark Wilder.
Liner Note Author: Jack Johnston.
Photographers: Chester Simpson; Frank Zincavage; Romeo Void.
While all four albums by this San Francisco combo led by Native American singer/songwriter Debora Iyall and free jazz-influenced saxophonist Benjamin Bossi are more than worthwhile, this compilation is a consistently strong introduction. Best known for its sneering early college radio hit "Never Say Never"--with its famous "I might like you better if we slept together" refrain--and the smoky "A Girl in Trouble," Romeo Void was a smart, atmospheric, often fascinating band, with Iyall's brittle-yet-sensitive lyrics and Bossi's wild sax solos as exciting as anything released in the early '80s.
The unbearably tense, pressure cooker ambiance of "Charred Remains," the exhilarating "Chinatown" and the yearning, lovely, "One Thousand Shadows," a previously unreleased demo, are at least the equal of the two better-known tracks. WARM, IN YOUR COAT's most notable flaw is its remixed version of "Never Say Never," which ruins the famously angular guitar-riff opening. Otherwise, it's an excellent overview of an underrated band.
