In the decades since he made his name with cult-famous rockabilly revivalists Flat Duo Jets, Dex Romweber has remained a fixture in his hometown: Carrboro, N.C.—a close neighbor to the college town Chapel Hill. In frequent gigs—solo, with a drummer or at the helm of the 10-piece New Romans—Romweber performs, with veteran panache, a rangy fusion of Tin Pan Alley pop, classic country, old-school rock ‘n’ roll and surf music. On his latest solo venture, Romweber brings that same restless spirit to the studio.
Ranging from the Tarantino-exotica of big-band cuts like “Nightide” to the growling blues of “Lonesome Train,” from the sizzling surf of “Midnight At Vic’s” to rockabilly rager “Knock Knock (Who’s That Knockin’ On My Coffin Lid Door?),” Romweber plays eagerly across genres. His mix of originals and well-curated, if obscure, covers has always shown a knack for simple, classic songwriting. On Carrboro, Romweber dresses the tunes in a variety of styles that would seem surprising, unless you’re lucky enough to have seen one of his low-key hometown gigs.
—Bryan C. Reed
