Album Notes

Romanovsky & Phillips' fourth album is a musical tour-de-force containing 15 songs of love, politics, hope and humor. Featuring their signature vocal harmonies and no-nonsense acoustic arrangements, Be Political Not Polite maintains a perfect balance of wit and political passion. Produced by John Bucchino, known for his decades of work with singer-activist Holly Near and more recently his Broadway show A Catered Affair (co-written with Harvey Fierstein), this album re-establishes R&P on the cutting edge of gay and lesbian music.

On this disc R&P remain unafraid to tackle any subject, from lesbian/gay parents to lesbian/gay teachers, surviving AIDS to surviving dating. Titles include: "Oh No, I'm In Love (With My Therapist)", "Tango Indigesto" (a breaking up scene in a Mexican restaurant), "Once Upon A time" (It's getting hard to tell the boys from the girls), "When Heterosexism Strikes" (practical advice for fighting homophobia), "Queers In The Closet" (a who's who of famous closet cases), and "Hymn" (a scathing indictment of the Catholic Church.)

Musically, R&P have never sounded better. John Bucchino's phenomenal talents as a keyboardist/arranger combined with R&P's soaring harmonies create a sound that is compelling and occasionally even danceable! Joined by special guest back-up vocalists Phranc, Alix Dobkin, Holly Near and Michael Callen (of The Flirtations), R&P take you on whirlwind musical journey. From the latin-flavored "When Heterosexism Strikes" to the straight forward folk-rock of the title cut, and from the lush choral arrangement of "Hymn" to the Andrews Sisters sound of "Oh No...I'm In Love", R&P display more musical sophistication than ever, without sacrificing the unapologetic folkiness that has endeared them to their fans. Be Political Not Polite is both a homecoming and a coming of age for R&P