Fast Romantics

Fast Romantics
Fast Romantics Press Photo, 2017. Photographer: Jen Squires.
Background information
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Indie rock Indie pop
Years active	2009–present
Website	fastromantics.com
Members	Matthew Angus Kirty Jeffrey Lewis Kevin Black Nick McKinlay Lisa Lorenz
Past members	Matthew Kliewer, Alan Reain, Laurna Germscheid, Shane O'Keeffe, Lauren Heron

Fast Romantics are a Canadian indie rock band based in Toronto, Ontario and originally formed in Calgary, Alberta.

Fast Romantics formed in 2009 by former members of long-running Calgary band The Mood, initially retaining three of their original members: Matthew Angus, Matthew Kliewer, and Jeffrey Lewis. Upon reforming, the band added Alan Reain on drums and began doing a number of local shows.

The band added and lost many members in the years that followed, releasing two independent records, touring heavily, and eventually reforming in Toronto in 2014.

The band's debut, self-titled LP was a self-recorded effort released in 2009., and later mixed in Vancouver by Mike Fraser, who has also mixed albums by acts such as Franz Ferdinand, Elvis Costello, and Metallica. The band toured Canada twice in 2009 in support of that album, playing festivals like Virgin Fest and NXNE.

In September 2009, the band was selected by Spin Magazine and John Varvatos as one of three global finalists in the magazine's "Free the Noise" competition. Taking a detour from their national Canadian tour, the band was flown to New York City to perform at the now-defunct venue CBGB (now owned by competition co-creator John Varvatos). Guitarist Matthew Kliewer stated: "There were apparently 950 people there. I heard that Dennis Quaid was there, but I couldn't see if he was jumping up and down, checking his watch, or trying to save the planet."

On July 6, 2010, the band released the EP Kidcutter. The album was produced by Howard Redekopp, who has also produced Tegan and Sara, The New Pornographers, and Mother Mother. The EP was once again mixed by Mike Fraser.

Songs from the album have appeared on numerous television shows including Shameless, Breaking In, Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, and One Tree Hill. "Cool Kids" was also featured in the 2013 film As Cool as I Am.