Instincts

Perhaps in reaction against the more commercial sound of Benefactor, Romeo Void returned to producer David Kahne and the sound of their first album, It's a Condition, on their third, Instincts. Nevertheless, it proved to be their bestselling album. The group's instrumental attack continued to be spearheaded by saxophonist Benjamin Bossi, whose floating lines contrasted with the drive of the rhythm section and guitarist Peter Woods' Morse code leads. And Debora Iyall continued to pour out disappointed reflections on the romantic condition in songs with titles like "Your Life Is a Lie" and "Say No." One of them, "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)," managed to be both provocative and vague enough to inch into the Top 40, such that the album gained greater exposure and sales. But instead of marking a breakthrough for Romeo Void, Instincts marked their breakup, with Iyall going solo.