Neon Blonde is the alter ego of the Blood Brothers. Unlike the often frantic and frenzied songs of the duo's other band, Neon Blonde is a much more eclectic, dancing, and melodious venture that touches on the art-rock tune... more »s of Brian Eno and early David Bowie. The Seattle band's Dim Mak debut is a collision of elements - rickety old drum machines, chiming guitars, pugilistic drum breaks, slinking pianos, and falsetto wail. Neon Blonde brings a refreshing experimental edge to their songs, which results in a charming pastiche of styles and sounds. The lead single, "Headlines", released earlier this year on Dim Mak as a 4-song CD EP and 12-inch EP, is simply infectious. Other tracks hearken to the cocaine-claustrophobic "Low"-era Bowie with soaring synthesizer lines cascading over jagged guitar lines, as well as the epic falsetto balladry of Freddie Mercury with the effect-wizardry of early Roxy Music.« less
Neon Blonde is the alter ego of the Blood Brothers. Unlike the often frantic and frenzied songs of the duo's other band, Neon Blonde is a much more eclectic, dancing, and melodious venture that touches on the art-rock tunes of Brian Eno and early David Bowie. The Seattle band's Dim Mak debut is a collision of elements - rickety old drum machines, chiming guitars, pugilistic drum breaks, slinking pianos, and falsetto wail. Neon Blonde brings a refreshing experimental edge to their songs, which results in a charming pastiche of styles and sounds. The lead single, "Headlines", released earlier this year on Dim Mak as a 4-song CD EP and 12-inch EP, is simply infectious. Other tracks hearken to the cocaine-claustrophobic "Low"-era Bowie with soaring synthesizer lines cascading over jagged guitar lines, as well as the epic falsetto balladry of Freddie Mercury with the effect-wizardry of early Roxy Music.
That prickly sensation you get from being hit in the face wi
Luke Rounda | Lawrence, KS | 12/12/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Chandeliers in the Savannah" is a very odd animal. It slinks around on a mix of drums, mechanized beats and brooding piano one moment and thrashes with claws to your face the next, like a shrew with rabies. Musically, the album is much the same, melding pop, dance and thrash-rock sensabilities with garden variety insanity. It's as if you're listening to an MTV camera man being mauled by said shrew.
I like it.
My personal favorite is "Crystal Beaches Never Turned Me On," which juxtaposes a throbbing jungle beat against diseased piano, synth and guitar. Lay out a typically damaged-jet-engine Whitney vocal over this, replete with some "ooh oohs," and you have a truly unique and morbidly catchy tune.
Catchier than the Blood Brothers, every bit as rhythmically and musically informed, and above all else, every bit as trailblazing, Neon Blonde is, hands-down, the finest two piece band since Local H (no, not the White Stripes). That the mass public regards music like this as noise is a compliment. The finest predators don't rustle the trees in the jungle until it's too late to escape. So it is with this, the most unpopular (and unyielding) collection of pop music to be released in 2005."
Best noise of 2005
Chase Azimi | Hayward, CA United States | 02/25/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Neon Blonde may be a side project of The Blood Brothers, however it is not, as some may say, "a watered down version of the blood brothers". This album was surprisingly diverse for a side project of a typically punk orientated band, and was in fact not exactly like its predecessor. CitS delves from the brain bashing punk revival that is The Blood Brothers, to a semi- dance-punk, electronica, experimental, (and dare i say) noise-rock sound. The album surprises on so many different levels,in part due to the sheer elasticity and shrillness of Johnny Whitney's voice plus a few abused synth and drum programmings that seem to blend together in a match made in... well, hell. but dont take my lengthy word for it, if you enjoy dance punk, noise, the blood brothers or simply want to get all the left over emo music cluttered in your head out, pick up this album.. or at least bootleg it"
Phenomenal
Nathan Cardiff | De Soto, KS USA | 02/25/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you are a fan of The Blood Brothers, then this album is for you. Neon Blonde may not sound the same as far as instruments go, but Johnny Whitney's vocals are still wailing the vice lyrics of The Blood Brothers. Chandeliers in the Savannah is great for any occasion because it jumps from dance/techno mix to wailing guitars to haunting piano playing. The diversity of every song puts you in a trance. This album is beautiful."
Fans of the Blood Brothers will love this, gauranteed
Nathan Cardiff | 01/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you like the Blood Brothers, you are virtually gauranteed to enjoy this album.
Right off the bat, "Black Cactus Killers" is a standout track, and almost undistinguishable from any Crimes-esque or even Burn Piano-esque Blood Brothers.
"Crystal Beaches..." and "Love Hounds" change things up a bit and keep Neon Blonde from sounding too alike.
However, basically if you like the Blood Brothers, you will like this."