Alternative pop collective Neon Trees excel at āneo-, New Waveā on their third album, Pop Psychology.
āSleeping With a Friendā was the first thing that caught my eye about alternative band Neon Treesā third LP, Pop Psychology. The cover of the latest album didnāt hurt, but having never heard the single, the title itself was enough to grasp my interest. āSleeping With A Friendā is tamer than had it been performed by an R&B or rap artist ā thatās almost definitely a blessing. What Pop Psychology does have that makes it a successful album is plenty of energy and the utmost consistency. Maybe shock value isnāt part of Neon Treesā arsenal, but they have plenty of other goods to offer.
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āLove in the 21st Centuryā
āLove in the 21st Centuryā kicks off Pop Psychology exceptionally, with an overall air of āfeel-goodā. The production work is balanced, never sounding under- or overproduced. The songwriting stands out, particularly on the chorus:
āI guess itās love In the 21st century Oh oh itās touch Broken heart technology Your kisses taste so sweet But then you quick delete Love in the 21st century.ā
āText Me in the Morningā keeps both momentum and tempo up. Much like the opener, āText Meā is soundly produced and pleasant. Among notable lines is verse twoās
āWoke up all soakinā wet from last nightās fever Smelling like cigarettes and broken promisesā¦ā
āSleeping With a Friendā
The third consecutive standout, single āSleeping With a Friendā is neo- new wave at its best. āWe are both young hot-blooded people,ā frontman Tyler Glenn sings on the bridge,
āWe donāt wanna die alone Two become one, it could be lethalā¦sleeping with a friend.ā
Glenn and the band definitely begin Pop Psychology in superb fashion.
āTeenagers in Loveā is no slouch either, continuing to exemplify the consistency of Pop Psychology. Once more favoring a quick tempo, āTeenagers in Loveā sticks it right to the listener with its speed. Like the majority of the LP, Tyler Glenn never has to tussle with the production in order for his pipes to be heard ā he sounds marvelous thanks in part to himself and the vocal production itself.
āI Love You (But I Hate Your Friends)ā is even feistier than āTeenagersā, finding Glenn adding a few ācolorfulā words to the mix (if you catch my drift). Still, as fun as āI Love Youā is, the scenario presented by Neon Trees is very plausible:
āI love you but I hate your friends Theyāre all desperate If you knew what I know would you be ready to goā¦ā
The beat thumps on āUnavoidableā, a fine duet between Glenn and Elaine Bradley. It isnāt a reinvention or anything but is another worthwhile listen. Itās āunavoidable / You are the magnetā¦pull me in.ā
āVoices in the Hallsā
āVoices in the Hallsā gives Pop Psychology a more pronounced contrast compared to previous showings. Thatās no knock to the previous cuts, but āVoices in the Hallsā stark differences makes it shine, keeping Pop Psychology from drifting into sameness and predictability. Eschewing percussive accompaniment initially, though still rhythmic, the brief āVoicesā relies on its synths to drive. Eventually, looping, mysterious drum programming adds more definition to the rhythmic scheme. Haunting, āVoices in the Halls possesses some truly stunning lyrics, particularly on verse one:
āI can taste your lemonade Bittersweet like every summer fling Been keeping up with all your stories Talking to your ghost when Iām asleep.ā
The chorus isnāt quite as poetic, but it gets the job done giving off the ghostly sentiment. The vocal treatment of lyric āIn the hallsā in particular is a highlight.
The album closes soundly as well, if less electrifyingly compared to the āstackedā opening. āFoolish Behaviorā is more straight-ahead compared to āVoices in the Hallsā, but thatās no deal breaker; itās an appropriate contrast. Perhaps āFoolish Behaviorā doesnāt have the oomph of a juggernaut the likes of āSleeping With a Friendā, but it still incites head nodding and foot tapping.
So does āLiving in Another Worldā, another well-done neo- new wave joint. Of the penultimate cut, the guitar parts stand out in particular. Closer āFirst Things Firstā has the distinction of being the albumās lengthiest cut. Length isnāt a factor as āFirst Things Firstā closes impressively with its clapping drums and intriguing synths.
Final Thoughts
The overall verdict for Pop Psychology ā favorable by all means! It isnāt an album that is innovative, but few are. Additionally, it isnāt an album that necessarily ājumps right out at youā, but thatās no shade or shame either. Just because Pop Psychology doesnāt try to reinvent alt- and pop music, doesnāt make it inferior in the least ā it is far from it. With no misses and most ā if not all ā of its Iās dotted and Tās crossed, Pop Psychology gets my blessing.
Gems: āLove in the 21st Century,ā āText Me in the Morning,ā āSleeping With A Friendā & āVoices in the Hallsā
Neon Trees ⢠Pop Psychology ⢠Mercury ⢠US Release: 4.22.14
Photo Credit: Mercury
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