Review: The Neon Trees – Habits
Entertainment September 27, 2010 Admin
The Neon Trees are a four piece alternative rock band based out of Provo, Utah made up of lead vocalist/keyboardist Tyler Glenn, guitarist Chris Allen, bassist Branden Campbell, and drummer Elaine Bradley. The band plays rock and roll with a dance feel and a bit of new wave synth.
Habits is their first studio release and a sure sign of future success. Their single “Animal” is featured in a commercial for Las Vegas and recently hit #1 on the alternative rock chart. The Neon Trees’ music is very similar to that of The Killers, but with more raw power. Habits is real rock and roll: fast, loud, and jammable.
That rock and roll feeling has been missing in many recent modern rock bands, but The Neon Trees utilize a catchy sound many listeners are longing to hear. The band has fun songs; they are upbeat, edgy, funky, and just a big mess of awesome.
Along with the excruciatingly cool style of music The Neon Trees offer comes their lyrics and singing. The vocals are beautiful and the lyrics are understandable while still maintaining real feeling. In other words, Habits says what needs to be said in a manner that sounds good.
A great example of this is “Sins of My Youth.” This track is about looking back on the past and what has stuck with someone. The song is a great kick-off to the album, with rhymes and a catchy beat. A part of the song that really sticks out is “All these mainstream made emotions made me the boy that they wanted me to be, but when I took down my defenses for the first time there was something in me.” Simple, smart, lines like this are common throughout Habits.
The most memorable tracks on the album are “Girls & Boys” and “In the Next Room.” “Girls & Boys” starts off with a funky feeling that builds up to a chorus that is sure to inspire dancing and jamming out. This track resembles fellow alt-rockers The Killers, and this is most apparent in the disco sounding chorus. Perhaps the greatest part of the song is the building energy towards the ending, which fits so perfectly.
“In the Next Room” is a jazzy sort of song that starts with a piano over some fitting vocals. The piano soon fades into a verse that is held up by a head bopping bass line. It quickly transitions from the jazz of the verse into a loud chorus that will make anybody want to jump to their feet.
Both of these songs are close to perfection, but of course the album has its weaknesses. “Your Surrender” is a slower track, with a sound that grows repetitive and feels like filler.
Quite simply, this band has made a great debut. The Neon Trees know how to keep it rocking. Habits is a truly amazing album with few shortcomings.
