Neon Horse

Tooth and Nail Records certainly has an interesting bundle of artists (among them are Ruth, Starflyer 59, mewithoutYou, Joy Electric, Anberlin, the Fold, and Underoath). One could argue that Neon Horse would be a logical next step. The moment their first album was released in May was the beginning of a massive frenzy to uncover the identity of the band—-a force that has probably driven most of the album’s sales. For now, the band members’ names are a carefully guarded secret.

It’s not unlike Tooth and Nail to introduce a Christian artist who also appeals to the secular market, and in that sense the label seems to successfully exist in both domains. Still, Neon Horse seems to represent a sort of culmination of a newer trend within Christian music—-the understanding that music doesn’t have to contain theology and certainly doesn’t have to stay in the neat little box of traditional styles. Rather than simply follow the current ideas of popular Christian rock, Neon Horse seems to take this already established trend further in forging a different style. And “different,” by the way, is putting it mildly. The exact sound of Neon Horse is fairly difficult to pin down, although ’80s style rock is a solid generalization. According to Tooth and Nail’s website, the band “has studied, and designed a sound that morphs timeless energy with brilliant modern relevance.” Reviews left by iTunes users have compared the sound to AC/DC, The Killers, Modest Mouse, and The Newsboys’ album Take Me to Your Leader. (This reviewer immediately thought of Modest Mouse, although it is useful to compare it to Switchfoot’s Oh, Gravity! as well.)

The first song is a summer day at the beach, with its exuberant energy complimented by the radiance of the sun. “Cuckoo!” ensures the listener is awake and alert by beginning the album with the essence of everything bright and sunny: energetic guitar-driven rock, enthusiastic vocals, and colorful electronic effects. While the lyrics aren’t exactly what one might consider profound, they highlight the track’s rush of explosive fun. This leads us into the second track, “Speed Killz,” where Neon Horse serves up more of the same.

The album takes a different turn with “I Know—-I Just Don’t Care.” With a decreased tempo and whinier vocals, this track takes listeners on a dark and dreary journey that is, apparently, a story told by a drunk at a bar. (Whoa, Christian music never goes there.) It is here where the summer fun wears off and the band starts to grapple with the struggles of modern life. This track seems to appear prematurely in the album, as it stands in stark contrast with the themes of earlier songs. Perhaps it would be better placed towards the end, where the band’s serious (if not depressed) side shows in greater lengths.

The band returns to the cheery style of the first two tracks in “Crazy Daisy,” while maintaining some seriousness. This is actually a love song—-the only one in the album and perhaps one of the most random ever made. Forging a balance between the crazy and the profound, the track switches from interesting (“I need a crazy daisy/I need a…dogga saga, a Hiroshima!”) to reflective (“I knew from the moment that I looked into your eyes/ I was in need of perfection”). There are certainly no bar tales here; just a look at what love is (or should be) on a practical level. Once the hilariousness of the song’s bizarre lyrics begins to wear off, “Crazy Daisy” becomes a somewhat touching (and almost sweet) story.

The other eight songs generally follow the previous formulas, providing an interesting lyrical mix and showing the range of the band’s style. Overall, the album creates an interesting architecture that oscillates between moods while exploring a variety of topics. The track lengths and intriguing lyrics make this the perfect album for a listener with a short attention span (it’s all over in roughly a half-hour) and love of strange, classically-influenced rock. Guaranteed to prevent you from falling asleep, Neon Horse must be a great Red Bull alternative. Best of all, it’s calorie-free, carb-free, and sugar-free, all just a click away. Why consume sugary energy drinks or over-priced coffee when music can make your next all-nighter possible?