Neon Horse

Description

The self-titled debut album by the American indie rock band Neon Horse was released on Tooth & Nail Records in May 2007. The album was produced by Neon Horse and mixed by JR McNeely. At the release of the album the members of the band was unknown to the public, but later it has been revealed that among the members are Mark Salomon (the lead singer of Stavesacre), Jason Martin (the founder of Starflyer 59) as well as Steven Dail (of Project 86 fame).

A few years back, a mysterious band known only as Demon Hunter was showcased on the compilation ‘This Is Solid State Vol. 3’. Though rough, the song «Through The Black» started a wave of intense hype that only intensified with the lack of information and general mystery surrounding the band in the nearly year-long wait for a full-length release. Fans were well-rewarded for their patience. Demon Hunter actually lived up to the hype.

I bring up Demon Hunter because Neon Horse could be considered the rock and roll equivalent of Demon Hunter. No website. Just a myspace with one song and rumours that some veteran Christian rock dudes were in the band. There was a fair bit of hype for what promised to be a piece of trashy rock and roll “influenced by the rock leaders of 1975-85.” Well, the album was released to fanfare in May and then promptly disappeared off the radar with zero tour dates or new pieces of information. But even if Neon Horse is not destined to have the lasting impact of Demon Hunter, how does the album sound?

Pretty cool. Heavily influenced by new-wave, glam-rock and trashy brit-pop sounds, the disc is a collection of short, trashy rock AND roll songs. The lyrics come at you with biting, acerbic wit and wry humour, fired at you like bottle rockets from the duelling vocalists. One sounds like Robert Smith from The Cure, the other a drunken, raspy punk version of Bob Dylan. If Bob Dylan was on drugs.

‘Neon Horse’ – the band and album) is untrendy, unhip, somewhat overproduced (it’s too clean to be as trashy as it endeavors to be) but totally fun rock & roll music. Lack of depth and the utter absence of any follow-up to the album release will prevent it from the attention it arguably deserves as a surprising, bold release from Tooth & Nail records. Eh, what can you do?

Oh, and about the “mystery band members?” Long-time T&N fans shouldn’t have trouble figuring this out, but here it is. The vocalists are one and the same: the one and only Mark Saloman (Stavesacre, The Crucified, Outer Circle, eight million guest vocal spots). The guitar and song-writing is patentled Jason Martin (Starflyer 59, The Brothers Martin). It’s likely Martin did the bass and drums too, and probably produced it in his own studio. The songs are copyrighted to both men as it is. Ironically, Mark Saloman’s return to a “christian label” after Stavesacre’s well-publicized exit to the industry will go largely unnoticed. Perhaps that’s how he wanted it. Cuckoo!

Recommended to rock fans, especially the ones that remember when Tooth & Nail Records was totally awesome. [Ryan Ro, The Phantom Tollbooth, 2007]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/neon-horse/716286928)

CD tracklist:

01. Cuckoo! – 2:25
02. Speed Killz – 2:21
03. I Know – I Just Don’t Care – 2:25
04. Crazy Daisy – 2:37
05. Kick Yer Askin’ For It – 2:36
06. Go. Stop. – 2:08
07. The Bathroom Wall – 1:43
08. Nice For You – 1:44
09. Little Lamb – 3:15
10. Pretty Face Divided – 2:32
11. Horsey – 2:24
12. Merciless Mother – 4:12