When the promo materials that arrive with a CD by some unheard-of band claim that the disc in question is "for fans of David Bowie, Brian Eno, Freddy (sic) Mercury and The Blood Brothers," it's easy to make up your mind before you even listen to the damn thing. But I kept an open mind as I popped in Chandeliers in the Savannah by Neon Blonde, the alter ego of Blood Brothers' vocalist Johnny Whitney and drummer Mark Gajadhar. While the Seattle-based duo's other band is fueled by punk-soaked angst rock, Neon Blonde strives for something far more eclectic, electronic and artsy. Old drum machines, chiming guitars, carnivalesque keyboards and Whitney's falsetto wail (which becomes grating almost immediately) characterize an album that flamboyantly dips itself into rock, pop, hip-hop and glam. The frantic opener "Black Cactus Killers," with its child-like vocals, may take you by surprise, and the cacophony of atonal noise that occurs in the middle of "Chandeliers and Vines" could test your mettle. "Love Hounds," on the other hand, sounds like what Borknagar or Dimmu Borgir would if either of those Norwegian black-metal bands were to indulge in noisy, arrogant and avant-garde indie pop. Is Chandeliers in the Savannah quirky and inventive? To be sure. Hell, "The Future Is a Mesh Stallion," with its disco beats, pulsating synths and atypically tolerable vocals, is an addictive rush. But is this stuff worth hearing over and over again, just so you can discover another neato sound effect or try to figure out what grand message Neon Blonde might be trying to make on "Cherries in Slow Motion"? I'm not so sure. Even with a running time of only 34-and-a-half minutes, Whitney's screeching and the noisy, almost random musical accompaniment will make your ears and head hurt. But then again, maybe that's "art."
Track Listing:
1) Black Cactus Killers
2) Crystal Beaches Never Turned Me On
3) Chandeliers and Vines
4) Princess Skullface Sings
5) New Detroit
6) Headlines
7) Love Hounds
8) Dead Mellotron
9) Cherries in Slow Motion
10) The Future Is a Mesh Stallion
11) Wings Made Out of Noise
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