|
|
|
|
|
|
NEON KITTENS
"It's a No Thing" (Metal
Postcard Records; 2024)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Don't you love it when people say, "Okay, I'm going to be honest." Like they weren't honest before but, hey, they're going to be honest now. Think about that for a moment while I say this:
Okay, I'm going to be honest. When I first listened through Neon Kittens' "It's a No Thing," I thought I was listening to an album created by artificial intelligence. I really did. It's like someone entered "early Devo," "female vocals," "spoken word" and "twisted lyrics" into the AI engine and this album popped out. But then I did a little research on the band and found out the band is an "experimental/no wave act," has at least nine different releases and a list of band members so ... they're real. I feel better about that.
I know what "experimental" is; not so sure about "no wave" (and I'm sick of labels anyway) but I can tell you this: The music on "It's a No Thing" is, in a word, weird. I mentioned early Devo above and that applies here. Neon Kittens uses a lot of the strange beats and stringy guitar that Devo used in the "Mongoloid" days. I mentioned "female vocals" and "spoken word" because the lead vocalist here pretty much just reads story- and poetry-heavy lyrics in an almost computerized tone. "Twisted lyrics" kind of describes the words in such songs as "Entrophy Cat," "Schrodinger's Party Animal" and "No Hands Just Beat."
I think that pretty much sums it up.
Look, I think that "It's a No Thing" is an interesting recording. It is very different and yet strangely alluring, too. But I sure wouldn't recommend it to anyone without knowing they were willing to open their minds and give it a try. Become an experimental listener to an experimental band. Bottom line here is that I'll leave Neon Kittens and "It's a No Thing" up to your discretion.
For more information, check out https://neonkittens.bandcamp.com/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
| Our writers choose
which products we review on RoughEdge.com, and we may earn an affiliate commission when you buy something through our website. Thanks, by the way! |
Copyright © 2024 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
