The Power of Love
Authentically Brilliant: Neon Trees New Album
To be honest, this article was supposed to be published back in July, just after the new Neon Trees album came out. I slept on in for a while. Life experiences made me think about the angle this one needed to take. Crazy how some lyrics can mean so much more when you’ve lived them and went through some bruising moments.
Back in 2014, the colourful music group Neon Trees got everyone’s attention with Pop Psychology. That project remains to this day a vibrant pop album that had everyone dancing in clubs.
At that time, the album also marked a new chapter in the band’s life given that the lead singer, Tyler Glenn, came out of the closet. It was a “let loose” album where Tyler opened up about the celebration related to opening up about himself.
The group from Utah waited six interminable years to come up with this new album, I Can Feel You Forgetting Me, much darker and brighter at the same time. Way more vulnerable in its approach in so many ways. We can feel the pain Tyler went through during this whole process. Makes us want to give him a big hug and say that things will be all right; his heart is bigger than what’s imaginable.
The album is composed of only 10 songs, which is all you need to go living in another world. The alternative sound that comes with it is so satisfying and hard to describe, quite uncommon in the music business.
It starts strong with Nights that sets the tone for what is yet to come. In my opinion, it talks about the issue when in a relationship, you are the one holding everything together. And after it ends, it’s hard being alone when you’ve been so dedicated to someone. It explains how insomnia can become a problem when we reminisce and think too much. It’s understandable since the world seems on pause at night, when everything is quiet and the roads seem almost useless.
The fourth track, Skeleton Boy, probably refers to the fact that he gave so much of his heart during his previous relationship that he doesn’t want to feel these emotions again, in the short run at least. When you give lots, it might exhaust you because you felt you gave all of your love and affection to someone for no reason; when love is not two way.
Later on, Living Single demonstrates how hard being single again can be after having been in a relationship. My combination of songs that I love the most on this album is Everything is Killing Me, Going Through Something and When the Night is Over. They give you a nice adrenaline rush when you feel like a ghost in this big wild world.
The moral here is: in places of great anger and sadness, you can create so many things. You can also elevate others that are feeling the same. Use this negative energy to generate something positive, out of this world, that will blow people’s minds. That’s art, that’s life, that’s the way we go. In the long run, it’s what we’ve been put on this earth to do. In great moments of despair, we can find a way through anything, find a solution to a problem or a dilemma that seems to have none. A plus, when you have empathy, you can help someone with worries they might have.
You may be the only one going forward with a particular project, something that has been on your mind. Others can dream about it and not act on the thoughts. At first, people might not understand what you are trying to do and say but they might if they think twice about it.
Tyler Glenn is the best singer-songwriter you could ask for in a band. Someone unique where music means much more than what we find in songs. On this new record, you can feel he stared into his soul and suffered a lot to write these melodies.
He was clearly hurt by a guy, someone that didn’t deserve him. Someone that didn’t feel the same sensations from love that are worth living.
Instead of letting his tears go to waste, Tyler decided to do something good with it: this unique project that will move so many. Small actions can move mountains. Hope and seeing the light at the end of the dark tunnel can definitely save lives.
I have the impression that Tyler felt like a ghost in his previous relationship. This can be hard especially when you are out of the closet. When you feel good about a relationship, you want to share what you are feeling with the world, your friends and your family members. Emotions are not to run away from. We only have one life, might as well experience the highs and lows to the fullest. When you feel good about who you are, you want to be with someone who feels the same.
Being so in love doesn’t just disappear overnight. You turn the page and move forward because you know you are a great guy that deserves so much more out of love.
In addition, I Can Feel You Forgetting Me helps people who have suffered the same as he was. This is a go-to album you need to listen to when you feel down or while you are working out, sweating out and letting the adrenaline do its work. The best albums are the ones that have a theme; it goes by as if someone is reciting an adventure. Five stars out of five!
Everything about this one is pure genius. We will all realize as we grow older how important love was in becoming who we are …
