The Neon Madmen, self-described as “Alternative indie for the oblique mind” have been gigging around for a couple of years now, so it’s pretty exciting to finally hear their debut album.
I’ve become accustomed to seeing these guys performing as a three-piece, so I was intrigued to hear the inclusion of some rather nice keyboard parts on the studio versions of these songs.
The tone of ‘Climb’ seems to range from the dark and heavy (on tracks such as ‘Stepping Stones’ and ‘The Face Of Madness’) to light-heartedness (on tracks such as ‘Antidote’ and ‘The Fall Of Man’) to melancholy (on tracks like ‘Blue Eyes Cold’ and ‘Eva’s Song’).
‘The Fall Of Man’ is a particular standout for me. A charming tale of a loving couple surviving an apocalypse told over a lilty, almost reggae beat with some really sweet harmonies. I also love the piano solo.
‘Mr. Nefarious’ is a song that wouldn’t sound all that out of place on the soundtrack to a musical, given as it describes the sort of villainous character one might expect to see in such a production.
Overall, ‘Climb’ is an excellent debut.
Captain Andy 