Monster Zero Records – 28 June 2024
Sugary sweet pop punk that will send you to the dentist
Munster, Germany’s Neon Bone have been cranking out sweet ear candy since 2010. Vocalist Gumbo Frohn originally began as a one man act. Since then, Neon Bone has become a full band who has released many full length albums and EPs. Eager To Please is the band’s current offering to the punk rock community. This album continues their brand of straight forward short and sweet rockers for your ear holes. In my opinion, the band writes three specific style of song, which I will get into as the review progresses.
“But When You’re Alone” kicks off the dozen song set. This track shows their talent of writing a perfect love song. Commencing with this song may not be the best representation of what the band has to offer, yet they do this style so well. The other track which best complements this style is “Told You So” which appears later in the track list. Both songs feature a completely steady tempo with loose guitar leads to enhance the sound. These songs also best showcase Gumbo’s vocal range.
The pop punk and Ramonescore faithful will be pleased to hear the majority of the album calling their name. It all really picks up with the song “Dreams,” with its quick chord changes and up beat tempo. The guitar leads are just as melodic as the vocals. Both “I Wanna Know” and “Pull The Other One” are four to the floor punk rock which will make you pull out your leather jacket and worn out Chuck Taylors. These tracks feature strong downstroke guitar strumming and great bridges. Fans of the classic 90s pop punk style will be more than pleased. The chords get a bit loose and fluid on “I’m Gonna Tell You.” This hard rocker boasts subtle yet quick guitar picking underneath a strong vocal delivery.
The third style heard is the 50’s Doo Wop and Americana which has crept its way as a major influence to the pop punk bubble. The fun and upbeat “Ice Cream Parlor” could parallel the sweetest of Beatnik Termites tracks. The chorus line of “Ice cream and you / What’s a boy to do? / Ice cream and you / I will be forever true” will stick in your head for days. “Don’t Fall In Love With Her” has a similar feel complete with solid backing vocals. The debut single off the album “Sometimes” falls somewhere in between all the styles on the album. The repetitive vocal lines and backing vocals make for one memorable song. This track is a major standout in both sound and production.
Eager To Please serves as a good road map to Neon Bone’s career to date. The songs are equally short and sweet which makes for a fun and easy to listen to album. Albums such as this would serve as good recommendations as an introduction to pop punk. Neon Bone have defined and perfected a sound which suits them quite well and they definitely seem to be sticking to it. It was fun to see the band take some liberty on “Cold City Embrace” which closes out the album. This new wave style track which features synthesizers comes out of left field and leaves you as a listener wondering what else this band may have up its sleeve in the future. Regardless of what that is, I am “eagerly” looking forward to it.
I am mostly known in cyberspace as a vinyl junkie and punk rock bassist! Fair assessment. I am the bassist of the Chicago area power pop / pop punk band SPACE AGE ZEROS.
