Neon Sarcastic – Everybody Wants (2014)

I must admit that I was incredibly excited at the prospect of reviewing Neon Sarcastic’s latest release ‘Everybody Wants’.  The last single I had the privilege of commenting on was far removed from the McFly wannabes of MySpace and I was very eager to see what else these Leicester boys had up their sleeves…unfortunately, my enthusiasm was cut at the knees only thirty seconds in.

If the aim of this short acoustic opening was to replicate Green Day’s infamous opening ‘fuck up’ on ‘Good Riddance’, or perhaps imitate Good Charlotte’s ‘Bloody Valentine’, then they need to rethink their options and/or production quality; however, if the aim was to confuse the reviewer completely into thinking she was listening to an attic demo instead of the official release then they’ve damn well nailed it!  It’s unprofessional and only adds to minutes of my life wasted; but, in its defense, it was a strong intro to support the explosion of drums, guitar and bass.

I have stated beforehand that one of Neon Sarcastic’s greatest strengths is their ability to write relatable lyrics, and this is no different in ‘Everybody Wants’.  Drawing on the concept of perpetual youth, or rather the desire of perpetual youth, John and his fellow fellas discuss holding onto the memories being made and chances being taken.  I found the lyric of partying without a hang over the next morning particularly amusing – ah, those were the days.  This song just indicates the band’s maturity, not only in style but also in life.  Let’s face it, a 21-year-old isn’t going to impart advice of never growing up and clinging to life’s purest moments to such an extent that everybody will want to be you.

The band is a very talented one and there is no doubt they are able to inspire people through lyrics and melody; in fact, I am thoroughly impressed by the drums and bass in particular on this track.  Unfortunately, and even after hitting replay several times, ‘Everybody Wants’ left me cringing and physically cold. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: I do believe that John Willson’s voice is more suited to slower alternative rock than upbeat pop-punk; plus the excessive repetition of “everybody wants” near the end of the track made me consider him a parrot here.  There is no doubt this will be a hit at live gigs, but overall it leaves me with the same emotions I have for My Chemical Romance’s ‘Every Snowflake’s Different (Just Like You)’ – a wonderful message, but completely cringe-worthy and forgettable.