The
Birth of Neon Venus
by Atta Girl Records
| “Wow! “
Wow, is the first word one will say when listening to the recently
released CD, “The Birth of Neon Venus”, by the band, Neon
Venus.
Neon Venus claims to be from another planet...and I believe them. Just listening to the opening song, “Aliens”, you’re mesmerized by the glowing power of Neon Venus! Their snappy, caffeinated tunes from outer space will have you dancing from one planet to another and leaves you wanting more. But don’t worry, you won’t need a spaceship for this musical journey, for the music of Neon Venus will take you there. While listening to “The Birth of Neon Venus”, you may be reminded of some of the 80’s bands who were famous for their zany, musical antics. So if you enjoy such bands as the B-52’s, Talking Heads and Devo, you’ll love this album. But make sure you fasten your seat belts, you’re in for a wild ride! In fact after listening to Neon Venus, you’ll agree that the B-52’s are pretty sane and tame in comparison! Excellence in musicianship, vocals, engineering and mixing are proven in all 11 songs. “The Birth of Neon Venus”, packs a powerful, high-energy punch that is thoroughly enjoyable! If you’re having one of those days when life seems to be standing still, put on “The Birth of Neon Venus”. It will snap you out of that funk! The songs on “The Birth of Venus” are positive and upbeat. One song in particular, “Cool Kids” will make you want to leap off your chair, head to your favorite club and dance like there’s no tomorrow! “LA” has a strong groove, due to moody, sexy vocals and amazing percussion & flute playing... Definitely recommend “The Birth of Venus” to anyone who doesn’t mind being “out there”, surfing the edges of space. We’re sure to return to Neon Venus often for a quick jolt of energy! If you wanna find Neon Venus, just look up to the heavens at night with a high-powered telescope and see the flashing neon sign that says, www.neonvenus.com ! ““New Review by Richard Hughes of Rock Diva Let's start by saying clearly that this CD, released late last year, was arguably one of the Top Ten CD's of 1999. This is quite an accomplishment for any band, much less a local band with no national distribution. The heart of Neon Venus is the sultry lead singer Venus (a.k.a. Lissette Napoleoni), and her soulmate and co-writer Valentine (a.k.a. Peter Valentine), who also plays all the guitars and keyboards on the CD, as well as singing backup vocals. As the legend goes, these two formed the band after meeting in the Strawberry Fields of Central Park. Because they couldn't afford to rent both an apartment and a recording studio, they rented the studio, sleeping there, and showering daily at the gym next door. When this got to be too much for them, they packed up and took off for Los Angeles, where they could be closer to family while finishing their CD. None of this would matter if the music didn't cut it. Fortunately for Val and Venus, however, this CD rocks, capturing the spirit and fun of the `80's with a sound that could only have been created in the `90's. Drawing upon influences such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lene Lovich, and even some B-52's, this band creates a sound that is uniquely their own. Napoleoni is an unusual lead vocalist. Her voice is so deep that upon hearing the CD, some friends have commented "It sounds really good, but where are you on the CD?" The answer is, right in the forefront, sometimes crooning, sometimes growling, with a voice that is something like an Hispanic Yaz meets Tim Curry ("Ah doo thee Ruck ... myself!"). Her voice is nicely offset by the falsetto background vocals of Valentine, to the accompaniment of various drums (by Jan Trojanowski) and percussion instruments (by Nestor Salazar), and other instrumentation by Valentine. (new par) The best song on the CD, presented in both English and Spanish versions (Napoleani is a native of Puerto Rico), is called "Strange". According to the liner notes, it was inspired by a magazine story about the most famous love affairs of the century. Slow and sensual, the song features some lusty Spanish guitar, a non-invasive Latin beat, and an intensely-felt vocal... As dominating a song as "Strange" is, it's far from the only treat on the CD. Others include the upbeat, and infectiously fun "Aliens," which compares the original songwriter to other creatures not-quite-of-this-world; the laid-back, and coolly funky "L.A."...; the John-Lennon-esque "Those Days Are Gone"; and the pulsing "Don't Bring Me Down"... This is a band that, by virtue of their desire, their energy, and their pure talent, deserves to be heard from. Keep an eye out for them next time they're in town.” “The Birth Of Neon Venus, by hEARd - Australian e-zine An interesting 4 piece fronted by a vocalist called Lissette Napoleoni, producing music that reminds me quite a bit of an extension of the innovative things Grace Jones was doing during the 80s & Lissette's vocal style brings home certain reminders of that era, infused with the band's own sounds. Those reminders are evident on a good few numbers including ~"Those Days Are Gone", which is my personal favourite, plus "Rain", "Strange" & "Don't Bring Me Down", though I'd have to note opener "Aliens", which has a great groove & probably the equal of the vocal performance of "Those Days Are Gone".” “The Birth of Neon Venus by Geoff Wilbur's Renegade Newsletter Performs a fun, hypnotic, entertaining brand of danceable pop/rock. There are elements of Berlin, the Thompson Twins, Missing Persons, and Talking Heads in the music, and even a little Blondie in spots (notably in the attention grabbing "Cool Kids"). Other top cuts include "Aliens", the slightly brooding "Strange," and the melancholy "L.A" Neon Venus performs "happy sounding music" at the highest level with an identifiable sound that fits a timeless musical niche.” |
