Neon Trees

I saw these guys completely upstage 30 Seconds To Mars (who were tragically disappointing) 2 nights in a row last week, and I've gotta say, they come highly recommended from me, both on record and on stage. The first time I heard their current single "Animal" I'll admit I was not blown away. However, it's a song that carves it's way into your skull without you even realizing it, and ultimately becomes indicative of their masterfully constructed Pop Rock tunes. Imagine The Killers with less synths, less ego, and a better singer. Normally, less prominent synths would be a strike against them (I'm an absolute sucker for synthesizers and electronics in general), but Neon Trees more than make up for it with their exceptionally tight, focused arrangements and charisma. Their ace in the hole in this case would be singer and synth player Tyler Glenn, who has an absolutely phenomenal voice that's arguably better live (see the 2nd YouTube link). Some of the finest moments on their debut album "Habits" come in the form of Glenn harmonizing with drummer Elaine Bradley on songs like the aforementioned "Animal" and "1983." Guitarist Chris Allen maintains a driving and restrained playing style, never getting in the way of the song itself while simultaneously moving it forward. Similarly, Bassist Branden Campbell locks in with Ms. Bradley, creating a genuinely powerful rhythm section throughout. Campbell's presence is refreshing, given how often the Bass guitar is undermixed on albums of every genre.

Overall, Neon Trees aren't doing anything terribly original, which they acknowledge. Rather, their strength comes in the form of superb execution. Their songs are remarkably well crafted on record, and wonderfully, energetically performed in the live setting. (It also doesn't hurt that they're incredibly nice and inviting people off stage.)


Sins of My Youth (Live in Montclair, NJ - Filmed like a true amateur by yours truly)

Your Surrender (Live Acoustic)

Buy their album

MySpace

Official site

Twitter

Sketchbook Pro

Well, I got an iPad. It cost many pennies, but the Sketchbook Pro app alone (by Autodesk) seems to be more than enough to justify the cost. I should hope so since that's what convinced me to get one.

I've been meaning to embrace digital media in conjunction with my drawings for a long time now, and the Sketchbok Pro app may be the thing that finally allows me to do that. It basically lets me use the iPad as a portable tablet to either create entirely new and original pieces, or more importantly, color my pre-existing stuff comfortably where ever and whenever I want. This is a breeze since all I have to do is sync my iPad with anything I've scanned and put on my laptop - Sketchbook Pro then allows me to import it no problem. That's a big deal for me and I can't wait to master the program (I've got a badass stylus on the way, too - psyched!).

And here's my first piece created entirely in Sketchbook Pro. Inspired by the album cover to Steven Wilson's "Insurgentes." I'm also coloring the Pilot Girl you see below. Once that's finished I'll post that. Enjoy!

Pilot Girl and Editorial

My latest assignment for my Illustration class was to create an image for an editorial. I chose this article discussing the 3D cash-in that's happening in Hollywood right now. Check out the article, it's a good one, anonymously written by a CG supervisor.


Also, I had fun doing this sketch of this Pilot-lady tonight, who I've enjoyed drawing before - you haven't seen the last of her!