by ALYSSA HOLCOMB

Synthesizers and images of smoke-filled dance clubs are the pictures that fill this “Show,” the pop-rock band’s sophomore debut after 2010’s “Habits.” The Utah-based group, most noted for their smash single “Animal,” returns with a combination of sweet and salty pop sound mixed with an alt-rock edge.

Part Flock of Seagulls, part The Strokes, Neon Trees’ combination of 1980s musical flair mixed with rah-rah vocals and crunching guitars is the 80s comeback band that the 80s never had. The band has a knack for mixing the pop-rock sound with heavier guitars and drums, all overlayed with singer Tyler Glenn’s drawling, raspy tenor.

Kicking things off with “Moving In The Dark,” keyboards and organs create a syncopated cacophony, and Glenn’s breathy voice accentuates the drum beats and hidden rhythms to a tee. Songs like “Teenage Sounds” and “Hooray for Hollywood” showcase the alternative soundscape, while “Trust” and “Close To You” are so close to the chart-toppers of the 1980s you would think it would have been playing at Molly Ringwald’s prom in “Pretty in Pink.”

Yet both of these typically contrasting styles come together in the puzzle piece that fits it all together, “Everybody Talks,” the album’s instantly likeable lead single and a utterly jam-worthy summer song. This song capitalizes on a popular trend in the contemporary pop-rock scene, as well as in popular culture now-–“throwback” styles are common across most mass consumer mediums, particularly the neon-hazed decade of the 1980s. Neon Trees are the perfect band to combine that rediscovery–the band is even styled in a way that combines faux-hawks and flashy outfits–with their mass mix of musical styles.

The band is currently touring across the nation as part of summer regional festivals. No Florida date has been announced, but be sure to check back on ROCK104.com for the latest announcements! For more information, check the band out on www.fameisdead.com or on Facebook.