Neon Golden

Neon Golden
Neon Golden
Studio album by The Notwist
Released	14 January 2002
Studio	Uphon (Weilheim in Oberbayern)
Genre	Indie electronic; post-rock; art rock;
Length	41:28
Label	City Slang
Producer	Galore
The Notwist chronology
Singles from Neon Golden
	"Trashing Days"; Released: 27 August 2001; "Pilot"; Released: 19 November 2001; "Pick Up the Phone"; Released: 18 March 2002;

Neon Golden is the fifth studio album by German indie rock band The Notwist. It was released on 14 January 2002 by City Slang.^[2]

Composition

Neon Golden is rooted in the experimental musical style that The Notwist had moved towards on their previous two studio albums 12 (1995) and Shrink (1998), which found the band eschewing the abrasive rock of their early work and delving into electronic music.^[4] The songs on Neon Golden fuse indie rock and electronic elements,^[5]^[6] taking influence from styles such as glitch^[7]^[8] and IDM.^[9] The A.V. Club described the album as a "synthesis of dreamy indie-rock balladry and stark electronic underpinnings",^[5] while MusicOMH critic Dylan Kilby referred to it as a work of "electronic post-rock".^[10]

Release

The song "Pick Up the Phone" was released on 18 March 2002 as the second single from Neon Golden. It was featured in "Betty and Veronica", an episode of the television series Veronica Mars.

"One with the Freaks" was listed as the 318th best song of the 2000s by Pitchfork Media.^[11] It is part of the soundtrack of the film The Family Friend by Paolo Sorrentino.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	89/100^[12]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[13]
Alternative Press	4/5^[14]
Drowned in Sound	10/10^[15]
The Guardian	^[16]
The Independent	^[17]
Muzik	4/5^[18]
Pitchfork	9.2/10^[19]
Rolling Stone	^[20]
Uncut	^[21]
The Village Voice	B−^[22]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Neon Golden received an average score of 89 based on 20 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".^[12] The album was acclaimed upon its initial release in Europe in 2002,^[23] while in the United States, it was widely hyped well before its official February 2003 release date due to its circulation via import copies and file sharing.^[24]^[25] In The Village Voice's 2003 Pazz & Jop poll, Neon Golden was voted by critics as the year's 33rd best album.^[26]

Pitchfork ranked Neon Golden at number 131 on its list of the 200 best albums of the 2000s.^[27] Neon Golden has been cited by critics as a landmark album of indie electronic, or "indietronica", music;^[6]^[28] Tristan Gatward of Loud and Quiet remarked in 2019 that the sound of indie electronic music in the 2000s "was dictated" by the record.^[28] In 2014, PopMatters writer Jose Solis described it as a "truly groundbreaking" album that "set in motion an electronica-meets-indie rock revolution that [would] define the sound of a decade."^[29]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Markus Acher, except where noted.

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"One Step Inside Doesn't Mean You Understand"	Markus Acher Micha Acher	3:15
2.	"Pilot"	Markus Acher Micha Acher Martin Gretschmann	4:28
3.	"Pick Up the Phone"	Gretschmann	3:55
4.	"Trashing Days"	Micha Acher	3:24
5.	"This Room"	Markus Acher Micha Acher Gretschmann Martin Messerschmid	4:45
6.	"Solitaire" (lyrics by Gretschmann)	Gretschmann	3:29
7.	"One with the Freaks"	Markus Acher	3:38
8.	"Neon Golden"	Markus Acher Micha Acher	5:54
9.	"Off the Rail"	Markus Acher Micha Acher	3:27
10.	"Consequence"	Micha Acher	5:13
Total length:			41:28

2003 US edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Music	Length
11.	"Scoop"	Markus Acher Gretschmann	3:26
12.	"Propeller 9"	Micha Acher Gretschmann	4:25
13.	"Formiga"	Markus Acher Micha Acher Gretschmann	2:21
Total length:			51:40

Sample credits^[30]

"Solitaire" contains elements from Drowning by Numbers, composed by Michael Nyman.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^[30]

The Notwist

Markus Acher
Micha Acher
Martin Gretschmann
Martin Messerschmid

Additional musicians

Biboul F. Darouiche – conga
Roberto Di Gioia – keyboards, piano
Johannes Enders – tenor saxophone
Sebastian Hess – cello
Robert Klinger – double bass
Saam – cajón, kanjira, zarb
Ulrich Wangenheim – bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone

Production

Chris Blair – mastering
Galore – production
O.L.A.F. Opal – mixing, recording
Mario Thaler – mixing, recording

Design

Philipp Arnold – cover design
Andreas Gerth – cover design

Charts

Chart (2002)	Peak position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[31]	28
Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[32]	25
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)^[33]	46
French Albums (SNEP)^[34]	66
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[35]	10
UK Independent Albums (OCC)^[36]	47

References

^ Pitchfork Staff (October 2, 2009). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 28, 2023. Radiohead's early-decade recipe of electronic-flavored art-rock...left listeners ravenous to find other bands that could whip up those prickly moods and sonic textures. Enter the Notwist...a group that happened to be pushing many of the same buttons...Notwist's 2002 breakthrough, Neon Golden, is a great work of narrow emotional response.
^ ^a ^b ^c "current and upcoming releases". City Slang. Archived from the original on 12 December 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ "current and upcoming releases". City Slang. Archived from the original on 17 April 2002. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Orlov, Piotr (25 February 2003). "Trans-Europe Expression". The Village Voice. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b Modell, Josh; Murray, Noel; Phipps, Keith; Rabin, Nathan; Thompson, Stephen; Battaglia, Andy (11 December 2002). "Best Albums of 2002". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b Collini, Eleonora (10 April 2014). "The Notwist: 'The songs are very different but hopefully it makes sense to put them together as a sort of puzzle or mosaic'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Young, Rob (12 March 2003). "The Notwist: 'Neon Golden'". Salon. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Thiessen, Brock (17 June 2008). "The Notwist: The Devil, You + Me". Exclaim!. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Ware, Tony (22 October 2008). "The Notwist: The Devil, You + Me (Domino)". SF Weekly. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Kilby, Dylan (23 February 2014). "The Notwist – Close To The Glass". MusicOMH. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Pitchfork Media "The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s". August 17, 2009. Retrieved on 17 August 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Neon Golden by The Notwist Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
^ Carlson, Dean. "Neon Golden – The Notwist". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^ "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Alternative Press. No. 176. March 2003. p. 92.
^ Takru, Radhika (22 November 2010). "Album Review: The Notwist – Neon Golden / On/Off The Record (Deluxe Edition)". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^ Aizlewood, John (1 February 2002). "The Notwist: Neon Golden (City Slang)". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^ Perry, Tim (9 February 2002). "Pop: Album Reviews". The Independent.
^ Holmes, Andrew (February 2002). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Muzik. No. 81. p. 61.
^ Buckman, Luke (6 February 2002). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^ Gensler, Andy (20 March 2003). "Notwist: Neon Golden". Rolling Stone. No. 918. Archived from the original on 27 June 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^ Pattison, Louis (January 2011). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Uncut. No. 164. p. 97.
^ Christgau, Robert (10 February 2004). "Consumer Guide: Parts of the Elephunk". The Village Voice. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^ Petridis, Alexis (5 March 2002). "The Notwist". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Begrand, Adrien (15 April 2003). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". PopMatters. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Eddy, Chuck (4 March 2003). "Notwist – April 4 and 5 – Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, 212-219-3006". The Village Voice. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ "The 2003 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. 17 February 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork. 28 September 2009. p. 4. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
^ ^a ^b Gatward, Tristan (27 November 2019). "COMA – Voyage Voyage". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ Solis, Jose (13 March 2014). "From One Wrong Place to the Next: An Interview with The Notwist". PopMatters. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b Neon Golden (liner notes). The Notwist. City Slang. 2002. 20184-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Austriancharts.at – The Notwist – Neon Golden" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
^ "Alternatieve Albums" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. 23 February 2002. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20, no. 6. 2 February 2002. p. 10. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
^ "Lescharts.com – The Notwist – Neon Golden". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Notwist – Neon Golden" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 February 2018.

External links

Neon Golden at Discogs (list of releases)

[Pitchfork_Staff_2009-1] Pitchfork Staff (October 2, 2009). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 28, 2023. Radiohead's early-decade recipe of electronic-flavored art-rock...left listeners ravenous to find other bands that could whip up those prickly moods and sonic textures. Enter the Notwist...a group that happened to be pushing many of the same buttons...Notwist's 2002 breakthrough, Neon Golden, is a great work of narrow emotional response.

[Releases-2] "current and upcoming releases". City Slang. Archived from the original on 12 December 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[3] "current and upcoming releases". City Slang. Archived from the original on 17 April 2002. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[4] Orlov, Piotr (25 February 2003). "Trans-Europe Expression". The Village Voice. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[AVClub-5] Modell, Josh; Murray, Noel; Phipps, Keith; Rabin, Nathan; Thompson, Stephen; Battaglia, Andy (11 December 2002). "Best Albums of 2002". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[Collini-6] Collini, Eleonora (10 April 2014). "The Notwist: 'The songs are very different but hopefully it makes sense to put them together as a sort of puzzle or mosaic'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[7] Young, Rob (12 March 2003). "The Notwist: 'Neon Golden'". Salon. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[8] Thiessen, Brock (17 June 2008). "The Notwist: The Devil, You + Me". Exclaim!. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[9] Ware, Tony (22 October 2008). "The Notwist: The Devil, You + Me (Domino)". SF Weekly. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[10] Kilby, Dylan (23 February 2014). "The Notwist – Close To The Glass". MusicOMH. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[11] Pitchfork Media "The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s". August 17, 2009. Retrieved on 17 August 2016.

[Metacritic-12] "Neon Golden by The Notwist Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 February 2021.

[13] Carlson, Dean. "Neon Golden – The Notwist". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

[14] "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Alternative Press. No. 176. March 2003. p. 92.

[15] Takru, Radhika (22 November 2010). "Album Review: The Notwist – Neon Golden / On/Off The Record (Deluxe Edition)". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

[16] Aizlewood, John (1 February 2002). "The Notwist: Neon Golden (City Slang)". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

[17] Perry, Tim (9 February 2002). "Pop: Album Reviews". The Independent.

[18] Holmes, Andrew (February 2002). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Muzik. No. 81. p. 61.

[19] Buckman, Luke (6 February 2002). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

[20] Gensler, Andy (20 March 2003). "Notwist: Neon Golden". Rolling Stone. No. 918. Archived from the original on 27 June 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

[21] Pattison, Louis (January 2011). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". Uncut. No. 164. p. 97.

[22] Christgau, Robert (10 February 2004). "Consumer Guide: Parts of the Elephunk". The Village Voice. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

[23] Petridis, Alexis (5 March 2002). "The Notwist". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[24] Begrand, Adrien (15 April 2003). "The Notwist: Neon Golden". PopMatters. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[25] Eddy, Chuck (4 March 2003). "Notwist – April 4 and 5 – Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, 212-219-3006". The Village Voice. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[26] "The 2003 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. 17 February 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[27] "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork. 28 September 2009. p. 4. Retrieved 30 June 2019.

[Gatward-28] Gatward, Tristan (27 November 2019). "COMA – Voyage Voyage". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[29] Solis, Jose (13 March 2014). "From One Wrong Place to the Next: An Interview with The Notwist". PopMatters. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[Notes-30] Neon Golden (liner notes). The Notwist. City Slang. 2002. 20184-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[ac_Austria_The_Notwist-31] "Austriancharts.at – The Notwist – Neon Golden" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2019.

[32] "Alternatieve Albums" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. 23 February 2002. Retrieved 18 July 2021.

[33] "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20, no. 6. 2 February 2002. p. 10. Retrieved 17 May 2021.

[ac_France_The_Notwist-34] "Lescharts.com – The Notwist – Neon Golden". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2019.

[ac_Germany_The_Notwist-35] "Offiziellecharts.de – The Notwist – Neon Golden" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 June 2019.

[ac_UKIndependent_-36] "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 February 2018.

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v t e The Notwist
Markus Acher Michael Acher Andi Haberl Martin Messerschmid Martin Gretschmann
Studio albums	The Notwist Nook 12 Shrink Neon Golden The Devil, You + Me Close to the Glass The Messier Objects Vertigo Days
EPs	Scoop Different Cars and Trains

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