By Jay Tilles
Neon Trees‘ new single, “Sleeping With a Friend,” is an infectious ode to friends with benefits.
The first single from the band’s forthcoming third LP Pop Psychology (out April 22), “Sleeping With a Friend” made its radio debut this morning on KROQ (a Radio.com station) and is now streaming at Rolling Stone, as well as available now on iTunes.
“It’s the sex song that I kinda know how to write,” Neon Trees singer Tyler Glenn said of the song this morning (Jan. 10) in an interview with morning show hosts Kevin Bean (listen here). “I don’t know how to write an SM-fueled Rihanna banger because I don’t think our sex lives are… I don’t think most people’s sex lives are ‘Blurred Lines,’ or that kind of swingers party.”
Despite big hits like “Animal” and “Everybody Talks” under his belt, the SoCal punk-turned-New-Waver sees himself still as the awkward kid standing in the corner.
“Sleeping With a Friend” is fairly representative of Pop Psychology, explained Glenn. “It’s the biggest, production-wise, that we’ve ever done,” he said. “We have a wonderful female drummer and she’s gotten a lot of accolades and notice, and I think a lot of the songs feature that really big rhythmic side. We set out to write a pop record that sounds like a band playing it, and I think we did OK.”
Neon Trees will hit the TV circuit next week with performances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (Jan. 16) and The Today Show (Jan. 17), but earlier this week, they kept their promo more grassroots with a series of surprise visits to Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and L.A. In addition to helping with old-school street-team efforts, Glenn met up with fans and played “Sleeping With a Friend” for them straight from his iPod.
Pop Psychology, out April 22, serves as the follow-up to 2012′s Picture Show.
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