We all come to crossroads in our lives, some as simple as what to do with an unexpected abundance of free time. When faced with that enormous burden, Frank Kadillac and Adrian Morris of Neon Dreams directed some of the freedom to construct more alt-pop ear candy.
The duo found themselves watching “coming of age” movies such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Garden State and The Way Way Back, reflecting on periods in life that challenge, shape, and define each of us. From these tales of outcasts, isolation and actualization comes the talented pair’s new album, The Happiness of Tomorrow, was formed.
These formative periods continue to undergo generational changes — be thankful if you grew up in a time where your teenage transgressions were not televised — but these experiences continue to hold an emotional weight. At the core of why these times stick in our minds is how much change we go through, finding ourselves and finding our people. It’s these experiences that Frank and Adrian focused on, giving the listeners, in equal parts, insight, understanding, and encouragement.
With Frank serving as the album’s de facto leading man, THOT reflects his introspective nature with an eclectic yet unabashedly pop-influenced style. Each song takes on a unique element; “All the People” serving as the anthemic call to individuality and arguably the album’s heart whereas that heart takes flight and finds its match in “I’m With You.”
“All the People”, in particular, mirrors the sentiment of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The vocals echoing the admiration that the book/film’s narrator has for people unafraid to be their weird and wonderful misfit toy-self, and his desire to become one of them. This message is delivered via Frank’s assertions that your uniqueness shines through even when you are making every effort to conceal it.
In the process of writing, Adrian found himself the more central to the plot on “Don’t Go Hating Me Now.”
“As we were writing, I started to relate the concept to myself,” he says. “There was a point in my life where I was using alcohol as an escape from facing my own personal issues.”
The song finds one friend reaching out to pull another back from the edge — or at least catch them if need be. The title’s allusion to the hard feelings or emotional fallout that could coincide with looking out for a loved one’s best interest is a feeling familiar to far too many.
With parts of the album penned pre-pandemic, the title track, “The Happiness of Tomorrow,” served as the spark and tied the tracks together with those themes and thoughts of teenage turmoil. The song fittingly concludes the album’s cinematically woven experience. The title refers to a house party interaction Frank had with a fellow wallflower where she equates hangovers as the payment for having borrowed from the happiness of tomorrow.
“I thought it was important to end with this song,” explains Frank, “it’s like the end credits of a movie where you show somebody who you really are. You become bonded with them, and if they can handle what you’ve gone through, you know they’re a real friend. And if they brush it off, you wasted your time.”
Those anxious moments as you eagerly await your companions’ reaction to you exposing your true self through the guise of a movie or song are some of the most nerve-racking moments imaginable, but the relief and bond created when they get it are worth every apprehension.
With the video for “House Party” already released, the duo plans to add three more videos (“Don’t Go Hating Me Now,” “All the People” and “I’m With You”) to create one combined narrative tale.
Frank and Adrian are also embarking on a potentially transformative journey of their own. They are travelling throughout the Atlantic bubble, allotting fans the chance to give their various streaming sites a break — and maybe even borrow some of the following day’s happiness.
Tour Dates:
11.15.20 – Moncton, NB @ Capitol Theatre
11.16.20 – Fredericton, NB @ Fredericton Playhouse
11.19.20 – St. John’s, NL @ Arts and Culture Centre
11.20.20 – Clarenceville, NL @ Eastlink Events Center
11.21.20 – Marystown, NL @ Marystown Hotel & Convention Centre
11.25.20 – Gander, NL @ Joseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture Centre
11.26.20 – Grand Falls-Windsor, NL @ Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts
11.27.20 – Stephenville, NL @ Arts and Culture Centre
11.28.20 – Corner Brook, NL @ Arts and Culture Centre