Alienator

Schizo/Rock Opera/Hobo-chic
Evan Russell Saffer’s mantric style and soaring vocals have a captivating potency that are both hooky and refreshing, while leaving you entertained instead of beaten to a pulp. He draws you into the depths of each individual personality inside of his head. Born from the grit filled streets of New York City to the hip beats of the burgeoning Williamsburg, Brooklyn music scene; he’s rock-opera, manic, super high energy and super stoked to unleash his debut solo album “Neon Gas”. The album draws inspiration from taboo, tongue-in-cheek writers like Tom Robbins and Irvine Welsh as well as Saffer’s schizophrenic and often unpredictable energy. Stylistically he brings together his musical theatre roots, explosive live show, and passionate melodic songwriting.

From the grinding yet supremely danceable “Dream of Love”, to floor-it-with-your-head-out-the-window drug anthem “Chemical Marketplace”, the vampire obsessed haunting ode “With You Alone” to the sad but bittersweet optimism of “Just One Day”, the album as a whole reflects a poetic schizophrenia that somehow finds Beauty and the Beast inside Evan Russell Saffer. ”I spent over a year in the basement before I started sending tracks out into the world and I’m still working on them! I’ve surrounded myself with musicians and collaborators that have a fresh look on music, people that get my blood pumping every time we’re together, and the no-naysaying-make-it-happen work ethic to help see it through.”

Evan Russell Saffer’s debut solo album Neon Gas chronicles the mind of the everyday maniac. He’s got a prism of human psyche that tells a story, weaves you through the spiderwebs in his brain and on the tip of his tongue you’ll find a shining key to the other side. Part tongue in cheek bittersweet humor, part matter of fact social circumstance, part lover, part dreamer, put in the rock opera blender and hit crush ice. “Neon gas is a substance that when you heat it up the molecules collide so rapidly they create a brilliant, sexy and electrified glow…..and if you inhale it, it’s deadly.” ~Evan Russell Saffer

Evan teamed up with long-time collaborator Wilson Lihn to co-write many of the tracks on Neon Gas and has hand picked outstanding players to fill out his touring circus: Cody Darbe on Bass, Rob Blake on Drums and Munkh-Orgil Turbold (“OT”) on guitars/effects. The majority of the album was tracked with Rick Warren at Blue Noise Studios in New York City. Dream of Love, With You Alone and Just One Day were later produced by legendary producer David J. Holman (No Doubt, Bush, Adema) at Cactus Studios in Hollywood, CA. ”David came in after we had laid down the skeleton of this album, he is the wizard on the hill and I loved every minute working with him. His experience and energy were apparent from day one and we have an amazing dynamic between us. We had mini celebrations and breath-thru’s all throughout the recording and mixing process. That’s how music should be, it’s a celebration, not a science, and he gets it.” The remainder of the album was mixed by D. James Goodwin (Sleep Station, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, The Bravery) at The Isokon in Woodstock, NY who brought a fresh and alternative vibe to the post production of the remaining album tracks. ”DJ sent me mixes that really tweaked my original sonic concept, he’s brilliant and really understands what is going on now opposed to then.”

Saffer’s past accomplishments include national tours supporting Godsmack, Saliva, Saving Abel and Theory of a Deadman among many others. No stranger to the stage having performed the national anthem at Madison Square Garden, stand up comedy, as well as fronting a national rock band. Evan is known for his theatrical and explosive live show, passionate vocals and hobo-chic style. “I have an incredible band behind me, a fierce album, and I am very excited to take the live spectacle to the next level.”

Stay tuned for the journal/photobook “Neon Chronicles” by ERS which describes and documents the 2+ year, day in and day out struggle to conceptualize and create the album Neon Gas.