(EBM) When Hereford, Texas native Randall King created his sophomore major-label album Into The Neon, the neotraditionalist ventured into a new territory sonically, intentionally adding more edge and instrumentation. King always intended to strip it back, so after switching it up night-after-night across a solid year of touring, Neon (Unplugged) was complete. Recorded at Sound Stage Studios, it's available now - listen HERE.
"One of the things I love most about country music is the ability to take one song and completely change the sound just by stripping it down to vocals, guitar and a dobro," King says of the album he co-produced alongside Jared Conrad. "Country is equal parts two-stepping in a honkytonk and sitting around a fire singing your heart out, and I wanted to capture both. I'm excited to share this stripped back version with all of you."
Where Into The Neon drew inspiration from the hues of neon found in the glowing honky tonk signs that backlit the more than 150 bars, dancehalls, clubs and theater stages he plays a year, Neon (Unplugged) is more reminiscent of his nights spent under those that light the skies in the plains of West Texas.
Neon (Unplugged) offers slowed-down renditions of fan-favorite waltzers "When My Baby's In Boots" and "What Doesn't Kill Me," and also features King's close friend, singer/songwriter Dan Smalley, on his reimagined honky tonk anthem, "Tonk 'Til I Die."
Into The Neon was released Jan. 26, 2024 to critical acclaim, leaving Holler crowning him as "the genre's neo-traditional figurehead" and Texas Monthly observing "his Texas bona fides are unimpeachable." Into The Neon was also named among the top country albums of 2024 by Entertainment Focus and Whiskey Riff. The album yielded King's first country radio single, "I Could Be That Rain," which has 80 adds to-date.
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