Neon Straightjackets are pleased that the release of their debut album has not left them in literal straitjackets.

“From start to finish, it’s definitely a weight off our shoulders to know it’s finished,” drummer Colton Lloyd said. “Just to get it out there and be like, ‘Here it is. We’re done. We’re finished talking about it. Listen to it.’ ”

You can get your first listen to Ex-Girlfriends and Ecstasy when it hits streaming services on Saturday, April 15. You can also catch them on the ALT Homegrown Spotlight on Thursday, April 13, and Sunday, April 16, and live at O’Sullivan’s on Saturday, May 6, with Last Plane Home and Cedar Street.

Making changes

This is the second time since July that Neon Straightjackets have been featured in the Homegrown Spotlight, and actually the first time as a quartet. The first time around, the alternative/punk rock outfit out of northwest Ohio consisted of Lloyd, lead singer/guitarist Larry Stahl, and guitarist Johnny Hopkins. Since then, guitarist Mikey Cramer has entered the scene.

“We were in a band forever ago, but I was out for like eight years, then I came back because life allowed me to,” Cramer said.

Another change is they have removed all of their previous recordings from streaming services, with Stahl noting the band’s sound has been evolving.

“The ones that were out, I kind of consider those rough tracks,” Stahl said. “We figured out better ways to record and through the evolution of playing live, we figured out how to improve on those songs, tone-wise, delivery-wise.”

Refining sound in studio

The group turned to Kevin Mendenhall of Hayloft Recording Studios outside Scott, Ohio, for the album and learned some things along the way.

“It’s very different from a live setting,” Stahl said of performing in the studio. “When you’re recording, that really cool fuzz pedal that you use live, it isn’t going to sound nearly as good going into a microphone when you’re in a studio. So, it’s a learning experience of how microphones and decibel levels work and trying to pick up frequencies, as well as learning, ‘Oh, we kind of drag sometimes.’ ”

While they had recorded previous songs at Hayloft, they returned to re-record some after Cramer returned and as their entire sound changed. 

“We ended up having a course correction and we figured out a better way to do things, a better way to sound better,” Stahl said. “We realized that the old recordings we had out were not reflective of the sound we were starting to turn into.

“Along with Mikey being the new addition, I feel like the sound has evolved,” he added. “I personally feel like we are the best versions of ourselves right now. Even with the songs we’re writing right now for a next album, everybody in the band is bringing something different to it. Everything is just getting better and better in terms of performance, recording, writing.”

Spreading the word

While they are feeling more comfortable with their sound, the art of promotion can be a bit tricky. 

Stahl had previously said he longs for the days of sharing music through cassette tapes and word of mouth, but in our current digital age, the internet is where most of that takes place — for better or worse. 

“Sharing stuff on the internet sometimes just doesn’t work,” Stahl said. “Like Facebook with the metaverse and adding algorithms to everything. If people are sharing your stuff but not ‘liking’ it or commenting on it, you get put on the bottom of the algorithmic totem pole. So, having publicity like, ‘Hey, punkrockbeat.com wants to do a review of your song,’ and they do and they love it and people see it, it really helps with word of mouth of top of the fantastic people that come to our shows and enjoy it.

“Social media used to be a way to share stuff with your friends, but nowadays it’s all algorithmic,” he added. “It’s all about the hashtags. It’s all about the aesthetics.”

Instead of banging their heads against the wall trying to figure out what works, Neon Straightjackets have turned to marketing and publicity firm Whoa, That’s Fresh! out of Seattle.

“With Mikey joining and prepping for everything we wanted to do this year — album release and tour — we realized that we are ready to take it to the next level and look for bigger opportunities,” Stahl said of reaching out to a PR firm. “We want people to see all of this and whatnot.”

Going live

What that publicity firm is helping promote is an album that’s been a while in the making, with some of the songs written before there even was a band. They’ve already released the single “$#!7canned” (you can guess what it means) and you can also hear “Lady Lazarus” on ALT 99.5FM/102.3FM.

“(‘Lady Lazarus’ is) from a Sylvia Plath poem and brings out of darker, punkier energy and ‘$#!7canned’ brings out our happier, playful side,” Stahl said.

The album’s release will also include a tour. You might even catch them at an impromptu show like that one on March 24 at O’Sullivan’s, where they joined Los Galaxy and Last Plane Home. 

To keep up-to-date on where they will be, you can follow their social media pages. You never know where they might turn up as they try to make a name for themselves.

“The thing is, we love to do it,” Stahl said. “You have to have an absolute love for it. If you love doing it, there’s people that love seeing it.”