UTAH, Aug. 12, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Neon Trees front man Tyler Glenn, who in April made headlines with single “Trash” and its LDS church-bashing video, will release his debut solo album on Oct. 29.
It’s called “Excommunication.”
“This album is a break-up record,” Glenn said in a news release. “It’s been liberating to find a greater sense of purpose, but it’s not been without its sadness. I wanted this album to feel the way it feels to have a crisis of faith. The highs, the lows, the dark and the light — with the end result being a paradigm shift.”
Glenn, a longtime member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a returned missionary who served in Nebraska, revealed he is gay in an April 2015 issue of Rolling Stone. In fact, Glenn declared himself equally proud of being gay and a practicing LDS church member.
Things reportedly changed for Glenn with the November 2015 revelation that the LDS church would no longer allow the children living in households with gay parents to participate in church rites, such as baptism and blessings, until they reach age 18 and denounce their parents’ homosexuality.
Glenn talked with Rolling Stone reporters again before the April release of “Trash,” which features a painting of masked LDS founder Joseph Smith, and other iconic Mormon art, to which Glenn sings angrily. Read the lyrics here or watch the full video below.
“My entire life and perspective on God, the afterlife, morals and values, my self-worth and my born sexual orientation has been wired within the framework of this religion that doesn’t have a place for me,” Glenn told Rolling Stone three months ago.
“I served (this church). I was the square peg trying to fit into the round hole. I believed it till six months ago.”
On Friday, Glenn released his next single, “Shameless.” And on Thursday, he posted an emotional video to his Facebook page explaining his journey away from his religion and shame, toward self-acceptance.
“I’ve been fighting off a hurricane inside me,” Glenn sings in “Shameless.” “It’s the darkest time of the night/God and vodka might save my life/you judge but I don’t give a damn … I live a life so shameless.”
“I feel liberated and more creative than ever,” Glenn said in his news release. “I thank God for that, whoever she is.”
