Sometimes an album comes along that just seems to fit. This could be said of the THRILLS debut album ‘So Much For The City’ which seems to have quietly captured the feeling of summer 2003. However one might wonder, had their been no freak heat wave but endless weeks of torrential rain then would this sunshine charged 45 minutes have been appreciated?
Hailing from Ireland, this five piece are not afraid to show who their influences are. Evident in the music is a homage to many of the great sixties pop bands- the Byrds, the Monkees and perhaps most notably the Beach Boys. The Californian dream seems to be the theme for much of this record which doesn’t contain so much as a hint of their gloomy potato farming native land. It is a sound the band were determined to capture, so determined in fact that they decamped to Los Angeles to record much of the album.
Their effort was not in vain. The Thrills have managed to create an album with an authentic west coast sound which contributes towards a set of near perfect summery pop songs. Which can be appreciated for both their catchy melodies and their quite blatant nod to the Californian pop heyday of the sixties.
The music is faultless, opening with the recent single ‘Santa Cruz’ the band don’t try to disguise their intentions. Melodic pop is their aim and that’s what they achieve in a Wilson-esque two tempo fashion. The same goes for the rest of the album, littered throughout with all the classic sixties sounds, piano’s, banjo, harmonica, organs . Complete authenticity is not maintained however, and there is no reason why it should be, the thrills make tasteful use of synthesizers on a number of occasions, and this adds rather than detracts from the retro sound. ‘Big sur’ another of the singles released from the album, makes use of modern synthesizers mixing them seamlessly with the ever-present layers of simple melodies and perfectly executed vocal harmonies that would impress even the most hardcore of Beach Boys fans.
It is an album that one easily warms to, like much of the current retro bands such as the strokes and the Kings of Leon, you get the feeling that you have heard these songs before. Although there should be no suggestion that this album is a pastiche of surfer pop. ‘So much for the city’ is well structured. For every two-tempo ’Anthem’ such as ‘Don’t steal Our Sun’ there are reserved songs that capture the bittersweetness of the end of summer. Soft slide guitars and simple piano are used to maximum effect in the slower numbers such as ‘Deckchairs and cigarettes’ and ‘Old friends, New Lovers’ .
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The theme of the album is mixed, as usual there are the songs of love and longing such as the sweet ‘Just Travelling Through’ : “And my heart yearns me on/but the one girl you want/ is waiting right here”. However these expected themes find themselves lodged between songs of reflection such as ‘Deckchairs and Cigarettes’ : “well what can you do /when all that surrounds you/says slow down” and the look at the truth behind the American dream in ‘Hollywood Kids’ : ‘So look closer /do you still think that /those holly wood kids got it made?’. Although it is unlikely that Deasey will be winning any Ivor Novello awards for his lyrical efforts, they do encompass a rather broader spectrum than most and is perhaps comforting for the future of this young band.
‘So Much For The City’ is an album that musically captures the optimism of the sun kissed Californian dream while lyrically it is rather cynical about the whole affair and finds Deasey wanting to keep on moving. For any listener it is a pleasure to be able to experience such carefully crafted pop music. In a climate where pop music is usually all about making a quick buck, The Thrills are not afraid to embrace musical heritage and it pays dividends on this album. What it may lack in originality is compensated for by the simple sweetness of many of it songs. ‘So much for the city’ is not one of those challenging albums that you have to force yourself to listen to. It is not a particularly inventive album but it is an album that will grow on you , perhaps because of its catchy use of melody or perhaps out of nostalgia for the real thing.
So finally, Is ‘So Much For The City’ an album solely for the summer ? Well my answer is - Is beer best served chilled?. There is no answer, it is up to the listener, if music was to carry a serving suggestion then I am pretty sure that this album would be best served in a glorious sunshine and my beer would be served cold, however how many people actually follow serving suggestions?
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