So Much for the City

Thrills (Ireland)

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 4, 2003)
• Original Release Date: May 27, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin
• ASIN: B00009AQM9
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,033 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
One might assume that a band from Dublin called the Thrills would sound a certain way. And one might well be wrong. If northern garage grit is what you're looking for, skip So Much for the City, because this quartet sounds owes less to Northern Ireland forbearers such as Stiff Little Fingers, the Undertones, and Thin Lizzy than to gentle Southern California denizens like the early Eagles, Harvest-era Neil Young, and, strange to say, the Carpenters. More contemporary cousins would be the Jayhawks at their sprightliest. An Irish Americana band with a taste for the lighter side of the country-rock/'70s pop-rock spectrum is certainly an anomaly, and not necessarily an appealing one, but the Thrills approach the California myth with a winning guilelessness and plenty of talent. The story is that that the foursome settled in San Diego and set about soaking up more than just the sun. Songs such as "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)," "Big Sur," and "Hollywood Kids," tell a kind of love story--one between some lads and a beautiful setting, or maybe a state of mind. --Steven Stolder

Product Description
Dublin Has Produced a Fair Number of Bands that Make Music with a Universal Appeal to Many Far Beyond the Banks of the Emerald Isle. The Thrills Join that Roster with this Debut Album. Their Sound Though May Be a Bit Surprising to the Uninitiated as it is Unabashedly Rooted in the California Sounds of Brian Wilson Mixed with a Fair Amount of the Beatles and 70's Pop Bands as Well. Derivative? Maybe...but It Really Works...and Works Quite Well, Thank You Very Much. EMI Are So Proud of These Guys that They were Ushered Into Abbey Road to Record the Album on Much of the Same Equipment as Many of their Heroes. You Can Now Hear the Results on this Sparkling Initial Bow to the World.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Debut, October 3, 2003

By	carson (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

At a time when losing hope in America is fashionable, it's refreshing to see that that great country can still inspire people to create such wonderful music. Southern California'll do that to you, if you let it, and it seems that The Thrills have eagerly taken on the sounds of summer on the west coast.

As mentioned in other reviews, the vocals on this disc are brilliant. Conor Deasy adopts an admirable accent (I can't tell he's from Dublin), and sings to his (and hopefully your) heart's content. His voice reminds me most of Jason Lytle, the lead singer of a great California band you might know called Grandaddy. After that, I can see the previous comparisons to Neil Young et al.

Now, as for the CD as a whole, it's a treat! If you've heard The Shins, Beachwood Sparks, Beulah, The Beach Boys, Grandaddy, Apples in Stereo, or just about any of the E6 Collective bands, and enjoyed their albums, you'll totally dig this disc. Or, if you already enjoy The Thrills, make sure you check out some of, no, all of those bands. So Much For the City is a laid-back Sunday evening on the beach, without being as sad and bluesy as Young's On the Beach. It's a cuddly, energetic puppy without that tint of insanity Wilson brings out in Pet Sounds. It's a darn good album!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Sound of Sunshine, October 13, 2004

By	Gianmarco Manzione (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This album is like listening to sunshine. As radiant with melody as "Pet Sounds" or "Younger Than Yesterday," "So Much for the City" is neither too derivative of its influences nor too removed from them to rival their majesty. That this album would be considered a landmark of rock 'n roll had it been released in the late 60s may make a case for the criticism it gets as self-conscious -- but tell me what art is NOT self conscious? All art is in some way derivative of some particular sphere of influence, otherwise it could not exist. And anyway, if self-consciousness sounds this gorgeous, I'll take it over confidence any day of the week. These guys get it just right: a perfect balance of explosiveness ("One Horse Town"; "Don't Steal Our Sun") and restraint ("Deckchairs and Cigarettes"; "'Til The Tide Comes In"). However, I think that critics who accuse The Thrills of of an overwhelming awareness of their roots are actually responding to the album's considerable loss of momentum towards the second half. Suddenly the crackling melodies are replaced by vaguely interesting organ solos, drum beats and a scant few guitar licks. Songs like "Old Friends, New Lovers" or "Hollywood Kids" tend to meander where earlier tracks knew exactly where they wanted to go and got there in a hurry, and the result is a kind of tired and inferior rehashing of well-worn musical territory. But the glorious and resounding bursts of harmonica and organ on the closer, "'Til The Tide Creeps In" are so moving as to resurrect the entire album into a near-masterpiece. Indeed I think it is just that: an album that aspires toward immortality and only misses by a hair.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely brilliant, December 24, 2003

By A Customer

Along with Fountains of Wayne's "Welcome Interstate Managers," Endgames' "Daybreak to Sunset" and The Jayhawks' "Rainy Day Music"...this is one of the best albums of 2003. A masterpiece. Every song is terrific. You never reach for the skip button. In particular, "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)," "Big Sur" and "One Horse Town" are a joy to listen to. Beautiful harmonies in the vein of the Beach Boys and Teenage Fanclub. Instrumentation is gorgeous. It's one of those albums that doesn't sound like it was made during any specific time period. It could have been in the 60's or today. Terrific!!!!