Customer Reviews

Teenager

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Thrills third release, Teenager, is a compelling listen from a compelling band. The Thrills are sometimes chided for their "California" style , but this is a shallow critique. There is a richness to their unique sound and Teenager is their richest yet. This album will take some time to get into, but soon the nuances and sweet melodies will win you over and merit repeat listens. I don't see this album garnering much radio play, particularly in the States. Maybe "Midnight Choir" will break through. It's a great song. I get the picture that these guys are more interested in making good albums than making singles. However, this band oozes with talent and, with the rare ability to capture joy in their music, I think it is only a matter of time before they have a radio classic...not yet though. Lead singer Conor Deasy uses his voice masterfully, but his thoughtful, scattered lyrics don't always grab the listener. That will be the key, if radio success is what they seek. These guys are full of tunes, they follow a different lineage of rock, and they take risks in their songs and that is why I find them compelling. They are a band to follow for the long haul, not a band that tailors its sound to current and passing tastes in popular music. I don't know if Teenager will be released in the U.S. but it is worth buying the import. You'll get your money's worth.

The third CD by the Thrills will please existing fans of the group, but it's unclear to me if it will be the powerful album that will win new fans, especially in the US. While the majority of the tunes are about three minutes in length (in a nod to fostering radio airplay), there is no one track that really stands out for an `Alternative' or `Progressive' song list. There is also no one song that will get the attention of Programming Directors for top 40 stations, either - that's no slag on the album, given the dire state of Top 40 right now, but you need that exposure to get the teen / Young Adult market's attention. Somehow "Teenager" straddles the no-man's-land between genres, and it remains to be seen if either camp will pick up on it.

The Beach Boys motifs from "So Much for the City" are pretty much absent here, but the Byrds echoes are still present to good effect. "Nothing Changes Around Here" is a great rock song and the best cut on the album. Other up-tempo tracks such as "Long Forgotten Song", "I'm So Sorry", and "No More Empty Words" will get your foot tapping, trust me.

Most of the criticism directed at the group's prior CDs focused on vocalist Conor Deasy and his rather strained singing style, which tended to be showcased on the slower, more spare ballads on "So Much for the City" and "Let's Bottle Bohemia". "Teenager" tries to stay away from these situations by having some strong rhythms to just about every track. The only songs where these rhythms are markedly subdued to the vocals are in the title track, and "Should've Known Better". The melancholy, almost bluesey approach to "Teenager" does seem to work in giving Deasy's vocals enough room to be expressive, but not overly taxed. Based on these adjustments I think it's worthwhile for anyone curious about the Thrills to get the entire album, and not just a few select songs a' la' iTunes.

As an afterthought, it's hard not to get the feeling that this is a skilled band, in terms of musicianship, that seems to be a bit too constrained by their compositions. I get the feeling that the band could really let loose with some powerful rock and roll licks that would rival anyone on the Alternative scene if it moves away from the folk-rock, 3 to 4 min Single format that seems to dominate "Teenager". We'll have to see what the group comes up with on their next studio production.....

I have all 3 Thrills cds and Teenager is the best one of the bunch. The songs on Teenager are more infectious and catchy. Not just bubble gum catchy, but thoughtful arrangements. Songs 4,6,7, and 11 are my favorites. There's just a few filler songs.

Something titled like this brings up images of garage rock about cheeseburgers and girls, but actually The Thrills are an Irish band that play accomplished power pop with a Suede like immediacy to it, mixed high and bright, though not with that kind of vocal power. You can hear of lot of influences (and some copying) in their music, right off the top in "Midnight" there are a couple passages from someone else I could nail down with some thought and research. But that's okay, everyone borrows, the point is whether the music works. Mostly yes, there are a fair smattering of hooks in here, although the song structures and transitions are a bit hokey and familiar. They also display the varying tempo disease of young composers seeking to make an impact. And a memo to young bands, harmonica's are dead, okay? Or should be.

"Midnight" pops, so does most of "Nothing Changes" and "Came". "This Year" never finds a central passage to build around, and just flounders around, sounding good, but not getting over the top. "Restaurant", "Forgotten" and "Empty" likewise fail to find compelling hooks. "Known Better" should have been left on the cutting room floor. "Boy" is fun, sounds like a Beach Boys cover, but Brian would have found a better melody.

The problem with this band is that their sound is nothing new and the songwriting is hit and (mostly) miss. So what's to keep you coming back for more, or hoping for the promise to fulfill?

After a disastrous soph release, this band of Scots has reclaimed its California crush with number three. Like the Thrills' debut, Teenager is a maelstrom of shifting harmonies, twelve-string guitars, strong songwriting, and singer Conor Deasy's plaintive suplications for love, understanding, and a little sunshine. Indeed, if anything gives this band its signature sound, it's Deasy's wincing, half-sung / half-spoken vocal. He sounds as if he's always waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for the sun to disappear, waiting for the goodbye letter to arrive. For many a teenager, angst springs eternal; the waits become the thrills.

I have to admit this album had a little different sound to it, but it definately grows on you and I have come to love all of the songs.