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Track Listings
| 1. Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far) |
| 2. Big Sur |
| 3. Don't Steal Our Sun |
| 4. Deckchairs And Cigarettes |
| 5. One Horse Town |
| 6. Old Friends, New Lovers |
| 7. Say It Ain't So |
| 8. Hollywood Kids |
| 9. Just Travelling Through |
| 10. Your Love Is Like Las Vegas |
| 11. 'Til The Tide Creeps In (Contains Hidden Track 'Plans') |
Product Description
Review
Ever wondered what it would be like if Brian Wilson and Bob Dylan were the songwriters in Teenage Fanclub? It's not a common question, but it is one that now has an answer in the shape of The Thrills.
Given the number of American references that litter So Much For The City, it comes as something of a shock to find that the band actually hail from Dublin. That said, like all good hippies, they have packed up their bags and headed out to California for the duration, and it's the sound of the sunshine state that is the bedrock for the album.
Tight harmonies, breathy cool vocals, upbeat simple tunes, the occasional string section and steel guitar to add an extra dimension here and there... The Thrills have more than done their homework into San Francisco and Los Angeles music, drawing it all together in a retro sound that nods to the seventies but remains firmly implanted in today.
The three singles stand out on first listen as being the main tunes of choice, and it's easy to see why they were released. "Big Sur" and "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)" are satisfying blends of surf pop and country that leave a smile on your face and a spring in your step, while "One Horse Town" has a desperate energy that is sometimes lacking elsewhere on the album.
As for the rest, the general country-boy-goes-to-pop-school sound does begin to grate after a while, particularly on the tracks where the songwriting quality takes a bit of a dip. There may be much praise for the grandeur and ceremony of "Old Friends, New Lovers" and the soft lullaby of "Just Travelling Through". But there is almost as much to criticise in the hilarious full-on cowboy stomp of "Say It Ain't So" (all it needs is ye-haa...), the dreary storytelling of "Hollywood Kids", and the mediocre attempt to up the tempo for "Don't Steal Our Sun".
So Much For The City is a competent and, at times, beautifully rendered album. For every time it blackens its name with a poorly chosen influence, it sparkles twice as bright with a pure piece of pop. The Thrills might not have completely captured the surf life of the American west coast, but the very fact that they're looking there for influences, rather than jumping on the clubs and pretensionsof New York bandwagon, with its east coast nonchalance, is to be applauded and encouraged. --Chris Long
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Product Description
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good album but whats all the fuss about,
This review is from: So Much For The City (Audio CD)
This is a really nice album.Good musicians.Good vocals.And some quite nice songs.But with the amount of press focus and general media attention i was expecting something more than a nice album.I was expecting a great album.An exellent album.Unfortunately i did not get that.I got three good tracks "Santa Cruz" "Say it ain't so" and "One Horse Town".And one great track:"Big Sur".But I was still very disapointed.I dont really listen to the album past track seven anymore. However if you are just lounging about on a Sunday morning it is a pleasant start to the day.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pure pop perfection,
By Shikha Sharma (Middx, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: So Much For The City (Audio CD)
With this album, The Thrills have created an immediately likeable collection of effortless pop tunes. From the catchy opening track, Santa Cruz, you're carried away on a summer holiday as singer Conor Deasy croons about familiar American locations. No doubt you've read in every other review about The Thrills that their sound pays homage to the era of West Coast and The Beach Boys and it works well for them in this breezy collection. The singles One Horse Town and Big Sur are a good indication of the other songs on the album so if you liked those, you're bound to love this. But at the same time, the more catchy, upbeat tunes are tempered by more melancholic sounding songs such as on the achingly beautiful Deckchairs and Cigarettes. This is the perfect soundtrack to the summer with breezy, sunshiney tunes to lie back and enjoy.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chilled summer smileyness,
This review is from: So Much For The City (Audio CD)
I'd agree with one of the other reviews - the total West Coast conversion of these Dubliners has to reduce their appeal, but they're so convincing that you don't really care. Great chilled tunes for a summer's road trip, relaxing, relieving, gentle on the eardrums. I don't think I'll be able to listen to the album without thinking of happy summer 2003 and a big smile appearing on my face.
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