THE THRILLS
So Much For The City
Virgin Records
This Irish quintet’s obsession with the late ‘60s California culture has inspired a sound that revels in the jangle of The Byrds and the harmonies of The Beach Boys while adding in a Flaming Lips sense of whimsy and wonder. “Santa Cruz” bounces along to a breezy banjo and starts the proceedings off happy and upbeat. Like much of the music that inspired it, it’s not long before things get darker. “Hollywood Kids” and “’Till The Tide Comes In” wouldn’t be out of place in a David Lynch movie while “Your Love Is Like Las Vegas” could easily be converted into a country hit. Fans of Big Star, The Mamas & The Papas, Beachwood Sparks and any Byrds-related project need to check this out.
(Chris McKay /concertshots.com)