So Much for the City – The Thrills

The Thrills are described as an indie/rock band from Dublin. This debut album is very California heavy with songs like “Big Sur” and “Santa Cruz (you’re not that far)”, inspired from their vacation in San Diego. This strong California influence lead to the band being featured on The O.C., in seasons one and two. This album is pretty mellow overall with catchy tunes that stick in your head but don’t bug you. The Thrills list their influences as Dylan and the Beach Boys and I can see that from this album. Even their upbeat songs have a touch of that melancholy that bands like Coldplay made famous.

I am a pretty big fan of Brit Rock which is why I jumped on this album when I saw it in the HPL YA collection. I’m not sure how big The Thrills still are with the teens but they are still producing albums, their third is on the way (according to their MySpace page). This is a pretty good album for lazy summers or even just chillin’ in your room. This wasn’t my taste in music as a teen but I’m sure some of them would like it. Even without The O.C. I don’t think that California will ever go out of style.

Age range: 14+
Ranking: Quality – 4/5 Popularity – 3/5