The Thrills - Teenager

The fact that people have to be constantly reminded that The Thrills are from Dublin and not California is one of the commonest beefs levelled at the group. As such, they chose to record this, their third album, in Vancouver, well away from Route 1 and in pursuit of a fresher sound. However, whether this relocation had much of an impact is debatable. Teenager still bristles with mandolins, pedal steel et al and couldn't really be anything other than a summer release. It's a record always destined to swirl from the open windows of fully-loaded camper vans heading for the festivals. Opening tune, The Midnight Choir, is a solid average of what this group is about; incorporating the signature elements of their sound and the ever-present Byrds influences, whilst track two, This Year, is an obvious hit single. Certainly it's nothing startlingly new, but Teenager maintains a reasonable level of consistency throughout and will doubtlessly secure more main-stage invitations for The Thrills well into next year. [Chris Cusack]