So Much For The City

Oh Jesus, now it’s Irish indie pop on a Friday, like damn dude. This project has my total commitment but I’m truly feeling let down by the horrendously disproportionate ratio of hundreds of nonsense non-special records to the very few and far between actual legit epic bangers. Something truly worthy next please?? Please!

Cute early 2000s indie. I do not have my copy of the 1001 Albums book on hand but I can bet this didn’t last more than one edition

Inaccurate name

the entire album is about their trip to california

Really dug this one. It's one of the few albums that was as advertised - a 60s-inspired band releasing music in the early 2000s. What's not to love?

Very chill album. If the guy had a better falsetto, would be a 5, sometimes takes away from the beauty of the music. One could argue that the cracking heard in the falsetto contributes to the general conveyance of the emotion though.

I have an explanation for why their song “appeared on George W. Bush’s iPod in 2005” (truly an honor among honors for any artist, I’m sure). Dubya, clearly distraught by Pavement’s breakup in 1999, used his power as president to have Pavement kidnapped, taken to a CIA black site, injected daily with Herculean combo-doses of Ritalin and SSRI’s and told them they could only leave if they made a late 60’s West Coast Pop record. This record is the result of that unlawful deed, a suspension of habeas corpus.

An Irish band that's obsessed with Americana, singing indie pop about America when they probably hadn't been to America when they wrote this album. Also, I guess half the people on the cover aren't actually in the band? Christ, it's sugary sweet. I imagine this is the sort of music they play in insane asylums to try and keep everyone happy, but it just drives everyone even madder. 2/5.

I'm a massive fan of Indie music so I was looking forward to this, but gosh darnit, if this wasn't lame as heck. So frigging twee and the lead vocalist's voice was so annoying. I do believe this is the first Indie record that I couldn't finish listening to. Oh, and the name of the band is completely misleading also.

I listened to this album a lot when it came out. It’s airy music that’s nice to listen to at the cottage in the summer. Nice harmonies. Solid indie record. Can’t imagine all the Iggy Poppers liking it much haha.

Liked this one more than I thought I would!

Surprisingly enjoyable. 7/10

If you call this Sunny you’ve never been to California. Subjectivity of seeing the West Coast and then writing about in during cold Northern Irish winters. Like Ben Folds meets Death Cab with a juvenile SoCal twist.

What if The Flaming Lips never, ever, ever did drugs even one time and frankly is offended that you even asked about it?

oh hunny 5 stars. psychedelic fan’s dream. sounds like how swimming in the ocean where your feet can’t touch the bottom feels

A five star album before I listened to this with a fresh pair of ears. I pretty much lived this album when it was first released. I rinsed it continuously for around six months. Some albums have that impact on you. I'm not sure why I was drawn to it at the time. It stood apart from the drum 'n' bass that was also taking over my life. I haven't played it for a few years, up until this morning. It still has that spark for me. The optimism, the musicianship, the songs. Plus it sounds like a session, rather than a polished, studio crafted album. It's the pure joy that it offers that still gives me a buzz. Outstanding.

I really enjoyed this. I remember hearing a couple of songs when they came out and this took me right back to that point in my life. I’m happy to have listed to this. It’s really pleasant and clean.

first listen not used to hearing banjo from an irish band

A pleasant and inoffensive indie folk rock record from the early noughties. Maybe this will be something I'll sort of vibe with going into autumn, with shorter and cooler days coming back around, a nice time to get out and go for country walks, when the British weather allows for it... I didn't find much of this to be of much interest though, but there were a few good tracks here, and nothing I outright disliked. Favourite: Say It Ain't So

Loved it: why this album isn't so know I have no clue bc I loved it. Felt instantly recognisable and hit the spot on my first listening. Some of the best new rock I have listen to yet and probably my favourite band I have discovered whom I have never even heard of before. Keep it coming.

I have to admit, until about five minutes ago, I had no idea The Thrills were Irish. Years ago, an ex-girlfriend loaded a bunch of their tracks from the first two albums onto my iPod, and despite being familiar with their music, I always assumed they were from the U.S.—likely the West Coast, maybe even California. Can you blame me? Just look at the track titles, listen to the music, or glance at the album cover—they've nailed the look and sound of a California dream. The only clue to their Irish roots is their names. Conor Deasy’s voice is unmistakable—wistful, plaintive, and instantly the focal point. His range isn’t vast, but his vocal tone perfectly complements the themes of longing and escapism that run through So Much for the City. And curiously, there’s hardly a trace of an Irish accent, further adding to the band’s sun-soaked illusion. The guitars shimmer and jangle with clear nods to The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and maybe R.E.M.—bright, clean, and dripping with reverb. The sound is pure nostalgia, drenched in sunshine. The bass playing is tight and subtle, while the drumming is precise, serving the songs without drawing attention to itself. Taken at face value, this is a solid collection of songs—good but not quite stellar. "Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far)" and "Big Sur" set the tone, offering breezy melodies and a carefree vibe, while tracks like "One Horse Town" and "Hollywood Kids" round out the album’s stronger moments. To the album’s credit, you can breeze through the 11 tracks with ease. But here's the catch—it all feels like an impersonation. The Thrills name-drop Santa Cruz, Big Sur, Hollywood, and Las Vegas in the song titles alone, transporting themselves to a place and era they don’t belong to. It feels like they’re trying on a Californian persona, and while the songs are entertaining, the whole package comes off as a costume—an aesthetic they’ve borrowed rather than lived. Tony Hoffer’s production, known for his work with Beck and Air, is sun-soaked and polished to perfection. But maybe a little too perfect. As the album progresses, it starts to fizzle out—the same polished sheen that works in the beginning contributes to a sense of emotional distance as it goes on. The lack of grit or spontaneity keeps it from leaving a lasting impact. So Much for the City had its moment, but The Thrills couldn’t sustain the success. It’s no surprise the album was eventually dropped from the 1001 Albums list. It’s a pleasant, well-crafted listen, but in the end, it lacks the authenticity and staying power to hold a place in music history. Do I own this release? Most of it on an iPod. Does this release belong on the list? No. Would this release make my personal list? No. Will I be listening to it again? I enjoyed this, but it shouldn’t be anywhere near the list. I won’t mind if it comes on, but I won’t seek it out.

It's... charming? Competent? Droll? A minor, forgettable Flaming Lips? Okay? But why is it in here? I mean, of course it is (or was, hah), being another minisculely different flavour of British/Irish/US pop rock - collect 'em all! - but seriously? See also: what's wrong with this compilation - and that's a Bingo! The Rule as per #244: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Every time one of these 1001 supposedly world's greatest albums turns out to be just another minute variation on [or channeling] USUK '65-'80s rock the generator has served me many dozens of times before, I will give you a different album you could be listening to today. For instance:" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ☞ Brad - Shame (1993) ☜ A beautiful record from '93, from Seattle with Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard on the guitar but it files under Grunge more by those associations than anything. Late Night Grunge maybe, for smoky, desolate bars and nightly car drives. A not really underrated but severely underknown gem. Go listen.

Noughties “The…” bands appear here like a goal with posts moved to corner flags, the keeper kicked in the balls. Seeing this pop up, I was ready to put another notch in my cricket bat. But I couldn’t do it, those big wide eyes looking up at me. This falls beyond the point where simple naivety transforms into fantasy, and I found its helpless cheer sweet.

Santa Cruz is a great song. Reminds me of my college days - I learned it from my shuttle bus driver - who would blast this song everyday in 2003. The rest of the album is mediocre indie pop rock. Honestly, this made me nervous that many of my favorite 21st century albums will not be on this list. - which i guess is ok - since this is about learning new things.

This sounds light early-naughties indie-folk-rock. Its pleasant, but not mind blowing.

Great value Wilco.

It seemed like this should have been a solid alternative album, but the vocals were kind of whiny and breathy, which got a little annoying. Overall the whole thing just sounded kind of hollow

the calm songs towards the end were more enjoyable than the rest

Funny enough, this band is called The Thrills which is kinda opposite of the mood this singer brings. The music is not bad. The melodies are interesting, instrumentation and recording is great. Just a little too mellow & dreamy for me.

Why exactly is this on this list. Boring and unremarkable

It’s an off-putting blend of the Doobie Brothers, Arcade Fire, and “Exile…” era Rolling Stones. The result is a languid indie-folk/country pop record. Really not into it at all.

his voice is annoying. 2 songs in and his voice is still annoying. and it's musically quite boring. not very many interesting things going on. 4th song and it just doesn't end. praying for this to finish as soon as possible. just listen to steely dan. his voice is so whiny! did NOT enjoy.

It's not a bad listen. But it's also not that memorable. They sound like a watered-down, hokey version of Arcade Fire. "Santa Cruz" and "Big Sur" were the best of the bunch. I just couldn't get past the singer sounding like a baritone version of Elmo from Sesame Street. If you listen to the first 15 seconds of any song, then you have heard the entire song.

Never finds it own sound outside of the frontman’s whining - there are some promising glimpses here and there, a track that evokes Elliot Smith or shows some Dinosaur Jr. influences, but nothing that coalesces over a very generous runtime. And yeah the vocals are just bad sorry

Completely forgettable

And this album is special because of ____?

I've never heard of The Thrills before, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this album. The first few tracks were somewhat enjoyable, but after "Say It Ain't So," the album fell off a pretty sharp cliff. The banjo playing was a nice and unique touch, which is difficult to admit in a post-Mumford era. I enjoyed some of the vocals as well, and there were a few nice harmonies sprinkled in here and there. "Big Sur" started off with some nice psychedelic sounds, but never built upon it. The best thing going for this album was the cohesive theme of places that the band longed for. This album did a few things well, but the band didn't leverage those things very well. I'm really confused as to why this was on this list. I'd much rather listen to Guster, Built to Spill, or Dawes, all of whom do a much better job of what I think The Thrills were trying to do here.

oh my fucking god the singer sounds like jennifer coolidge. what the fuck.

Kinda sounds like if bruce Springsteens backing band played for a shittier songwriter

So Much for an Average Indie Rock Album Aping Teenage Fanclub With Some Indie Folk Influences Thrown In

That was alright, but nothing new under the sun.

It reminds me of the time when it was cool to support your chorus with a nice little glockenspiel.

Never heard of the Thrills before, I don't really see how much space there was in the 00s for a Beach Boys style band and I guess that's why they only put out 3 albums. There are some nice moments throughout the album and it does obviously have its own feel which is slightly unique. I'm also sure they had a great great time making and recording this album, but I wouldn't say it's that special or exciting for me. I'd rather just go and listen to a Beach Boys album which is slightly better. So although I do enjoy this formula of catchy melodies, multiple layered harmonies, experimentation with many instruments and sounds, and American summer surf vibes, that's only one layer of the depth of multiple layers to the Beach Boys.

This was so beige I could not care about it. Every song blurred into one. Not for me!!

Very forgettable. So much so that after it finished and went onto something else I struggled to remember what it was like. It's just kind of samey stuff. It sounds nice, I guess but it's just blah.

So twee it sets your teeth on edge. Couldn’t wait for it to be over.

Why is this album even here? Generic indie pop with zero impact on anything, ffs. I guess they thought "hey, 1001 is a cool number", chose the few hundred that are really worth and then started to randomly fill the gaps. It is the only explanation I can think of that justifies this kind of music being present here.

i found this album boring. in fact i almost fell asleep 47 times while listening to it. even during the more upbeat songs, something seems missing. and i just can’t with that guy’s voice.

Came away wondering why this album was on the list. The blog summary of the album did not explain it. Sounded like they were trying to impersonate Elliott Smith but with none of the emotion.

Meh

Outside of their immediate family, who is this album for?! Did youse go on a little trip to America and write a few wee songs about it? I am commencing legal action under under the Truth In Advertising act forthwith

I am generally suspicious of most indie Americana, particularly so when it happens to come from Ireland. I mean, I have to give it to him, he nailed the breathy/whiny American indie rocker accent, even adding an affected rootsy twang... but why? Why construct an entirely forced vocal persona to hide behind? This is some kinda weird fantasy role-playing shit, and I don't like it. It's off-putting. Just look at them on the cover. Doesn't exactly scream authenticity. They look jaded, bored, and overdressed. At least they are competent at aping the far-from-unique sound they seek to emulate, but this sucks.

I found this quite tedious quite quickly. I was quite surprised to learn they were from Ireland. Has real US early 2000s indie vibes, with more than a whiff of The Magic Numbers. The idea behind it - to cheer themselves up - also seems rather self-indulgent. What about cheering anyone else up? This did not make me feel better about anything, except when I finally turned it off. That this was even on the same shortlist as Boy In Da Corner makes me want to weep. Blander than the blandest thing in Blandland. A highly-inappropriately named band if ever there was one. Although who am I to question the musical taste of US President George W. Bush?

Wilco-wannabe dreck. Next!!

Meh. Boring and bland. Why this would be an album that anyone would say you must listen to before you die is beyond me. 1/5

What a delightful surprise. Another unexpected gem that this list has opened my eyes to. At first listen I was a bit confused about why an Irish band had so many US song names but hearing the story just made me smile along with them. By the end of the second listen I was hooked. Faves: Santa Cruz, Say It Ain't So

Never heard them before, just the name, but this one is brilliant

holy shit what a fucking find. This is unskippable, beautiful voice beautiful arrangements. Fan for life

oh god...this isn't a good album to listen to in my current state of mind. It is amazing. I love it. I just want to be hanging out in The O.C. and enjoying life instead of whatever I'm doing now. Some times I think I failed at life. The above was before I exercised for the day. I feel okay now. But I wonder who the real me is. The one who nostalgically yearns for something else or the one that feels okay. Do I have a 'Thrill'ing life? What has this review turned into?

This album is soooooo goooood!!!

4-5 One Horse Town!

Wow. What an album! I was not expecting to get such a nice 69th record! Jokes aside, this is such a great album. I loved every song and the unique feel this album has. I have never heard a record like this one. The opening track, Santa Cruz (You're not that far) is a great track, as well as the closer and the hidden track that comes along with it. However, my favourite track has to be One Horse Town, I love the instruments, the vocals and the lyrics. Such a wonderful album. This album appears to not have much international praise but has won multiple awards within the home country of The Thrills, Ireland. I think it deserves more credit than it has, and in my opinion deserves a 9/10 rating.

"Who the hell is this, now?" I thought to myself, seeing the "post punk revival" category on the Wikipedia article. "Here we go again. *sigh*" As soon as I listened I liked them very much and they sounded very familiar (and not at all what I'd consider post punk). Turns out I had saved two of their songs from this album in my Apple library from a Las Vegas-themed mix CD a dear friend gave me 20 years ago. I really enjoyed the folky, jangly, piano-y goodness of this one, and getting to hear the whole delightful album. Yay!

For my first listen, I didn't overly excite me, but it was good. On the second, I found a charm that was quite endearing.

It's like someone flew some California sunshine to Ireland and The Thrills put it in a blender with some 70s pop radio and this is what we got. I heard similarities to The Carpenters, Pinball Wizard, the theme from Midnight Cowboy (not "Everybody's Talkin'" but the instrumental that was in all the John Brimhall piano books that is still one of only four songs I am able to play), and East Bound and Down (from Smokey and the Bandit). Some fun instrumentation and an overall uplifting sound made for a great listen today.

I heard the song “One Horse Town” and fell in love with it while shopping somewhere in New York in the early 2000s. Shortly after I bought this album and loved it. I hadn’t looked much into the band, so I was surprised today to learn that they aren’t from California but instead from Ireland… now I hear that lead singers’ voice differently. The group creates some catchy tunes with interesting hooks and nice banjo. I still love this album!

Wonderful slice of 00s pop

What a great album. Never heard of this group before but I’m glad I have now.

This brings me back. I was introduced to The Thrills by an English woman I met when we both started school in Santa Cruz. It's not that far.

Discovering a new artist that fits is the biggest perk of this wonderful initiative. One can say that The Thrills sound derivative, but who cares when the songs are this good. Melodies, hooks and harmonies abound in this well crafted mature album. The influences are abundant...The beach Boys, Big Star, The Beatles The Buffalo Springfield, CSNY to name a few. But I also hear more modern touches from bands like Granddaddy and Badly Drawn Boy. But forget all that this is a fine album from a band that writes wonderful pop songs. 4 stars

Surprising and fun

Nice jangles.

I have owned this album digitally since it came out, but have not listened to it in years. It is a good album with a splattering of really good songs, but I feel like it fades after Hollywood kids. Its not an album I really want to own, but one I will gladly listen to again and again

Never heard of these guys and This is not what I was expecting. 60s-70s sometimes beach boys-y vibe. Great vocal harmonies and really well done. All I kept thinking was they put time and effort into this record. I like it a lot. I’ll actually listen again. Kind of record if you play in the background people will ask who is this. Great record.

Overall a really good album, don't think it's all quite for me but definitely a good listen. Chill vibes and laid back music. Close to 5 but not quite there for me.

Good

Where are they now

Вайб присутствует

A collection of semi-surfpop, semi-garage-rock songs about California - an overall pleasant and a general good listen throughout it's runtime, but not much stands out from this album. I'd struggle to remember a specific song, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to get back to it.

Not bad

Huh, this was a surprise. When I started doing this project in 2021 I downloaded as many versions of the list as I could and merged them together so I could track things in a spreadsheet. 🤓 This wasn't on any of them. All the reviews start from mid 2023 so I guess this was added to the latest version of the book? 🤷 Well, I didn't think I'd heard anything by them, but when "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)" kicked off it was familiar, though I'm pretty sure I'd assumed it was a Flaming Lips song when I heard it. These folks do an excellent job of nailing a particular sound, it's pretty baffling to learn they're Irish! Somewhere between The Flaming Lips and Grandaddy, but lacking any of the experimental weirdness. That makes them more accessible, I suppose, though a bit less interesting. I can't go 5 stars on this because it's a little bit one note, but 4.5, sure. Fave tracks - "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)" and then let's say "Hollywood Kids" for all the lap steel guitar.

Gelungenes Album aus Irland mit einer Mischung aus Folk, Country & Rock. Es ist schön das Album zu hören mit angenehmen Tracks. Um das Album zu verstehen sollte es ruhig mehrfach gehört werden z.B um die Klasse von „Santa Cruz“ und „One Horse Town“ zu erkennen.

ett riktigt nostalgialbum! skitkul att det är med i boken men det har kanske inte åldrats såpass väl att det blir en femma. med det sagt så gillar jag musiken mycket.

This was good. I liked the vibe, but I couldn't help but feel like some songs were incredibly repetitive. I also quite liked the use of Banjo, but it got super oldschool Country feeling at the end (not a bad thing, just felt weird to transition to?) I could see myself revisiting this one. 'Deckchairs and Cigarettes' was my fave takeaway here.

Played through twice while working but again, I don’t feel like I got a great “listen”… really liked the style, this is a brand new artist for me. Indie feel, reminded me a bit like Guster. 3.5/5

Dreaming of West coast pop at its best

Started off slow - it gave Beach Boys. But steadily grew on me.

pleasant indie/folk, songs to listen to on a summers evening

This was actually a huge surprise! While there are things I don't really care for about this (song structure and lead vocal performance), this was a refreshingly dynamic record that is both well produced and well-crafted from an arranging standpoint.

Great album.

4/5

liked this much more than I expected to. Some good tunes on here

This is the craziest western country album to come out of Ireland.

So Much for the City is the debut album of the Irish indie/pop band The Thrills, originally released in 2003. I needed this album. Summer is winding down over here on the East Coast, and this album fit the vibe perfectly. They lean super hard into the California identity on here, even harder than the Beach Boys in some moments (lol). I was so surprised to hear these guys were from Ireland. They sound pretty damn American. This record reminds me a lot of that 70s Laurel Canyon sound, with a bit of jangle pop/garage/2000s indie sprinkled in. Kinda like Beachwood Sparks. Great discovery from this list.

Many memories of when this was first released and driving around listening to it over a sunny summer

Enjoyed this, 3.9

I enjoyed this a decent amount, which surprised me. There's a tendency on the 1001 to include too many UK bands, and this particular album is on some editions of the 1001 and not on others, which tends to be a red flag. It's fairly light and quite approachable.

Sweet ear candy. Sometimes the California city references were too corny. Still good tho

Not sure why there are so many low reviews for these guys. If I had heard them right at release, it would probably be a 5 instead of a 4, since I would have had more time to appreciate the album. In any case, a good mix of Beach Boys, Wilco, Polyphonic Spree, Flaming Lips, Pete Yorn, and probably a few dozen other artists. Was nice enough to hear a little bit of each of those in the song style and composition. Some just prefer to just listen to those artists instead, which is fine, but it is nice every once in awhile to just hear something a little different. 4/5

Noise indie folk. Qué bonito sonido.