The Thrills - Mercury Lounge Nov. 9, 2007

"Thank you very much. We're the T-rills," proclaimed singer Conor Deasy as The Thrills tore through "The Midnight Choir" the opener from their excellent third album, "Teenager." Their sound has become so closely associated with southern California, it was almost shocking to hear his brogue, which isn't at all evident when he sings. Any questions of their origins were put to rest when they played "The Irish Keep Gate-Crashing" an ode to soccer hooligans and catholic guilt. It's not often you get to see a band take a step back in popularity, especially in New York where every show seems to sell out, leading to bigger venues with each subsequent trip. The last time they were here, I think back in September '04, they played Irving Plaza, a fact Conor was quick to joke about when he couldn't get a spotlight to shine on keyboardist Kevin Horan during his solo. Mercury Lounge was a far more intimate and engaging setting for their upbeat, sun-soaked pop. Just ask tennis great Jim Courier who was on hand to take in the action.

The Thrills set the bar almost impossibly high with their insanely catchy debut, "So Much for the City." And it's easy to argue that their output since then has failed to come close to the potential they exhibited early on. But to say that is to over analyze - they aren't reinventing the wheel. With "Teenager" they've continued to deliver breezy, bittersweet, guitar-driven anthems about youth, friendship and growing up. And with some of the most gorgeous harmonies this side of the Magic Numbers.

From "Teenager" [buy the album here]

The Thrills - The Midnight Choir [buy mp3]
The Thrills - Restaurant [buy mp3]
The Thrills - No More Empty Words [buy mp3]

From "Let's Bottle Bohemia" [buy the album here]

The Thrills - Found My Rosebud [buy mp3]

Bonus: From "Don't Steal Our Sun EP" [buy the album here]

The Thrills - Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far) Acoustic Version