The days are getting shorter and the weather’s
getting colder, but this next band served to brighten my spirits.
Disc 1304 is… Be My Thrill
Artist:
The Weepies
Year of Release: 2010
What’s up with the
Cover?
Dear God, what is that thing? At first I thought it was a mutated sheep, but
Sheila suggests it is an albino warthog. It is supposed to be cute, but it looks
more like nightmare fuel to me.
How I Came to Know
It: My friend Casey played some
Weepies songs at a night of music listening a couple years ago. I really liked
what he played and delved into their catalogue with enthusiasm. This was one of
the records that emerged.
How It Stacks Up: Last time I reviewed a Weepies album (January)
I had two Weepies albums. Now I have three, and I’m on the lookout for a
fourth. For now, “Be My Thrill” ranks third.
Ratings: 3 stars
“Be My Thrill” is candy for the soul. It doesn’t
have a lasting emotional impact, but it is a tasty treat while you’re in the
moment.
The band is composed of married duo Deb Talan
and Steve Tannen. If their similar last names seem a bit too cute for mere coincidence,
well, so does their music. They play indie pop that is – to quote from of the
album’s songs – “made for sunny days.” Together they write light-hearted
pop ditties that are sneaky good. Earworms that sound like they belong on the
soundtrack of a romantic comedy. When they’re at their best, they make you feel
like you’re in one.
Much like on their 2006 album “Say I Am You”
(reviewed back at Disc 1221), the songs can have a melancholy twinge from
time to time, but they handle sadness gently. The album’s first track, “Please
Speak Well of Me” is a good example, a breakup song that asks for a parting
on good terms, even though the circumstances were bad. The chorus sums up the
Weepies well:
“Don’t say words that you don’t
mean
When I’m gone please speak well
of me.”
You couldn’t get much nicer if you tried. The
narrator is both polite (she says ‘please’) and honest (she only wants her ex
to say good things if they’re true). If only all break ups went this well.
“I Was Made for Sunny Days” is another standout;
a whimsical love song filled with a folksy guitar strum and Deb Talan’s sweet
lilting vocal. “Hummingbird” is another love song, this time with the up-tempo
flutter evocative of its title. Themes of these songs aren’t any more complicated
than “you make me happy” and the slightly more complicated “I’m a bit flighty,
but not around you.” The songs feature happy conversation in the rain and
thimbles filled with wine. It is just that damned dear, but so filled with love
and kindness you don’t mind.
When the Weepies do try to get edgy, as they
do on “How Do You Get High” the effort falls short. The groove is
supposed to be ominous and insistent, but if it is digging deep, it’s only one
thimble at a time. The song mostly had me wishing that there was a little more
darkness on the record.
Of course, that’s the wrong thing to be wishing
for. “Be My Thrill” is filled with stories that are snappy and fun. They are
sneaky good as well, with a sparse production and a great sense of timing. They
stick with you and encourage you to listen to them again. It isn’t easy to
write pop songs this catchy.
No time is wasted either. The songs get going
and done in a hurry, with the whole record clocking in at a fulsome 14 songs,
but an easily digestible 38 minutes. Few exceed three minutes, and most are
closer to two; sixties radio would have loved these two.
I loved them too, and while I like my other
Weepies records slightly more, this one will definitely get pulled out on a
dark winter evening or two, when I need a little extra sunshine.
Best tracks: Please Speak Well of Me, I Was Made For Sunny Days,
Be My Thrill, Be My Honeypie, Hummingbird
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