Description
One of Boston’s most popular bands during the first wave of punk, no doubt in large part due to singer Barb Kitson’s commanding voice and punky-starlet looks, the Thrills formed in 1977 out of a loose confederation of local scenesters. Kitson, a DJ at the influential college station WMBR (where according to legend, she was the first in Boston to play “Anarchy in the UK”), hooked up with bassist Merle Allin (brother of shock-rocker G.G.), drummer Mike Collins, lead guitarist Sean McDonough, and songwriter/guitarist John Carmen, whose preferred stage name of Johnny Angel betrayed his love of classic ’60s pop. Weaving Spector-esque influences into primal Ramones-style punk, the Thrills were among the best bands on the fruitful Boston punk and new wave scene of the late ’70s. The Thrills only released one single during their lifetime, 1979’s “Hey! (Not Another Face in the Crowd)”/”I’ll Be the Heartbreaker,” both sides of which are included here. They’ve managed to conjure an entire album out of their legacy on this album, though, by adding six songs recorded on a Boston radio station in October 1978, as well as live tracks from 1978 and 1981. What’s here is evidence of a good but not blinding punk-new wave band that certainly deserved to record at least one studio album. Barb “Wire” Kitson’s measured, resonant girl group-influenced lead vocals will generate inevitable (and reasonable) comparisons of the Thrills with Blondie. The Thrills were punkier (and usually faster) than Blondie, however, without songs quite as good or studded with hooks, though they were OK. “(I Don’t Want) No Sympathy,” the most girl group-poppish tune, is also the most mature, and sounds like something that might have caught on as a hit if enough people had heard it. Unfortunately, the sound on the 1978 live stuff isn’t so hot, though it’s pretty good on the two 1981 cuts.
Track list:
1. Hey (Not Another Face In The Crowd)
2. I’ll Be The Heartbreaker
3. Don’t Come Back
4. The Last To Know
5. Rave Up Tonight
6. Who Knows?
7. Drano Enema (The Fun Song)
8. David Berkowitz Blues (44 Caliber Killer With The Talkin’ Dog)
9. When Ya Gonna Quit?
10. Summer Street Massacre
11. The Lonely Nun Song
12. Burn Down The City
13. Nothin’ But A Two Bit Whore
14. Someday (We’ll Rise Again)
15. (I Don’t Want) No Sympathy