Thrills

The Beach Boys, steel pedal guitars and surfing — not exactly things you’d associate with Ireland, but Dublin quintet the Thrills pack them all into their debut, So Much for the City. In fact they manage to mention three California towns in the first four songs. And while I doubt there’s a surfer anywhere named Pradraic McMahon, it’s all entirely apposite when coupled with the band’s lucent pop choruses and faux South-western drawled harmonies. Agonisingly catchy and intricate, "Don’t Steal Our Sun” and "One Horse Town” are tough to shake out of your head and prove expedient when blocking out the demoralising knowledge that a Canadian winter is just around the corner.