Be My Thrill is probably the best release from a band that, so far, has had no bad releases.
If you’ve been following closely, you’ll remember that The Weepies‘ appeared on the list at No. 71 with Sirens. As much as I love that one, I have to give Be My Thrill an even better rating.
Since I already covered my thoughts on The Weepies in my earlier post, I’ll focus on a few of the songs on Be My Thrill that really stand out.
The album’s first track “Please Speak Well of Me,” is open to interpretation. The first few times I listened I interpreted “when I’m gone” as a more permanent departure, but on a closer inspection it sounds like revisiting a failed relationship. In any event, it’s a tender little ballad that is incredibly catchy. Of course, you can apply “incredibly catchy” to many of their songs.
The title track, “Be My Thrill” has a pleasant upbeat chug to it – like a train gathering steam. The jangly guitars, McCartney-esque bass, and Deb Talen’s singing are all perfectly aligned.
[youtube https://youtu.be/-ICpS7Ahp9o]
“They’re In Love, Where Am I?” turns the phrase “in love” on itself. It’s a slow and quiet tune, almost a lullaby with strings and chimes, and Talen singing sweetly about the feeling of watching lovers when you’re feeling all alone. My only complaint with this one is that at not quite two and a half minutes, I wish it were much longer.
Steve Tannen takes his turns at the mic as well, like “Add My Effort.” This is one of those songs that feels more profound than the lyrics might support if you just read them. But when I listen to it, the impression I get is of a couple that’s been around the block a few times and they’ve settled into the harder part. This is where it gets real, and romance is about the commitment and that’s okay. Maybe even better.
“I Was Made for Sunny Days” would make this album worth the price of admission if it were the only good song on the album. It’s not, of course, but this an irresistible song. It’s one of those songs with such an infectious melody that you feel like you’ve heard it before the first time you hear it, and that just grows with each listen. It’s irrefutable proof that The Weepies are masters of the perfect pop song.
It’s unusual for more than a week to go by without my pulling this album out, usually while I’m working or reading. It’s such a pleasing album, it makes me smile every time I put it on. I think you will too.