Thistle ride the melodic “swish” of ringing cymbals and fuzzy guitars, not so much overpowering you but slowly ebbing away at the senses with patience.
This ain’t the Nada Surf you remember from high school. The classic pop – slightly tilted toward indie Lemonheads-isms – is all PacNW understated elegance.
The second album is their most straight-ahead rock album, and also the weakest. The album feels like the solo work of separate artists rather than a band.
The band’s first album showcases the band’s punk roots most obviously. Despite the subject matter and the acoustic guitars, there’s no mistaking the punk roots.