EP Review: American Thrills – American Thrills

Hailing from Milford, Connecticut, American Thrills is a formed-during-the-COVID-pandemic outfit made up of members of The Tired and True and Shut Up and Deal. Engineered by Nick Bellmore (Make Do and Mend / Hatebreed) and Mixed/Mastered by John Naclerio (Brand New /Bayside), this debut EP drops courtesy of Oregon-based independent New School Records. Already released singles ‘Regular Blokes’ and ‘Beach Cruiser’ have showcased the band’s ‘upbeat punk..and a sprinkle of midwest emo‘ angle.

The opening chords of ‘Somewhere In America’ translate into a honest, blue-collar vibe immediately. It’s well-thought-out and grown-up. There’s still a youthful, punkish snarl in the vocals, but it comes a wistful place – where rumination and regret collide. It comes together in a bedroom-window bursting sing-along that explodes like the lyrical fireworks within. ‘Beach Cruiser’ spirals in, then breaks into a driving, nostalgic outing – honest, personal and kicking up soulful grit.“You would show me how to look at all the pretty girls..” being a wry example of that line that fathers straddled between parent and best friend. It’s followed by the thumping ‘Regular Blokes’, which paints a picture of small-town escapism: “We were the punks your mother warned you about, and the boys that your girlfriend was checking out..” and then almost lamenting: “now we’re just regular blokes around town..”, continuing the days-gone-by themes that lie like veins throughout the tracks. The EP closes out with ‘Loyalties’ another muscular exercise. Its chorus is all full and buzzing with bitterness and conclusion – “I know where your loyalties lie..” – anywhere but here, it seems. This is music for the heart and the head.

Like sincere reminiscences coated in an authentically anthemic rock shell? ‘American Thrills’ is available through New School Records, who now focus on streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify. The band have an official website, as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to follow, and also some merch for sale over on Bandcamp.