Los Angeles is teeming with bands looking for their big break. How a band like Thisway managed to grab the brass ring is a true head-scratcher. The group's generic hodgepodge of modern rock sounds crammed into a clumsy pac... more »kage is stupefying. Cliched song titles like "Come Down," "Dry Out," and "Head First" deliver commercial jingle blandness in spades. Maybe, just maybe, there's a listener out there who would enjoy lyrics like, "I had a dream, now it's not what I wanna dream / Not what I wanted to dream / And I had a queen, now she won't be my queen / Not what I thought she would be." Others should avoid at all costs. --Jason Josephes« less
Los Angeles is teeming with bands looking for their big break. How a band like Thisway managed to grab the brass ring is a true head-scratcher. The group's generic hodgepodge of modern rock sounds crammed into a clumsy package is stupefying. Cliched song titles like "Come Down," "Dry Out," and "Head First" deliver commercial jingle blandness in spades. Maybe, just maybe, there's a listener out there who would enjoy lyrics like, "I had a dream, now it's not what I wanna dream / Not what I wanted to dream / And I had a queen, now she won't be my queen / Not what I thought she would be." Others should avoid at all costs. --Jason Josephes
"This disc is kinda like "Pablo Honey" by Radiohead.. it's going to put them on the map, but the rest of the album will get overlooked because one song is so gosh-darn better than the rest.Whereas "Pablo Honey" had the classic "Creep", Thisway's debut has the amazing "Crawl". It's such a beautiful song, and it makes one almost want to believe in angels.If you don't listen to the rest of the album, though, you're missing out. The songs vary from the Weezerish "Betty", the punk-pop "Tool", to the early Radiohead-styled "She Takes" and "Nice".I know I'm comparing them a lot to Radiohead, but I have a good reason for it. See, Brandon Wilde's vocals have a nice smattering of Thom Yorke in them. Put those two guys in a dark room and force them to sing, and it'll be hard to notice the difference. :) It's not a putdown in Thisway's direction, because they obviously have almost as many musical gifts to offer as Thom Yorke's band does.My one quibble is that this album wasn't long enough; it's a bit under 40 minutes, and that ruins a good experience for me. Other than that, it's a classic that you sould all have in your collection.Oh yeah, I've been pondering creating a Thisway fan page. If anyone (label, person just reading, etc.) has a bit more info on the band, I'd be much obliged to make a semi-official band page (since they already have an official/label one)."
Do anything to get this CD, even if you have to crawl!
smithern | 11/09/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first heard them on the WB11, my aunt and uncle gave me the CD. Hi N and J. The songs on it are really good. Everyone loves this CD and I think that they will have a very successful career."
A solid straight ahead rock album.
smithern | 06/01/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"THISWAY brings melody and lyracism together on their debut album. Songs like Nice and She Takes will be repeating in your head after one listen. Solid hooks and a smooth sound."
Pleasant sweet music.
smithern | 05/16/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My first thought was how much it sounds like the Beatles but with an up-to-date modern sound."
It's power pop, people!
Paul D. Schneider | Los Angeles, CA United States | 08/13/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"First, ignore the wrong-headed negative reviews of this album; this CD is classic power pop, a tasty blend of hooks, harmonies, chiming guitars, toe-tapping back beats, and deft lyrics about interpersonal (read: romantic) relationships. For comparison, think of bands such as the Raspberries, Fountains Of Wayne, Sugarbomb, Matthew Sweet, and others. Granted, power pop flies in the face of dreary mainstream rock bands who sound like they're about to commit suicide (I wish), but if you like songs that make you smile, sing along, and actually feel GOOD, power pop -- and particularly this CD -- are for you."