Teenager

As the title of their third studio effort plainly indicates, the Thrills have grown up significantly. Their music still recalls a uniquely American stable of songwriters -- Buffalo Springfield, the Beach Boys, Jackson Browne -- but it's no accident that the influence of Manchester idols the Smiths has emerged more strongly than before. The album was recorded in a converted morgue in one of Vancouver's most deprived neighborhoods -- at the suggestion of R.E.M. -- and the image of youthful idealism meeting cold reality is too perfect to ignore. It's a good thing too; adversity has brought out the best in The Thrills, and Teenager>/i> can stand as the group's crowning glory to date. -All Music Guide