Reviews

Thrice has always been one of those bands that I expect to love, and see no reason not to love, but never get that excited by.  Other notable bands in this category include: The Casket Lottery, The Swingin’ Utters, and Zao. This new Thrice release got me amped -  a full length way pro two hour documentary offered insight on what makes the band run, and the CD of B-sides and covers made me curious enough to listen to their first albums again.  Still didn’t like them.  The fact that I knew I didn’t like them and yet was motivated enough by this terrifically packaged double format set to give them another whirl is testament to the sweetness of If We Could Only See Us Now.
 
The DVD and the CD are each packaged in their own mini digi-pack within the larger slipcase, giving the impression of opening russian Matryoshka dolls, with little gifts hidden inside the larger present.  The CD is largely different versions of previously released songs, albeit done differently.  Stare At The Sun is done acoustic, and Thrice takes the bizarre and greatly inventive step of remixing a bootleg version So Strange I Remember You for great results.  The three ‘new’ tracks are The Artist In The Ambulance tracks that didn’t make the cut, and a B-side from The Illusion of Safety, all of which mostly stick to the tried and true metal noodling meets punk rock beats that Thrice is known for.  The album is rounded out with a cover of the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby that actually rocks pretty hard, and a cover of the 80’s tune Send Me An Angel which made all my friends burst into song, although I had never heard it before.
 
The DVD is put together so amazingly well that it really could have been offered alone and still have received the same score.  eatdrink, the company which put together the two hour documentary charting Thrice’s rise from So-Cal anonymity to world wide punk rock stardom and major label success.  Told mostly through interview, band camcorder footage, and non sequitur laced video collages, Thrice’s story is examined in minute detail with extraordinary attention paid to the recording processes that spawned their most recent two albums.  The content gets a bit dry in the middle, as recording/touring tedium is documented in favor of live performances.  That’s not to say there is a lack of live Thrice on the DVD.  All their music videos are here as well as a bunch of full songs from various sets.
 
So if you like Thrice you’ll love this. No question. If you don’t like them, like me, you probably should, and this is a release chock full of reasons why.