Any parallels between The Thorns and classic close-harmony country-rock bands you care to name are merited, and that's a good thing. Think Crosby, Stills & Nash, or the Eagles as an early 70's Los Angeles club act, with the Beach Boys' vocalists guesting. That Matthew ("Girlfriend") Sweet, Pete Droge, and Shawn ("Lullaby") Mullins ambled out of their respective careers into this is astonishing; it's the best thing any of them have done, and that's no putdown. The vocal blend among these three traditionally solo vocalists is pure magic, and the songs are top-notch acoustic pop for summertime.
"No Blue Sky" soars heavenward, sweeping upon its lush string accompaniment. Imagine CSN giving their best shot interpreting Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain," and you'll find "Dragonfly." Droge's rocker "I Set the World on Fire" fuses Traveling Wilburys jangle with Pete Townshend power chords. The band turns in a stirring cover of The Jayhawks' "Blue." Here's hoping this crafty time-warp isn't a one-off.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Dave SimsPlease don't call them a "supergroup." While it's true that all the members of The Thorns - Pete Droge, Matthew Sweet and Shawn Mullins - are solo artists in their own right, each enjoying moderate success throughout the nineties, none of them have exactly cut wide swaths of neon across the pop culture sky. At this point in their careers The Thorns have more in common with Crosby, Stills and Nash…The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Brian A. SmithAware Records is rapidly becoming one of my favorite large label subsidiaries. A division of Columbia Records, its emphasis seems to be on the talent of the performer, rather than being driven by numbers. And if one of its artists (see: John Mayer) happens to hit it big, then more power to them. The Thorns are comprised of Pete Droge, Matthew Sweet, and Shawn Mullins, all of whom have enjoyed…Similar sounding releases
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