I can’t say I’m usually a fan of ‘best ofs’ or odds and sods albums put together, usually, to complete a contract with a record label. I’m not sure of the reasoning behind the release of ‘Kill The House Lights‘, but it’s a CD/DVD collection of new songs, demos and live material. It’s basically a Thursday fan’s wet dream, a collection of new material and versions never heard before, plus some great live footage on the DVD. So in that sense, if you like what you hear, don’t bother reading on – just get this record.
Still reading? Well ‘Kill The House Lights‘ is possibly Thursday‘s worst release yet. It’s not that it’s a bad album, it just lacks any kind of cohesion. The band are famed for their early material, when tracks merged seamlessly into one another and the noise never really stopped. This record doesn’t do that. It doesn’t so much stop/start as never really gather any kind of momentum, so it’s strange for a Thursday release that you don’t really need to listen to it all in one take to get the full effect. There are five new songs here, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’ features Tim Kasher of Cursive and is probably the best of the new tracks, while ‘Dead Songs’ also stands out.
However, the songs are b-sides for a reason and when the live tracks kick in, such as ‘Signals Over The Air’, there’s a distinct change in the quality of the tracks. ‘Paris In Flames‘ live is another killer song, putting some of the newer material to shame. That’s not to say this is a bad album because it’s not. But it’s more a record for completists than a new way to start your Thursday collection. A must for fans, not quite so vital for those looking to kick off a collection.