Thrills & The Chase

Let it not be said that rock & roll is dead. The current generation of youth may have transferred much of their rebellious energy to be channeled through electronic dance music instead, but by no means does that warrant the abandonment of such an integral part of modern culture. After all, rock & roll was the first genre that rocketed the electric guitar into the mainstream world. It was the genre that gave us our first taste of the true power of modern musical instrument technology. The second half of the 20th century in popular music was without a doubt a golden age in music history. That being said, there has been an unfortunate decline in the amount of classic rock music that continues to be produced today. It’s understandable – the music industry is in a constant state of transition – but the truth will always remain: there is simply no substitute for some good ol’ rock & roll.


It’s in times like these, however, that the true believers in the genre shine through. Today, I have the pleasure of presenting to you Thrills & The Chase, a four-piece band from São Paulo, Brazil. Back in March of 2012, they released their debut EP, entitled Introducing Thrills (And The Chase). Having gained a following in their home nation, they have begun expanding their musical mission across the globe. Now, as a self-appointed representative of the aforementioned globe, I would like to personally thank Thrills & The Chase for doing so. To put it bluntly, this is music that deserves to be heard. This is rock & roll at its finest; music that is unique and draws inspiration from many different influences, yet somehow still presents itself with an air of nostalgia and familiarity.


On the group’s website, they are self-defined as “rock & roll without borders, putting a modern spin on melodies inspired by ’70s glam, folk, blues and jazz.” I don’t know about you, but when I read that, I envision a sound that could appeal to just about any self-respecting child of decades past. Bold words, but the band follows through with their intrepid claim. The best music is surely that which captures the vision of an artist and ignites the passion of its audience. With that being true, I give this troupe of South American rockers the gold star of achievement. Everything about their music invokes a sense of authenticity relative to established rock traditions. It has the power to rekindle the fire within any rock fanatic’s heart (as was certainly the case for me). Not only that, it also expands upon these traditions with a multifaceted cultural influence.

In “Does the World Owe You Anything” we hear the influence of classic bands like The Beatles, whereas with “Damsel In Distress” we get the slightly harder influence of the Rolling Stones. There is a strong presence of an emergent indie rock style on “Vogue Rogue,” while “Sister Thriller” brings out rock’s most influential predecessor: the blues. This EP brings together all of these styles into a single, musically mature vision of greatness. Thrills & The Chase have done an incredible job of representing their identity, both musically and culturally, in this artistic package.

With Introducing Thrills (And The Chase), you are offered the chance to experience a wild ride of rock & roll as it should be presented. You, as the listener, have this opportunity to connect with the strongly resonant zeal of a small band from Brazil that packs a huge punch. The EP is available for free download from their website here, so I would urge you to do yourself a favor and check it out. In doing so, you are rewarding yourself with a journey back in time to the days of leather jackets, motorbikes, and jukeboxes. Not only that, you’re supporting a band that is pushing to make their voices heard in the world. Just don’t get cocky and start breaking any windows or rioting in the streets – this isn’t Woodstock anymore.

Written by Steven Gizzi - Audio Intimacy