“I’m addicted to hooks and candy-pop songs,” says [Vendetta Red] drummer Burke Thomas. “It’s pretty much all I do when I’m not touring with Vendetta. It really consumes me when I’m home.”
A man of modest vices, Thomas is talking about Pris (prispop.com), the prolific pop solo project he runs out of his basement studio in Seattle. After filling out a live lineup with friends, Thomas remastered several of his early recordings and fashioned 24 of them into a greatest-hits package of sorts. Title The Kiss Off, the collection comes via Loveless Records, the one-time home of Vendetta Red. “It’s basically a compilation of five demo CDs,” Thomas explains. “I’ll go down to my basement and record drums and guitars. I’m a slow writer, so I always add the vocals last — I’ve got a mic right next to the computer. After about a week, a song’s done. I’t pretty all-inclusive.”
- TS, Alternative Press
NEWS & REVIEWS
Any rock album with 24 tracks on it is likely to have its fair share of filler, and The Kiss Off, the latest release from Pris, is no exception. But the low points are few and far between as the band has pulled together something of a mini best-of collection that highlights the last couple years in the life of this surprisingly potent Seattle act.
- Jeff Cambron, Sonic Slang
This release from Seattleites Pris claims to be a collection of demos written and recorded by frontman/guitarist Burke Thomas in his various basements over the span of five years. The collection — if indeed it really is of demos — is superb. Most diehard fans of this high-energy pop rock band no doubt will know most of the material already, from previously released material and live gigs. But to have them all on one CD — remastered, even — is a must for enjoyable, extended play.
- Stella, Three Imaginary Girls
I love getting new CDs in the mail, honestly, and I really do try and listen to everything sent my way, but no matter how hard I try to keep up, something always slips through the cracks.
And so I apologize to Pris, because although the band has been around for many years, I neglected to recognize Burke Thomas’ talents (Thomas does all the songwriting and recording in the project and then recruits friends to play the live shows). In fact, with something like five releases (including two full-lengths), it wasn’t until Pris’ latest record, The Kiss Off, that I finally got it.
Released in early July, The Kiss Off is 24 tracks of amazingly saturated and catchy pop songs that Thomas has recorded over the years. It’s a collection of old and new songs as well as demos, so for longtime fans the material might be familiar, but for me--a dork who never paid attention--it’s brand new.
Whether Pris are dabbling in more angst-ridden and turbulent rock (“The After Piss”) or creating a pure pop song (“Doobie Down Down”), Thomas’ talents are undeniable. The tracks are stacked with well-composed layers of guitars, keyboards, drums, and vocal melodies. And while overall the album sticks closely to its pop roots, Thomas certainly doesn’t shy away from experimenting within that field with some quirkier sounds.
- Megan Seling, The Stranger
Pris exhibits the standard pop-punk influences: a touch of rawk, a dab of new wave, and a heavy spoonful of sugar-pop melody and harmony (plus a few of the obscure and absurd: I swear I could even hear a favorite childhood toy, Speak & Spell, in there). The slick production only enhances the ditties. “The Kiss Off” is full of sheen, but not so glossy that it should be filed under “Generic Pop Rock Band of the Moment.” Lovers of Weezer will particularly enjoy the harmonies, heavy guitars, and smart layering of lyrics.
- Stella, Three Imaginary Girls
Holy SHITE, Pris rocked and those boys have super-gorgeous arms. They closed out the night, and shame on all your folks who left early because you had your day jobs to attend to on Monday morning, because these guys kicked serious ass and they played to a nearly empty room. And that is just sick and wrong. Rubbish!
- Three Imaginary Girls
Drummers. Elke band weet hoe moeilijk het is om drummers zich in te laten houden. Zelden laten ze zich beteugelen door de liedjesschrijver en denken overal schijt aan te kunnen hebben. Onder het mom van, ‘laat mij ook wat doen’, toveren ze op de meest onverwachte momenten een misplaatste fill tevoorschijn. Meedenken met het nummer, waar het toch om draait, is er niet vaak bij. Waarom denk je anders dat drummers de meest gewisselde personen in een band zijn? Laat ze lekker een eigen bandje beginnen als ze denken dat mensen op hun impostante slagenarsenaal zitten te wachten.
- Alexis Vos, Kinda Muzik
