---
product_id: 152531562
title: "The Optimist"
brand: "turin brakes"
price: "NZ$34"
currency: NZD
in_stock: false
reviews_count: 5
category: "Music"
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/152531562-the-optimist
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# The Optimist

**Brand:** turin brakes
**Price:** NZ$34
**Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Optimist by turin brakes
- **How much does it cost?** NZ$34 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Currently out of stock
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/152531562-the-optimist)

## Best For

- turin brakes enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted turin brakes brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

The Optimist

## Images

![The Optimist - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JNG4%2BLstL.jpg)
![The Optimist - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/512LEnSQiNL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐ Make that 3 1/2 Stars... an intruiging debut
            
*by P***R on May 9, 2001*

Turin Brakes is flagged as the next thing in the British invasion on the heels of Travis, Coldplay and the like. Turin Brakes is the duo of Olly Knights (vocals/gtrs) and Gale Paridjanian (gtrs), sprouting accoustic gtr-based songs telling tales on the walk of life."The Optimist LP" is an encouraging debut, with ups and downs. The sound is primarily an intimate one, with just accoustic guitars for the most part, and Olly's quivering vocals, occasionally embellished with drums and bass. The songs evolve around themes of not knowing where to belong ("Feeling Oblivion", the lead off track on the CD... with a great mandolin supplementing the accoustic gtrs; also "Starship" with lyrics like "Given the chance I would leave this place on a rocketship to Mars"), job stress ("Underdog (Save Me) which is also the 2nd single, making dents in the UK charts), and lost love ("State of Things", the 3rd single of the album).On a couple of occasions, the songs reminded me of things heard before. Best example is "The Door", the 1st single of the album, with its blatant use of the riff found in the 1965 song of Dave Berry's "Strange Effect" (anyone remember that one?), but also in "Future Boy" (reminding me of George Michael's "Praying for Time") and "Emergency 72 (reminding me of America's "Horse with No Name").The CD is best summed up in its last song, the title track: "The Optimist" track is very much like many tracks: musically it has accoustic gtrs starting, then joined eventually by some drums and bass, and lyrically it talks about "I'm Planning The Greatest of Escapes... Soon I'm Gonna Stand Up... yeah, I'm Gonna Rear Up and There's No Escape"Electric gtrs show up for the first time in "Slack" (track 8), one of the better tunes, as well as in the "hidden" bonus track, which pops up some 2 min. after "The Optimist" ends, an instrumental which is really intruiging.Overall, this is an interesting debut. No Coldplay-like quality in my opinion, but I'm sure looking forward to future releases of Turin Brakes.
  

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful lyricists
            
*by K***5 on September 3, 2003*

The Optimist is one of those cds that has the power to get under your skin, change your heart and wake you up to things going on in your life.  I can't really put into words how wonderful this album is, but I promise after listening to their powerful harmonies, mind-blowing guitar and amazing lyrics, you'll tell everyone you know about these guys.
  

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Band!!
            
*by P***N on July 4, 2013*

Might Just Be A Very Underrated Band?!!! This time I purchased the CD because I heard one song that I liked!?? I "Was Happily Reworded".Check em out.👍
  

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*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-04-23*