Review: The Thermals - Personal Life (* * * 1/2)

The Thermals have always been more interesting than the majority of their pop-punk peers, mostly because they have so much to say about so many topics. Where their previous effort, 2009'sNow We Can See, focused on the purpose of life through the lens of death, and the two before that—2006's The Body, The Blood, The Machine and 2004's F****n A—were scathing rebukes of conservative American politics, the band’s latest turns inward, as its title might suggest, and takes a look at the complexity of relationships. “I’m gonna change your life/I’m gonna steal your soul” insists Hutch Harris on the first line of opener “I’m Gonna Change Your Life,” and somehow that kinda sums up the nature of the 32 minutes that comprise the remainder of the band’s fifth album. Looking introspectively through his cracked yet ultimately hopeful perspective, Harris proves that though his typically fiery indignation seems somewhat abated (or set aside, at least), his passion and lyricism remain a compelling combination. Less focused and less consistent perhaps than the band’s previous two albums,Personal Life may disappoint fans of Harris’s bigger statements, but the record has too many great moments to be ignored. (Continue at In Review Online. . .)

Best of 2009: 30 - 21

Numbers 30-31 of my favorite/the best albums of the year - enjoy!

(Previous) (Next)

30: Deastro - Moondagger

Randolph Chabot, the man behind Deastro, is a sci-fi nerd with a love of synthetic-meets-organic electropop music. His debut, Moondagger, is such an excellent album because he takes all his quirks and uses them to create tunes that are unique, heartfelt, and very, very cool. (More from me)

MySpace


29: Andrew Bird - Noble Beast

Andrew Bird didn't make his best album with Noble Beast, but it may be his most adventurous effort and ultimately, it's a very rewarding experience. It's a sprawling record that has goes in many different directions, and the results are - more often than not - wonderful. (More from me)

MySpace


28: Tiny Vipers - Life on Earth

Songwriter Jesy Fortino's moniker, Tiny Vipers, may seem like a strange title at first glance, yet her meandering, delicate songs somehow fit such a name. Life on Earth is an emotionally powerful folk album that will certainly be a little sparse for some tastes, but for me it's truly captivating. (More from me)

Dreamer (MP3)

MySpace


27: Rock Central Plaza - ...At the Moment of Our Most Needing

Rock Central Plaza frontman Chris Eaton is really more of a storyteller than he is a a vocalist, but his roughly sung lyrics find a place in the often ornate yet gritty arrangements of his bandmates, and the result on their latest record is superb. An excellent and unfortunately overlooked folk album. (More from me)

(Don't You Believe the Words of) Handsome Men (MP3)

MySpace


26: The Thermals - Now We Can See

The fourth Thermals record is perhaps their most melodic and "pop" effort, but despite a little more introspection and less political commentary, they still know how to make a fantastic punk album. Now We Can See is my favorite from the Portland natives. (More from me)

MySpace


25: Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid

Dan Auerbach made a great album with Patrick Carney as The Black Keys in 2008, then turned around and made another amazing rock record under his own name this year. Of course it kinda sounds like a Black Keys album some of the time, but the breadth of styles here makes this Auerbach's own. (More from me)

MySpace


24: Rubik - Dada Bandits

Finnish indie-rockers Rubik were one of this year's best surprises for me. Their sophomore effort, Dada Bandits, is an experimentally-minded pop album that came - seemingly - out of nowhere, thrilling me upon first listen and just getting better the more time I spent with it. (More from me)

Wasteland (MP3)

MySpace


23: Atlas Sound - Logos

Logos is a great deal more expansive and compelling than its predecessor and just fantastic overall record, making Bradford Cox's Atlas Sound project the most interesting thing he's yet done (an opinion I know not everyone shares). Also, "Walkabout," with Noah Lennox, is one of this year's best tracks. (More from me)

Deerhunter/Atlas Sound homepage


22: Megafaun - Gather, Form and Fly

Megafaun - the group who used to record with Justin Vernon under the title DeYarmond Edison - have let everyone know that they're doing just fine without their former frontman, thank you very much. Gather, Form and Fly is a striking folk record with an intriguingly experimental edge that deserves every ounce of praise it has received. (More from me)

Kaufman's Ballad (MP3)

MySpace


21: Memory Tapes - Seek Magic

Dayve Hawk's Memory Tapes project finally saw a debut album, Seek Magic, released this year, and what a first effort it is - a beautifully crafted electronica album full of twists, turns, and just generally spectacular music. Not only one of the year's best debuts, but one of the year's more notable albums. (More from me)

Band Blog (with free tunes)

MySpace

(Previous) (Next)

Review: The Thermals - Now We Can See (* * * *)

Fighting the powers that be isn’t exactly a new idea, but rock trio The Thermals have made a solid musical career out of it. Of course, it took much more than anger to bring upon the wash of critical acclaim that accompanied such releases as 2006’s The Body, The Blood, The Machine. The Portland rockers have become known for their rough, garage-rock sound, clever lyrics and catchy melodies-- all of which they've used in the past to express their dissatisfaction with Bush-era politics, religion and certain aspects of American ideology. With perhaps a little less to rant against, the band return with a new collection of 11 expressive, punk-inspired tunes dealing with the excitement of youth and the eventuality of death. Their (slightly) more hopeful outlook and less politically-charged approach are certainly welcome and produce some solid results on the group’s appropriately titled fourth disc, Now We Can See.

The first four tracks on the album contain what we’ve come to expect from The Thermals: brief blasts of pop-oriented punk rock that immediately grab hold of the listener, though the production is a little smoother and the feeling a little less sinister this time around. Opener “When I Died” is probably the strongest of the bunch, with talk-sing verse and a killer guitar hook that kicks things off spectacularly, though the title track is also undeniably great, including an unconventional, wordless chorus that shakes things up a bit. Fortunately, the band follow a consistent, albeit fairly predictable start with gentler ballad “At the Bottom of the Sea,” which continues frontman Hutch Harris’ trend of writing incredibly compelling lyrics that have always elevated his music above the typical low-fi indie rocker, this time in a more reflective and quite moment.

The second half of the record is similarly even, providing several more standouts. “I Called Out Your Name” is an earnest and fun pop-rock tune that’s impossible to resist, while closer “You Dissolve” ends things with one of the album’s strongest cuts, and an ode to the continuation of life through death, or, as Harris puts it, “just another way you exist, it’s just another way you survive.” A couple tunes add less to the overall appeal of the album, but there really aren’t any missteps here, and Now We Can See feels not only consistent, but also cohesive in its sound. As a result, there might not be a great deal of variation, but the songs actually become quite distinct and memorable after only a couple listens.

Making my way through the record, it quickly becomes clear that The Thermals are maturing, but rather than slowing down and mellowing out, they’ve found a way to evolve, making music that continues to be fresh and relevant. Featuring excellent lyrics, a tremendous sense of melody, and direct, no-frills rock ‘n’ roll, Now We Can See is another solid addition to the group’s catalog. It’s remarkable that a band still relying on a very straightforward and simple musical palette can avoid becoming tired or worn out, but The Thermals are anything but past it. Quite the opposite, in fact; the band feel just as energetic and determined as they ever were, they’ve just become a little older and wiser-- and they’re better for it.

Last Word: The Thermals return with a consistent and enjoyable rock album that retains the energy and attitude of their past releases while showing some maturity as well.