The Thermals!

So this post is quite long overdue (feel free to nod in agreement). While in Texas we saw some new bands, but also some bands we'd seen before (or at least some of us). I've seen The Thermals twice in Cleveland and both time they put on a pretty good show. One was definitely more memorable than the other but that had more to do with the hardcore fans that came with silly string and sprayed the band down. Texas was the same as the two times: A band that clearly not only loves to write songs, but loves to share them also. I'm pretty sure Hutch Harris and Kathy Foster had smiles on their faces most of the show.

Which is kind of weird, because as poppy fun punk indie rock as the music is, the lyrics are kind of depressing. All doom and gloom, talking about mortality, and death, and the loss of loved ones. It's like they get us all excited about this nicely packaged song only to bring us down to see if we're really listening. But, honestly, it's really not that depressing. The Thermals could be a ska band, such is their skill at packaging sugar sweet melodies with not the most sugary of sentiments. But I digress. The last album, 'The Body, The Blood, The Machine' saw a maturing of The Thermals four to the floor pop punk sound. It became a little bit more polished, but in a good way. The new album 'Now We Can See' doesn't change up the formula a whole lot, but it doesn't really need to. If you like the Thermals past efforts, then you'll like this one. And if you've never been introduced to the Thermals, well, this is as good as an introduction as ever.



Try it!

Summer sweets, Sunny songs.

So I wasn't lying when I said I was going to keep posting.

As far as music posts are concerned, the link will be in the picture. The argument for and against music piracy is long and (can be) involved. I suppose my general theory on the whole matter is that all of this music is available all ready on the internet, in one form or another. Those who are going to buy music will, and those that wish only to download will also. I, for one, download an inordinate amount of music, but then again, I buy an inordinate amount of music. Not that this justifies the downloading of albums, but I generally buy what I've heard before (on vinyl, most times), and I've discovered more than one good band by finding their whole album on the internet. If everyone decries the death of coherent long players (LPs) then it seems as though music blogs offering one or two tracks from said album are only aiding and abetting this process. But then again, it's not my right to give away someone else's intellectual property (but I suppose that's not stopping me either.. the tool's have been easier to obtain than ever). I suppose my point is, if you like it, buy it. And if you don't like it, delete it. And if I shouldn't be hosting the link, I'll take it down (let me know). But this is really my way of spreading my musical taste on to my friends (which means no one will be downloading these, since my friends think I have horrid music taste). All right, more discussion later, on to the music. [edit - after re reading this I realize it rambles and doesn't make much sense.]

This has been on my turntable almost everyday this summer. It just never seems to get old. I'm a sucker for female fronted vocal bands, ala Discount. But these guys do a really good job of combining the male and female vocal parts. Not in sugary sweet harmonies, but rather in waves of alternating male and female vocals that manage to be different enough to offer two distinct voices, but certainly not enough to be jarring to the ear. The vocal flipping works within a song, verse to verse, but it also works song to song, as the songs on this album are all short and flow together seamlessly. This is usually points against an album, but I think it works for this band and this album. Also, the lyrics on the album are written by all three members, but again, they are similar enough to form a cohesive package. There are songs about girls and drinking, like any good pop punk record but also there are songs about death, loss, and not really appreciating those close to us until they're gone. So in a way, maybe the similar song structure is a ruse to hide some of the deeper themes of the lyrics. The surface provides enough sugar and glitter to hook you in, all the while drawing you down to some of the darker and definitely more mature depths.

So that's my stab at trying to be a rock critic. Either way, this is a really catchy record, and it's 12 songs fly by.


Buy it here: Asian Man Records - Lemuria - Get Better (2008)

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