this is my third go round in the thermals collection. one might suspect after hearing their previous work that there probably weren't going to be many surprises here. For the most part I would agree with that. What exactly are these things? Hmm, lets see.
Fun pop punch power chord jams? check
Crazy fun hooks that grip the listener into singing along? check
Sarcastic wordplay that makes you want to move to Oregon and go geopolitical on someone's ass? check.
An unabashed desire to start a 3 chord punk band? check.
Honestly this album plays like a the b-sides to The Body The Blood The Machine. It reminds me of a new age version of "fixed" by NIN, the remix b-side complement to Broken.
The themes here play to hope and recovery. Pretty good ideals to get into during the spring in gloomy western new york. This album has immediately invigorated the season and it could be an entire week until i'm completely sick of this album. The messages here are uplifting, but i am finding them less resounding than the imagery and themes on TBTBTM.
A few things that need to be pointed out. There are at least 2 songs that sound almost identical to previous work. And the thermals sound really hasn't evolved one bit since The Body. I recently remarked that this was actually something that I was looking forward to on this album. But already I am disappointed that there isn't more substance here. Or at minimum a return to the fervor found on Fuckin A.
But the flip side is that it take a thermals fan all of about 2 songs or 4 minutes in thermals time to fall in love with this record. This album isn't going to shatter minds,pocket books, or preconceived notions about who the thermals are. But if you're in the mood for some spring fun and sing along time throw this album on and enjoy.
Here's hoping that my perceived lack of creativity transcends beyond this album and into Hutch Harris' brain. Perhaps playing the same empty songs over and over will drive him back to the studio to prove that his gift if nothing else should be exploited over and over and over again.
Fun pop punch power chord jams? check
Crazy fun hooks that grip the listener into singing along? check
Sarcastic wordplay that makes you want to move to Oregon and go geopolitical on someone's ass? check.
An unabashed desire to start a 3 chord punk band? check.
Honestly this album plays like a the b-sides to The Body The Blood The Machine. It reminds me of a new age version of "fixed" by NIN, the remix b-side complement to Broken.
The themes here play to hope and recovery. Pretty good ideals to get into during the spring in gloomy western new york. This album has immediately invigorated the season and it could be an entire week until i'm completely sick of this album. The messages here are uplifting, but i am finding them less resounding than the imagery and themes on TBTBTM.
A few things that need to be pointed out. There are at least 2 songs that sound almost identical to previous work. And the thermals sound really hasn't evolved one bit since The Body. I recently remarked that this was actually something that I was looking forward to on this album. But already I am disappointed that there isn't more substance here. Or at minimum a return to the fervor found on Fuckin A.
But the flip side is that it take a thermals fan all of about 2 songs or 4 minutes in thermals time to fall in love with this record. This album isn't going to shatter minds,pocket books, or preconceived notions about who the thermals are. But if you're in the mood for some spring fun and sing along time throw this album on and enjoy.
Here's hoping that my perceived lack of creativity transcends beyond this album and into Hutch Harris' brain. Perhaps playing the same empty songs over and over will drive him back to the studio to prove that his gift if nothing else should be exploited over and over and over again.
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