Loud Farm

   The Thermals want to give you a Charlton Heston-sized sermon. But not The Ten Commandments Charlton Heston. No, the Thermals are bringing NRA President Heston. The Thermals are a classic power trio hailing from Portland that is equal parts power pop quirk and punk rage. One part Repeater-era Fugazi and one part Dream Police-style Cheap Trick, The Thermals want to punch you in the nose. Or maybe they just want to give you a playful slug on the shoulder. Hard to tell with these guys.
   Once, on an Elliot Smith cover record, Kathy (the bass player) took the vocals and sang about "the helpless little thing with the dirty mouth, who's always got something to say." After looking through their catalog's progression from the head-on Sub Pop debut, Fuckin' A, to 2006's biblical, The Body, The Blood, The Machine, and this year's reflective, Now We Can See, Smith's lyrics seem to describe them spot-on.
   Whether you come for the slamdancing and stay for the lyrics, or come for the politics and stay for the party. It's your call, but The Thermals will be there - bringing it all - regardless.

Preview by: Andrew Dalton