by Brian J. Barr
If at first you didn't believe the story behind the Thermals, you're forgiven, because it's pretty unbelievable. Here's what we've been told thus far: After only, like, six shows, this modest Portland trio with a hard-on for the Buzzcocks had the industry mill all abuzz. They were signed to Sub Pop after those six shows, released their 2003 debut, More Parts Per Million, to mass critical acclaim, and toured the U.S. and Europe. The best part is that the much-lauded debut was nothing more than a collection of slightly tweaked four-track recordings.
Believe it if you want. Either way, the Thermals are back for another 28-minute round, except this time they've kicked it up a notch by actually going into the studio. So if MPPM was a PBR can slammed against rain-slick pavement, their follow-up, Fuckin A, is a crack rock shoved into your ear. It's bigger, louder, more melodic, and more wired.
The opening track, "Our Trip," is a Jawbreaker-influenced shit-shocker for a generation jaded. "We're self-mending/we're self-cleansing/we won't flinch/we don't give a shit!" sneers frontman Hutch Harris, capturing the recorded equivalent to his spastic, bug-eyed stage presence. Each track follows at pretty much the same pace with minor variation as it snaps from Buzzcocks speed to Wire bop-ability to Title TK Breeders sludge-punk. Bassist Kathy Foster assumes a Kelley Deal poppy hammering and Jordan Hudson has gone all thoroughbred on us, driving home these whippet-quick slams of discontentment and frustration. Harris' lyrics, as in-your-face as they are, go every which way, leaving you to draw the conclusion that there's so much worth being pissed at these days it's easy to lose track of it all.
Fuckin A was overseen by Death Cab knobbie Chris Walla at Avast! studios, and aside from that, not much has changed since MPPM. The Thermals are still pissed off, their hearts are still torn, and they've not softened in the least. If anything, they've pricked their ears to the more recent punk and grunge icons to create an album encompassing attitudes of the past with a nod to the future. Fuckin A Is Right The Thermals' Second Round
