The Thermals - Hey Now

 

 

 

1. Who are these legends?

The Thermals are a three piece indie rock band with a liberal injection of punk from Portland, Oregon. They have been putting calluses on their fingers since 2002. Hey Now (Jan’16) is the first single from their seventh album We Disappear (March’16).

 
2. What kind of tune is Hey Now?

Hey Now is a garage punk anthem. It rips shit up and ain't taking names nor prisoners. Hey Now is a bloody belter.

3.   Who do The Thermals sound like?

Hey You is song that wouldn't be embarrassed to be caught in bed with Titus Andronicus' Dimed Out, The Orwells' Let It Burn or GHOSTS Love/Hate. Old school is in the house, think The Ramones, Nirvana or, further leftfield, Sham 69.  More generally they roll something like Against Me!, The Dismemberment Plan at times, even Spoon or Sleater-Kinney.

4. Who are The Thermal's influences?

The lead singer/guitar player, Hutch Harris, has cited Green Day as a direct influence while saying they are big Metallica fans. Hutch also said recently if they were to cover an album in it's entirety he'd plump for Weezer's Pinkerton or The Strokes' Is This It? Honorable mentions were for Speedy Ortiz, The Breeders and Sleater-Kinney. Kathy Foster the bass player has big-upped The Wipers, The Ramones and Hot Snakes.

 

 



5. What’s the good word from the press about Hey Now?

“Short and punchy,” said Under The Radar doing their best to emulate the song. Consequence of Sound thought,“There’s a shamble to the track that leans playfully to pop, but The Thermals haven’t abandoned their thunderous indie styles by any means.” About the new album We Disappear Vulture Hound hoorayed that The Thermals have “delivered one of their most spirited, anthemic, and rousing releases to date.”

6. Why should I listen to Hey Now?

Hey Now is riotious rock'n'roll tune with searing guitar and lyrics that celebrates the fact that we must shuffle off this mortal coil! Fear nothing and rock on!

7.   What other good tunes do The Thermals have?

Well compadre Returning To The Fold slows things down a tad to groove and is top notch. Now We Can See has an indie slash Pixies feel and a so addictive it should come with a surgeon generals warning chorus. A Pillar Of Salt thrashes away and won't let you down.

 
8.   Anything else I should know?

Chris Walla the former guitarist for Death Cab For Cutie produced the album and he worked with them before on at least three of their long players. So continuity there aye?

Hutch Harris has said of the new album, “Technology, love and death are the three obsessions of the record. Our privacy used to be so important to us and now everything has changed.”

“The only sound I can hear

Is deep in the ground and calling me near”

 

 

Next up is Florida punk rock band Against Me! Don’t Lose Touch (2006) is their finest and dick or no dick one of the finest punk songs I have ever heard.