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Granted, I was a total spazz back then and my music tastes weren't quite as refined as I would have liked them to be. Upon watching The Thermals tear away at their set, however, I immediately regretted my crude tastes some six years ago. The band's set last night was a workmanlike tribute of a band that has crafted an endearingly simple, punk-driven sound amongst their five albums.
The rather impressive Wednesday night Rhythm Room crowd was eager to witness the indie rock/throwback punk vibes of The Thermals and -- after a slight, five-minute tease after the soundcheck was complete -- Hutch Harris, Kathy Foster and Westin Glass took to the stage, instantly ripping into "I Don't Believe You." The lead single from the band's latest album Personal Life might have spelled out a set heavy with newer material, but a band like The Thermals -- with their extensive catalogue -- benefits from mixing plenty of the old with some of the more appealing new. "I Don't Believe You" and "Never Listen To Me" became quick friends with some older material like "How We Know" and "No Culture Icons." It makes perfect sense -- "I Don't Believe You" and "Never Listen To Me" are from 2010's Personal Life, while "How We Know" is from the aforementioned Fuckin A. While they are six years apart, both albums were produced by Chris Walla -- of Death Cab for Cutie -- and both sound like they could have been recorded months apart. Such is the subtle charm of a band like The Thermals.
Enjoy the delightful video for "I Don't Believe You" starring Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney fame:
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