Album Review: The Thermals - Personal Life

In this era of music where many of today's grandparents were weened on The Ramones, The Damned and their late 70's brethren, the "punk" sound is no longer the echoing bullets from the revolution. Because of this history, we now have the "what was once unimaginable" hybrid called pop-punk. And let's be frank, most of that late 70's stuff would qualify as pop-punk today. If your band is pop-punk, it has two well traveled yet diverging roads to choose. You can take the lighthearted, innocuous road of snot-nosed good times that leads to oft repeated choruses and heavy play on commercials and CW shows. Lucrative, but only a shadow of what that stern monolith of what punk can represent. So, that leaves the less paved road of a deeper, more meaningful, even more "punk" pop-punk. The payoff is also huge, garnering the accolades of true punk fans, becoming a critical darling while ringing the cash register selling their tracks to car companies needing catchy, youth movement sloganeering.

Portland based trio The Thermals are seemingly at the cusp of this divide. Not on a major label, thus not subject to mainstream marketing, they have the confident sound and musical chops to make a big move for big cash. On their first three albums on on Sub Pop, they have honed their sound into a powerful force of speed demon thrills coupled with smart, distinctive vocals. Their high water mark hit in 2006 with The Body, The Blood, The Machine, an tellingly modern twist on biblical stories that centered lyrically on fear and religious obligation. It was such a success that their extended tour schedule didn't allow for their next album to be released for three years. A move to new label Kill Rock Stars and losing band members resulted in a less focused 2009 effort Now We Can See. Now with their fifth album Personal Life The Thermals possess a refined maturity with the new tracks while shedding more of their speedy punk signature from the early years. Punk rock doesn't always grow up gracefully, typically best implemented by the kids (I am looking at you, Green Day). The Thermals have a choice to make and the direction is yet to be seen on Personal Life.

Much of The Thermals' characteristics are apparent here. The power chords are still upfront, the bass and drums lay an assured path and the vocals are thoughtfully constructed, delivered and accompanied by the ooohs and whoas. So, what is different on Personal Life? In their earliest albums, The Thermals managed to capture pure, unrestrained energy in their music, whether is was religious topics on The Body, The Blood, The Machine or the unbridled speed on their 2004 LP Fuckin' A. In 2010, the songs are all well founded, yet carry the weight of maturity, for better or worse. Starting with the mid tempo grind of "I'm Gonna Change Your Life", The Thermals earnestly deliver their closest attempt at a confessional love song. This common thread continues on aptly titled tracks "Never Listen To Me", "Not Like Any Other Feeling", "Alone, A Fool" and the bookend finale "You Changed My Life". These songs deal with wholly adult issues, namely falling in love and the insecurity that is bares, but often does so with a deliberate restraint. This is a fledgling direction for The Thermals and it generally works. Yet, I cannot help feel that the passion is muffling on some tracks, making them less memorable and emotive.

There is some of that explosive energy to be found on Personal Life. Early release single "I Don't Believe You" and "Your Love Is So Strong" are the high tempo tracks and are where the band seems most in their element. Other impressive songs are "Only For You" and "A Reflection" where the intensity is palpable and comes through with that undeniable combination of crunching guitars and gritted teeth. When the pop and punk blend, it still is a force reckoning force. Personal Life carries a mature theme and is not too grown up to be an enjoyable record that never strays too far from the middle of the road. Without knowingly The Thermals long term goals for their music, hopefully that can translate to being the soundtrack for selling the latest hand-held device or moderately priced automobile. If not, there are some retired godfathers of punk that might want to cash in.

Purchase The Thermals - Personal Life here.

The Thermals - I Don't Believe You


The Thermals-Never Listen To Me


The Thermals - Alone, A Fool