It’s evolution baby.
Now We Can See, the latest album by The Thermals, is all about evolution. It’s not only a key theme that the songs address; the band itself evolves into a new sort of beast on this record. The Thermals become sonically lighter, poppier, slower, and more of a traditional rock band on the album. This leads to a variance of results.
When the band goes for pure pop rock it’s a mixed bag. The songwriting duo of guitarist/vocalist Hutch Harris and bassist/recording drummer Kathy Foster know how to write a catchy hook, but it’s tough to combine that with some of their rougher lyrics. For example, “We Were Sick” is full on pop goodness, so the line, “Never gave a day away, never give a damn,” fails to work. The rest of the package is too sweet for those words to effectively register.
The peak of the album comes early with “I Let It Go” and the title track, “Now We Can See,” back-to-back. The former is everything you’d want in a song by The Thermals. The forward pushing guitar attack blends perfectly with vocals that have a little extra oomph, bitingly sarcastic lyrics, and precisely placed drum clashes. “Now We Can See” proves that the band can write perfectly crafted pop songs, sing along “whoa”-s and all.
After this high point come tracks which highlight the band’s main evolution on Now We Can See; a calmer aesthetic. Song like “At The Bottom Of The Sea,” “I Called Out Your Name,” and “How We Fade,” are unlike any previous tunes the band has put out (with the possible exception of “Test Pattern” off 2006′s The Body, The Blood, The Machine). The songs are slower, more reserved, and sadder than the band’s typical fare. This is probably due in most part to the band focusing on the theme of death in a fairly straightforward manner for much of the album.
While there are still a few more typical punk songs (like “When We Were Alive”), the dominating feel on Now We Can See is the one of the more subdued tracks. The songs are very well done, but they just aren’t up to the level of anything previously done by The Thermals. Luckily, the band does jolt awake with the clattering piano and quick power chords of the final track, “You Dissolve,” reminding the listener of what the group can be when at (or near) their best.
The problem with Now We Can See is that it invites passive listening. While the songs are good, it is easy to tune the out to a degree. This is especially noticeable during the album’s middle section which just lacks punch and energy. This is completely unexpected because the strength The Thermals has always been the way the band actively griped listeners. The group’s tunes excel when their sheer exuberance make songs seem vital and almost force you to pay attention.
Now We Can See is the weakest album The Thermals have put out, but that’s not to say it’s not worth a listen. It’s more a statement about how fantastic their previous three albums are. The Thermals are an evolving band. Sometimes that first mutation isn’t exactly the most appealing addition, but give it time and it might still prove it’s use.
Review Score: 7.9
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