The Thermals

Reagan's regime inspired such fury and fervor in the U.S. music scene, there was a moment when it almost seemed like it was the odd band that wasn't politically incensed. Now that the country is steeped in right-wing moralism and war-mongering again, where are the Minutemen when we need them? Thankfully, we have the Thermals to remind us that not all American bands are horse-blindered by vapid youth culture. The Body, The Blood, The Machine, the Thermals' third album, is a startling blast of joyful, hooky, blood-pounding neo-punk anthems, with production by Fugazi's Brendan Canty that fittingly imparts the whiff of scorched tape.

Details

The Thermals perform on Monday, Oct. 23, at the Fillmore at 8 p.m. Admission is $18; call 346-6000 or visit www.thefillmore.com for more info.

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More About

• Kathy Foster
• Hutch Harris
• Jordan Hudson
• Caitlin Love
• Brendan Canty

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With the subsequent departure of drummer Jordan Hudson after the recording of 2004's Fuckin A, Hutch Harris (vocals/guitar) and Kathy Foster (bass) performed Body themselves, with Foster doubling on drums (on tour they'll be joined by drummer Caitlin Love of Davies vs. Dresch.) But what might've been the end for another band was a mere inconvenience for the Thermals, and it certainly hasn't muted Harris' firey indignance: "Locust tornadoes/ Crosses and Nazi haloes" opens "I Might Need You to Kill," a searing anti-fascism salvo. Body finally hits critical mass and implodes on "Back to the Sea," a vociferous one-chord devolutionist anti-hymn: "Lord, we'll take 'em two by two ... / We'll lead 'em to the gas chamber/ But not me/ I'm gonna crawl ... back to the sea." "I Hold the Sound," the album closer, reaffirms that protest punk didn't die, it was just asleep, but now it's back: rested, renewed, and ready to take it to the streets. — J. Niimi