The Days of Lore

2 much rawk 4 me?

Monday, December 8th, 2008 | musiX, pdX | 1 Comment

Live: Blitzen Trapper, Starfucker and The Parson Red Heads at Wonder Ballroom, 12.4.08

The Thermals, Panther and Champagne Champagne at Doug Fir Lounge, 12.5.08

Seeing 2 handsome rock bands in 2 nights might be 2 much 2 handle 4 some. But I went for it. A couple of Portland’s beloveds performed at home after long absences: Blitzen Trapper has been touring the country for the better part of this year, performing on Conan and generally making music-folk weak in the knees. The Thermals have been working on a new record, recruiting a new drummer, signing to a new label and generally making me weak in the knees.

It was my first time seeing Blitzen Trapper, although I’ve watched plenty of live clips. The stuff I had seen always reminded me of the euphoric musicality of The Last Waltz, minus the coke boogers … and Neil Diamond. On this night the Trappers performed like the seasoned road warriors that they are, playing a good portion of the excellent Furr record. Although, it was a short set. Are they, perhaps, experiencing some road fatigue? No matter. They played “Furr,” “God & Suicide” and “Love U,” and I left a full-on Trapper keeper.

The Thermals played their first show in Portland in almost a year. And with that they unleashed nine new songs from their forthcoming release Now We Can See, which will hit iTunes and those old contraptions they call record stores April 7. The title track and “I Let it Go” (hear the demo version on their MySpace) are loaded with rock and hooks, soaked with blood, sweat and tears, slathered in barbecue sauce and … just read about it at SPIN.com (I am not above shameless self-promotion).

I haven’t been able to get enough of The Thermals of late. I think I might have a problem. 1 of the effects is that I start 2 use Prince-isms. Now U can C.

Tags: Blitzen Trapper, Furr, live, Neil Diamond, Now We Can See, The Last Waltz, The Thermals

The Thermals: Yes they can!

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 | interviewZ, musiX, pdX | 1 Comment

I’m going to come right out and say it: The Thermals are a great American rock ‘n’ roll band. There. I said it. The Portland three-piece has been busy putting the finishing touches on its new record Now We Can See, all while celebrating President-elect Barack Obama’s victory, celebrating Thanksgiving, recruiting new drummer Westin Glass, gearing up for a PacNorWest/Euro mini-tour and choosing which label would actually put out their fourth record … sheesh, a great American rock ‘n’ roll band’s work is never done.

In the end the Thermals’ core members, guitarist/vocalist Hutch Harris and bassist Kathy Foster (also of PDX pop punks the All Girl Summer Fun Band), parted ways with Sub Pop and went with Kill Rock Stars. The follow-up to 2006’sThe Body, the Blood, the Machine is due out April 7, with the new single coming our way in 7-inch form on March 10. The Thermals will also play two nights (December 5 and 6) at Portland’s Doug Fir Lounge before heading off to Europe for some dates. TDoL recently chatted with Foster via e-mail about pop music, the benefits of signing with KRS and why Now We Can See is “such an Obama record.”

TDoL: When you think of some of the great pop songs, who comes to mind?
Kathy Foster: The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Prince, Madonna, The Who, The Zombies, Weezer, The Supremes, Built To Spill, Flaming Lips …

Tell me about the decision to sign with Kill Rock Stars … must’ve been a tough one.
Yeah, we thought a lot this year about our different options and about what label would be a good fit, or if we should release it ourselves. Over the past six months a bunch of really great indie labels approached us, but in the end Kill Rock Stars won us over with their aggressive enthusiasm and pro-artist way of doing business (they agreed to all our outrageous terms!). Plus it’s great to work with a women-run label. Maggie bakes us cookies, and Portia [Sabin, president of Kill Rock Stars] does our laundry! Another big reason is that they are in Portland now. They moved down here from Olympia earlier this year. So we’re pretty much there every day now, eating all their chewable vitamin C and playing with Maggie’s [Vail, KRS VP] dog, Jackson, who’s the best dog in the world! Yes he is!

How’s the new record coming along? Any kooky tales from the studio?
The record is pretty much done! We’re finishing up the mastering. It’s called Now We Can See and will come out April 7, if all goes as planned! In the studio, it was only John Congleton, Hutch and me, so things got a little nutty. For some reason we were all channeling Larry David, and talking in really exaggerated New York Jewish accents to each other. We went to John’s studio in Dallas to mix, and Hutch and I went to Dealey Plaza. It was eerie how there are two X’s painted on the street at the points where JFK was struck.

What are you doing differently on this album lyrically or musically?
Well, we worked with producer/engineer John Congleton for the first time, from Elmwood Recording Studio in Dallas. He has worked all across the spectrum: Modest Mouse, Polyphonic Spree, Explosions in the Sky, Smog, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Kirk Franklin, R. Kelly(!) and tons more. I just looked him up on Wikipedia, and I really think this sums him up: “Congleton’s production is usually notable by a signature dark sound and a rhythm section that is very large and enveloping.” I was gonna say he’s really into making the rhythm section (that’s all me baby!) sound big, so this album has a much bigger bottom than our others. It was almost gonna be titled Does This Album Make Our Ass Look Big?. The songs are more dynamic and more developed. Also, Hutch feels the lyrics are the best he’s ever written. Yes they are!

What are you going to write about with Dubya leaving in January?
Luckily, Obama won the election, (YES!! We are STOKED!) because this record is SUCH an Obama record. It’s mostly written from the perspective of someone who’s died and is looking back at their time on Earth, realizing their own mistakes and those humanity has made. Now we can see! Yes we can!

Track listing for Now We Can See:
When I Died
We Were Sick
I Let It Go
Now We Can See
At The Bottom Of The Sea
When We Were Alive
I Called Out Your Name
When I Was Afraid
Liquid In, Liquid Out
How We Fade
You Dissolve

“St. Rosa and the Swallows” - The Thermals (The Body, the Blood, the Machine)

“How We Know” - The Thermals (Fuckin A)

Tags: All Girl Summer Fun Band, Hutch Harris, John Congleton, Kathy Foster, Kill Rock Stars, Now We Can See, The Body the Blood the machine, The Thermals, Westin Glass

Futurama

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 | musiX, pdX | No Comments

There’s a rotting jack-’o'-lantern sitting next to me.

I’m sitting in a coffee shop in Bend, Ore. “A Day In the Life” is playing in the background. Paul’s vocals are absent; I guess they don’t have stereophonic sound in Bend … I’ve heard about this phenomenon, but I never believed it. I knew things were changing for the worse when I saw McCain/Palin signs pocking the countryside. Did I mention there’s a rotting jack-o’-lantern next to me?

You might be wondering why I’m here. Quicky explanation: I rushed a dear friend down for a job interview at a marketing firm … we made it with four minutes to spare. I passed Oregon drivers with my California license plates, and felt the look of disgust as I flew by. I can usually pass them doing 60. As I finish my lovely drip coffee, my friend Wingy is winging his interview … actually he’s walking in and … he’s sitting next to the rotting jack-o’-lantern and …

“I’m not getting that job. I don’t think she liked me.”

Impossible. Everyone likes him, and I know good things await. This song inspired a spirited air drum/guitar session on the drive down to Bend. I love it. Here’s to our future (save for the rotting jack-o’-lantern).

“Here’s Your Future” - The Thermals

Tags: "A Day In the Life", Bend, Oregon, the Beatles, The Thermals