The Thermals: The Body, The Blood, The Machine

Label: Sub Pop

Whoa. All it takes is a few chords and then a few lyrics of the new Thermals record, and you know that this band isn’t here to fool around. They aren’t writing frivolous pop songs, they’re here to be in your face, tackling religion (oh, do they take on religion – just look at that cover), war, right-wing politics and many other problems in our messed-up world. Most important, their political savvy is equally matched with a penchant for pop hooks and power chords by the plenty. Produced by Fugazi’s Brendan Canty, The Body, the Blood, the Machine has a cleaner, crisper sound than the band’s previous recordings, but it’s never slick or polished. Indeed, this band has never sounded better. The songs are lean and tight, packed with a punch, and with Hutch Harris’s lucid, forceful singing, you can’t not pay attention to them. The best punk album of the year by a mile.