So now we can see what the Thermals fuss was all about

Published on Friday 12 June 2009 14:02

WHAT'S so cool about Portland, Oregon pop-punk outfit The Thermals? Oh, everything.

Everybody loves their joyful, lo-fi fuzzy pop sound, and live they serve it up fast and loud.

Their 2002 debut LP, More Parts Per Million, was recorded on a four-track cassette machine, with total tracking costs of around $10. A demo of it was passed from Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie to indie giant Sub Pop Records (home of Nirvana at the beginning of their career], who signed them after they'd played just a handful of gigs.

Ever since then they have been one of American indie music's hottest properties.

Currently touring with their fourth album, Now We Can See, the indie darlings grace the Capital with their punchy lyrics and playful energy at Sneaky Pete's on Tuesday.

"Sonically, we just like to play music that's really loud and a lot of fun to rock out to," enthuses leading lady Kathy Foster.

"I love playing for people, exchanging that energy, and us all kind of feeding off of each other. It's a great feeling, and I love that people enjoy that feeling. It's great to connect on that level."

The band's two original members – Foster and Hutch Harris – have played in bands together since 1997, and previously released an album of folk-pop under the name Hutch & Kathy.

"Yeah, we've written a lot of music together, and we're really comfortable playing music that way," says Foster.

Line-up changes - namely, losing two drummers - hasn't held them back any. And they've recently enlisted the services of sticksman Westin Glass, who was initially brought on board for touring duties but has since become a permanent fixture.

"Our mutual friend, Sonya (Balchandani], from The Big Sleep, put us in touch with each other," explains Foster. "The three of us really clicked musically and personally. He's a fantastic drummer, plus he's sweet, funny, smart, energetic and up for anything. We're really having a great time together."

After an amicable split with Sub Pop, The Thermals recently signed with iconic Portland label Kill Rock Stars.

"We had a contract with Sub Pop for three records, and that was up after (last album] The Body, The Blood, The Machine," explains Foster.

"After that, they gave us another contract for two records. So we sat with that for a few months, talked about it, talked to them about it. To us it seemed really similar to the first contract – and the way it was laid out was more like a major label."

With plans to make a record, license it to and a label and not have them own it, The Thermals decided it was time for a change.

"Finally, after several months, we decided we were not going to work with Sub Pop," says Foster. "Both sides were sad not to be working with one another anymore, but we felt it was the right decision for us.

"The biggest difference is Kill Rock Stars is in Portland, so we do most business in person with them. Also our A&R guy is a dog named Jackson, which is pretty fun," she adds, laughing.

The decision to shift labels proved to be shrewd, with critics hailing Now We Can See as the band's best offering to date.

"We think it's pretty good," smiles Foster. "Pret-ty, pret-ty, pret-ty good.

"Not only are the songs filled with some of our smartest lyrics and sweetest melodies, but the recording is, for us, another great leap in fidelity, thanks to producer John Congleton (Explosions In The Sky, Polyphonic Spree], who brought massive amounts of sound and bombastic style to the project."

It's the result of more than two years of hard graft. "We took more time with this one," confirms Foster.

"With each record, a little more time was spent on songwriting. We started writing at the beginning of 2007 and, in between tours, Hutch and I would get together and work on it a little bit more.

"We recorded demos along the way. And we spent all of 2008, from the beginning, making several versions and demos. Just messing around, really, trying to experiment. Playing them in different ways, before reining it in and finding the sound we wanted."

All that tinkering was time-consuming, but the band are more satisfied with this album than any in the past.

"Hutch spent a lot more time writing lyrics," says Foster. "Some songs he'd write a whole version of lyrics, decide he didn't like it and throw the whole thing away. Not even try and edit it or anything, just start over again.

"We spent a lot more time developing everything about these songs - the structure, the sound, the arranging, the words. I guess we like both ways, writing a song really fast, not messing with it and just seeing what comes out. I love the raw energy of that," she adds.

Now We Can See is more polished than anything The Thermals have released before, but, despite this, Foster is confident they have devised a way to ensure older fans are happy with it too.

"With this record, we're releasing all the demos that were recorded on cassette," she explains.

"We're releasing those on singles and on the internet and stuff. So, for the fans that feel the record is too polished, they can also have a lo-fi version of the record as well."

• The Thermals, Sneaky Pete's, Cowgate, Tuesday, 7pm, 8.50, 0131-225 1757