The Thermals

Spiking rapid-fire indie rock with fiery social commentary, The Thermals sprang from Portland, Oregon’s fertile DIY scene in 2002. Originally known as the folk duo Hutch and Kathy, singer-guitarist Hutch Harris and bassist Kathy Foster switched gears to punch out shouty, compact anthems with a series of different drummers. Both the length and the subject matter of The Thermals’ songs began to expand considerably on their pivotal third album, 2006’s The Body, the Blood, the Machine. At the height of George W. Bush’s time in office, Harris sang with ragged desperation about a mirror America ruled by Christian fascism, powering his bleak cautionary tales with combustible hooks and choruses. Identifying the deepening divisions in his country, Harris continued to unpack timely themes of power and resistance until the band parted ways in 2018 following their aptly titled seventh album, We Disappear.