It's not a Comeback, it's a Promise Finally Kept

Artist: The Thermal
Album: Personal Life
Label: Kill Rock Stars
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Website: http://www.thethermals.com

Stand out Tracks: Not Like Any Other Feeling, I'm Gonna Change Your Mind, Only for You, You Changed my Life

Were I to list my favorite bands in college, The Thermals would easily rank in the top 3. Were I to rank my favorite post-college bands, I doubt they'd make the list. It's not that I grew out of them or that my musical taste changed. I just felt that no album they released lived up to Fuckin' A, my introduction to the band. Their subsequent albums were all good, but just never seemed to live up to the musical promises that Fuckin' A made. As such, with each new album they released I found myself just waiting. And before long they just began to slip off my radar.

But in listening Personal Life it became apparent even from the first track that it's finally happened. The band has released an album worthy of follow up Fuckin' A. They've managed to not only recapture everything that made it the soundtrack to my junior year of college, but improve upon it. The songwriting and music hasn't changed a great deal but you can hear the maturity of the band in each song. They seem to have changed quite a bit from Fuckin' A, but in doing so have managed to only improve upon what was already there. And because what was already there was already so good, it doesn't sound as though much has changed at all.

So for those of you who found yourself disappointed by some of the recent releases out there (I won't name names), don't feel as though your musical scene crumbling at your feet. Just look to The Thermals' Personal Life for reassurance that the bands you love won't let you down.

RATING: 9.5/10