I've gone off on M Ward before so I want to go off on other stuff. Kimberly asked me recently what my top 5 are. Here they are:

1. M Ward (all 3 of his albums)
2. Cat Power -- You are Free
3. The Shins -- Oh Inverted World!
4. Ethiopiques -- Vol 10 is my favorite but I also like 8, 4, 1 and 3
   See Aquarius records. They've been going on about this for a couple of years and I finally got around to tasting it. I passed thinking it would be like other African music I've heard but from the first 10 seconds you know it's special. My ears love it. Forceful Synopsis: It's like nothing you've heard and it's damn good and there's a lot of it.
5. The Thermals -- More Parts Per Million

Now let's talk about The Thermals. My voice is thrashed right now, as I type this on Thursday night because I have them in my car. You cannot listen to this band in the car and not scream at the windshield.

"They are the Thermals, they guarantee life eternal. / You only need skin and bones, and a sweet pair of headphones."

Listen to "No Culture Icons", "Everything Thermals" and "I know the Pattern". The best hard rock anthems I've heard in the last 5 years. "Back to Gray" certainly is THE GbV cover and I wish they'd play more of these. Everybody who writes about them compares them to GBV but The Thermals are closer to the Buzzcocks and the Ramones. I saw them play at Noise Pop while I was waiting for another band (probably my favorite at the time, but completely overshadowed now) and my friends were outside on the patio and I went in and skinny indie-boy Hutch (I envy his name) was pumping the heel of his Converse into the carpet and wailing so hard he needed two hands to hold the mike and the bald guitar player was BLASTING chords at the crowd. I ran back in and said, "Hey guys, this band is GOOD." But they barely looked at me so I ran back inside. They only have one album to consume which has had to last me the 7 months I have to wait to see them again. I'm running to the Bottom of the Hill on Oct 9th to see them with Mates of State.

Read how The Thermals save lives