Portland band The Thermals has had some ups and down over the past few years. Besides the revolving door that seemed permanently set up next to their drum kit, the duo of bassist Kathy Foster and singer-guitarist Hutch Harris made the switch from Sub Pop to Kill Rock Stars; turned down a crapload of money offered for the use of their music in a Hummer commercial; and wrote the album of their lives, 2006's The Body, The Blood, The Machine—one of the most conceptually rich yet bluntly outspoken rock records of the Bush Era.
Speaking of the end of that dark time: The Thermals' new single, "Now We Can See," is a bright and brassy burst of what can only be called sheer fucking hope, all wrapped up in a pop-punk punch. And you can bet your ass Foster and Harris have their hopes pinned on a certain new president, as well as an optimistic sea change in American culture and all that good stuff. If that sounds like an overly simple sentiment, well, The Thermals have always been about simplicity. Shit gets stuck in your head better that way. To that end, The A.V. Club has been authorized to offer this free download of "Now We Can See"—no strings attached (just right-click or ctrl-click on the link below). However, if you wanted to buy the band's new full-length, also titled Now We Can See, when it comes out on KRS on April 7, we're sure they wouldn't mind.
Download: "Now We Can See" by The Thermals