Acquired Taste

I just found out today that Tower Records is closing. I saw the sign as I was driving past and my mom confirmed to me that they're all going to be gone soon. I'm sad to hear it. Tower is the best record store in these parts (it's time to move...). I've spent countless afternoons wandering the Tower aisles, searching for bands I stumbled across online (Sleater-Kinney included), or being adventurous and buying something completely random and unheard of. Now I'm stuck with Sam Goody, where I can never find what I'm looking for. They're not even cool enough to stock S-K. I almost have no reason to go on living now. Almost.

So, the Tower end-of-existence sale was going on and I took slight advantage of it. I finally got myself a hard copy of Dig Me Out (I had initially bought the tracks online at e-music because none of the stores had it). I also got some Pretty Girls Make Graves (Elan Vital) and a Sub Pop music video compilation DVD (Acquired Taste). I just watched a few, and was excited to see Entertain and Jumpers in full-screen mode. I skipped around and eventually got to The Thermals' video for How We Know.

Whoa. I've never listened to The Thermals except when they opened for S-K, but...

I recognized the bassline and drum beat immediately. They had played it in Portland. The studio version of the song sounded weak. I remembered getting into this song and I remembered the bassline sounding a lot more danceable.

In conclusion, The Thermals are a live band. Absolutely. If I hadn't been so anxious for S-K, and if I had listened to their albums before the PDX shows, I'm sure I would have been blown away by their performances. Stupid me.