Arrangers: K. Foster; H. Harris.

On their third full-length Sub Pop outing, the Thermals unleash another round of politically charged, punk-inspired indie rock. On these 10 tracks, produced by Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty, the Portland, Oregon, group deftly mixes melody with ferocity, while singer/guitarist Hutch Harris's plaintive vocals impressively balance the two qualities, particularly on "A Pillar of Salt," a surging tune with gloriously searing guitar lines, and "Power Doesn't Run on Nothing," an angular anti-war number.