Desperate Ground is the sixth album from the Portland-based indie rock band The Thermals. The album was released on April 15, 2013, on Saddle Creek Records. It was produced by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth) in Hoboken, New Jersey. Agnello and The Thermals completed the record and evacuated the studio just hours before Hurricane Sandy ravaged New Jersey.[1]
| Desperate Ground | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 15, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | 2012–2013 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock, lo-fi, alternative rock | |||
| Length | 26:25 | |||
| Label | Saddle Creek Records | |||
| Producer | John Agnello | |||
| The Thermals chronology | ||||
| ||||
The title came from The Art of War by Sun Tzu.[2]
Reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 73/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| The A.V. Club | C[5] |
| Consequence of Sound | C+[6] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[7] |
| Pitchfork | 5.0/10[8] |
Reviews of Desperate Ground represent a diverse mix of opinions on the album. The album holds a score of 73 out of 100 from Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[3]
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Hutch Harris; all music is composed by Kathy Foster/Hutch Harris/Westin Glass
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Born to Kill" | 1:48 |
| 2. | "You Will Be Free" | 2:45 |
| 3. | "The Sunset" | 2:51 |
| 4. | "I Go Alone" | 3:12 |
| 5. | "The Sword by My Side" | 3:10 |
| 6. | "You Will Find Me" | 2:22 |
| 7. | "Faces Stay with Me" | 2:32 |
| 8. | "The Howl of the Winds" | 2:29 |
| 9. | "Where I Stand" | 2:08 |
| 10. | "Our Love Survives" | 3:08 |
Personnel
edit- Kathy Foster – bass, vocals
- Hutch Harris – guitar, vocals
- Westin Glass – drums, vocals
Chart performance
edit| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[9] | 1 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[10] | 39 |
References
edit- ^ Maurer, Mark (2013-03-05). "After visit during Sandy, the Thermals back in N.J. for Maxwell's show". NJ.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
- ^ Remus, Deborah (2013-04-11). "The Thermals – 04.11.13". absolutepunk.net. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ a b "Desperate Ground by The Thermals". Metacritic. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ^ Desperate Ground at AllMusic
- ^ The A.V. Club review
- ^ Consequence of Sound review
- ^ Exclaim! review
- ^ Pitchfork review
- ^ "The Thermals Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "The Thermals Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
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