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The Body, The Blood, The Machine - The Thermals
Metascore
84 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
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  1. The A.V. Club
    100
    It's 36 minutes of loose garage rock with massively catchy melodies sugarcoating the biting sarcasm.
  2. MSN Consumer Guide (Robert Christgau)
    91
    As narrative and prophecy, a less coherent response to Christofascism than you might want, but one alt needs, held together and moved ahead by its forthright hooks and beats.
  3. Prefix Magazine
    90
    The Body, The Blood, The Machine is the holy grail of anti-political/anti-religion records to come out in the last seven years.
  4. The Boston Phoenix
    88
    The simplicity of the punk-driven songwriting and the bare, urgent honesty of vocalist/guitarist Hutch Harris' delivery drive home the album's political points with startling effectiveness.
  5. Pitchfork
    85
    The Body's story is just vague and gruesome enough to be weirdly terrifying, totally Orwellian, and grander, louder, and more electrifying than anything the Thermals have spit out before.
  6. cokemachineglow
    85
    It's downright exciting for a band like the Thermals to emerge with something so simple and unflustered, so bereft of unnecessary baggage, a shining light of a record that delivers on its early promise.
  7. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Awesome.
  8. Spin
    80
    There's still something small and handmade about the Thermals' music. [Sep 2006, p.112]
    All this publication's reviews
  9. PopMatters
    80
    Without sacrificing aural excitement, they have polished their approach with a refined understanding of dynamics and a broadening of style.
  10. Stylus Magazine
    75
    An immediate and combative disc that blurries up a litany of angers over surprisingly versatile layers of pop-punk guitar thrusting, The Body, The Blood, The Machine is a focused tantrum, irresolute in its actual stances, but pissed and rambunctious enough to overcome its vagaries.
  11. Almost Cool
    75
    As a whole, The Body The Blood The Machine is a bit more inconsistent than Fuckin' A, but at the same time has some of the best songs in the group's discography and some of the better arrangements [as] well.
  12. ShakingThrough.net
    74
    They've slowed down the tempo a little and cleaned up the sound a lot.
  13. All Music Guide
    70
    With The Body, The Blood, The Machine the Thermals haven't made another thrilling noisy gem like More Parts Per Million, they've made an inspired and inspiring, semi-grown up indie rock record with more thought than thrills.
  14. Tiny Mix Tapes
    70
    The only drawback is Hutch Harris' vocals.
  15. Dusted Magazine
    70
    The Body, the Blood, the Machine reveals a band that's a bit older, a step slower, and startlingly sardonic.
  16. Drowned In Sound
    60
    A little too homogenous to warrant many a repeat listen.
  17. Paste Magazine
    60
    The urgency and bile are palpable. [Oct 2006, p.84]
    All this publication's reviews
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User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. KeithG
    7
    Solid, intelligent protest punk. "A Pillar of Salt" might be one of the twenty best songs of the last decade and The Thermals manage to build a relatively solid release around it. As a side note, if you get the opportunity to see the album performed live, do so. You will not be disappointed.… Full Review »
  2. GeorgeD
    9
    Very good, straightforward tunes, catchy riffs, good singing.
  3. J.PaulP
    10
    Listen to it, love it. This is the kind of album that makes everything else sound bad. It's easy to get obsessed with it and spin it over and over again. Don't miss the live show either, they will destroy you!… Full Review »
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