The summer of 2003 was a hot one in eastern Washington, and my concrete bunker of an apartment contained the heat like no other. Granted, the above image wasn’t shot by yours truly until 2004, but it sure seemed hot enough to ignite even the least combustible of items. I wrapped up my undergraduate that December, which was cold as Antarctica, and upon that milestone I moved to Seattle. It was a good year for the Northwest; many of my favorite albums came from Seattle labels like …

KEXP has announced details behind their 7th Annual Yule Benefit, happening this year on Saturday, December 12 at Neumos in Seattle. Showcasing select favorites from the Northwest, concert-goers will not only be treated to excellent performances by the likes of The Thermals, The Cave Singers, The Builders And The Butchers, and Grand Hallway, they’ll also be supporting KEXP.

This time, The Thermals come to us via another label, Olympia’s famed Kill Rock Stars. However, having shed the Sub Pop label for that of KRS has not necessarily thrown them back to the minimally produced days of the beloved No Culture Icons. If anything, Now We Can See has more production than their last release!