The Thermals - A Pillar of Salt

What this video is

Released in 2006 alongside 'The Body, The Blood, The Machine,' the video for 'A Pillar of Salt' arrives at the apex of the mid-2000s indie rock moment — when Sub Pop and its Pacific Northwest orbit were repositioning as a major critical force after the post-grunge doldrums. The album itself, produced by Brendan Canty of Fugazi, was celebrated by NPR, Pitchfork, and The AV Club as a highlight of 2006. Thematically,…

Why it matters

A defining artifact of mid-2000s indie pop-punk, 'A Pillar of Salt' and its video represent the aesthetic crossroads between lo-fi DIY production, politically aware post-punk songwriting, and the Sub Pop indie renaissance of the aughts. The fast-cut, prop-chaos visual language became a…