The Hold Steady....Any thoughts?

I haven't listened to the entire disc, but like a couple of the songs. The singer's voice is kind of grating at times. He sort of sounds like Elvis Costello circa "This Year's Model" after a really really hard night of drinking. "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" and "Don't Let Me Explode" are both great songs though.

Uh, can someone move this discussion to the Indie or Alternative section?

Done. Since they're on French Kiss, I chose indie, although I'm sure the indie purists will bemoan their recent appearance on a Target compilation CD.

For my money, the Hold Steady is a brutally greatt live act in the tradition of the Replacements and Guided By Voices: a hard-drinkin' rock and roll band playing great tunes.

Craig Finn's voice reminds me, at points, of Shane MacGowan and Brent Best of Slobberbone. And a little Tom Waits. An acquired taste, I imagine.

I saw them do a live acoustic set in some record store in Brooklyn in late May, before I heard any of the record. I figured the complete lack of melody in the vocals was because he couldn't hear the other instruments well. Turns out he just doesn't write good songs.

i agree that his voice can be pretty annoying and i do wish he sang with more melody, but the new album is good nonetheless. Great lyrics and riffs all the way through.

I saw them live and they just seemed a little too boring. And by boring I mean been there done that. Maybe I'm just missing something, but there are too many bands like this.

Moving this back to the top in anticipation of the critical acclaim that I'm guessing will come with the October release of the new record (on Vagrant this time).

For my money, the first single "Chips Ahoy!" is one of the best tracks of summer 2006.

I'm a big fan of these guys. I never cared about Finn's old band, Lifter Puller, much. I saw them (Lifter Puller) live and didn't like them. Now the discs sell for insane coin on Ebay. But both Hold Steady records (and the shows I've seen)are great. Some of the lyrics on Separation Sunday knock me on my ass every time:

"Tramps like us/and we like tramps!" (great Springsteen reference from "Charlemagne in Sweatpants")

And then there's this set, from "Cattle and the Creeping Things"


They got to the part with the cattle and the creeping things.
They said I'm pretty sure we've heard this one before.
Don't it all end up in some revelation?
With 4 guys on horses, and violent red visions famine and death and pestilence and war.
I'm pretty sure I heard this one before.
You in the corner with a good looking drifter.
Two cups of coffee and ten packs of sugar.
I heard gideon saw you in denver.
He said you're contagious.
Silly rabbit.
Tripping is for teenagers.
Murder is for murderers.
And hard drugs are for bartenders.
I think I might have mentioned that before.

He's got the pages in his pockets that he ripped out of the bible from his bedstand in the motel.
He likes the part where the traders get chased out from the temple.
I guess I heard about original sin.
I heard the dude blamed the chick.
I heard the chick blamed the snake.
I heard they were naked when they got busted.
I heard things ain't been the same since.
You on the streets with a tendency to preach to the choir.
Wired for sound and down with whatever.
I heard gideon did you in denver.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: philosopherEric,

As expected, P4k gave Boys and Girls in America a well-deserved rave. Will it steal the Metacriitic high score for 2006? Doubtful. It's not "world" music.

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
Will it steal the Metacriitic high score for 2006? Doubtful. It's not "world" music.

They are playing The Middle East right outside Boston. That's pretty close...

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
As expected, P4k gave Boys and Girls in America a well-deserved rave. Will it steal the Metacriitic high score for 2006? Doubtful. It's not "world" music.

It will also probably get more than 10 reviews.

I'm not sure how well it will do on Metacritic though. It got pretty mediocre reviews from Rolling Stone and Cokemachineglow. I do expect some higher reviews though, considering how many top 10 lists Seperation Sunday made last year. I think this album as at least as good as Seperation Sunday. I'd say it's better.

I would definitely say it's better. Actually, "Separation Sunday" was barely listenable for me.
But this album just rocks, all the way through. I'm glad Craig Finn decided to sing.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
I'm not sure how well it will do on Metacritic though. It got pretty mediocre reviews from Rolling Stone and Cokemachineglow. I do expect some higher reviews though, considering how many top 10 lists Seperation Sunday made last year. I think this album as at least as good as Seperation Sunday. I'd say it's better.

I'd bet it gets a solid 84 to 86 METASCORE. Rolling Stone gave it 3.5 stars, which isn't great, but isn't terrible, either. And it will have more than it's share of rave reviews to make up for it.

A friend of mine thinks The Hold Steady are likely to be only enjoyed by Americans. The singer's certainly got a heavy drawl and his lyrics are all observations of his local surroundings.

I think I disagree with my friend though - non-Americans could probably love The Hold Steady as much. After all, we both love Illinois and that release concerns American local history. Springsteen's got a huge international audience and who doesn't love THS influence On the Road

But are THS a distinctly American band? Will they do as well overseas?

quote:

Originally posted by Thisheregiraffe:
A friend of mine thinks The Hold Steady are likely to be only enjoyed by Americans. The singer's certainly got a heavy drawl and his lyrics are all observations of his local surroundings.

But are THS a distinctly American band? Will they do as well overseas?

The Arctic Monkeys and the Streets are both distinctly English, yet I enjoy both, so it probably works both ways.

Posted 30 December 2006 09:36 AM

I have recently gotten into the Hold Steady and have been listening to both Boys and Girls in America and Separation Sunday alot (I just picked up Almost Killed Me, but haven't listened to it enough to get an impression). I was struck with all of the comparisons between drug use and religion in Separation Sunday. It has puzzled me some.

I have my theory about what the album is trying to say, but I wanted to know what others thought.

I think that the comparison between being "born again" and "high as hell" both expressions used a lot by Craig Finn, has to do with the emotions that drugs bring with them. The feeling of being saved, almost transcendent in happiness is one that his characters often go through but often they end up degraded, strung-out, and useless. But then they come back again. Which is very much what Seperation Sunday is all about, I think. I love the Hold Steady cuz they capture that heady dose of adrenaline that always accompanies the beginning of parties or get-togethers... followed by the crushing aftermath of hangovers and addictions. But then it all starts over again with the same energy. Collossal stuff, I think.

quote:

Originally posted by brighteyes215:
I think that the comparison between being "born again" and "high as hell" both expressions used a lot by Craig Finn, has to do with the emotions that drugs bring with them. The feeling of being saved, almost transcendent in happiness is one that his characters often go through but often they end up degraded, strung-out, and useless. But then they come back again. Which is very much what Seperation Sunday is all about, I think. I love the Hold Steady cuz they capture that heady dose of adrenaline that always accompanies the beginning of parties or get-togethers... followed by the crushing aftermath of hangovers and addictions. But then it all starts over again with the same energy. Collossal stuff, I think.

Thanks for your take. I have a similar theory. Of coure, using the names Hallelujah, Gideon, and Charlemaign as the main characters are significant. Particularly Charlemaign. Charlemaign was a French king that spread Christianity throughout Europe. In the Hold Steady's albums, including Separation Sunday, Charlemaign is a pusher. One pushed religion, the other pushes drugs.

I think that the Hold Steady is making a connection between religion and drugs. That young people turn to drugs and religion for the same reasons - to transcend the pains in their lives.

Either that, or it's just that Craig Finn and crew are just into drugs and Christianity.

I'm a little surprised there hasn't been more discussion on the topic. Maybe its because the classic rock influenced grooves and riffs are so great, people don't spend a lot of time thinking about the lyrics. Or, we're all stoned and they make perfect sense.

I eat their music up. I was really into classic rock, grew up w/ my parents blasting jimi, the doors, bruce springsteen, led zeppelin; so, in turn, I love the hold steady.

I guess this is the right place for this.

After buying Boys and Girls in America, I downloaded Seperation Sunday with medium expectations. I almost immediately shelved it. It was a little difficult for me, or perhaps I was just a little preoccupied (because I usually am intrigued by difficult music). Coming back to it a few weeks ago, I proceeded with caution. And... IT IS GREAT! In my opinion, it is better than Boys and Girls in America, which was my number one album of 2006. That gives you an idea of my opinion of this album. "Cattle and the Creeping Things" is my favorite song of the album: it is multilayered lyrically and harmonically. This album is just a little more full of ideas than Boys and Girls in America and I love it...