I think some of the Hold Steady's songs are musically quite beautiful. But unlike say, Sufjan Stevens, who writes songs at one speed, the Hold Steady understand the power of dynamics. When the coda of "First Night" kicks in and Craig Finn sings, "Don't bother talkin' to the guys with the hot soft eyes. You know they're already taken...", I still get chills. I don't think I can say that about too many other songs this year.

I'll also say that in terms of musical chops, the Hold Steady rank pretty high on my list after seeing them live. The albums don't really do them justice. Tab Kubler is a fantastic guitar player. He damn near stole the show from Finn. Plus, the guy's an animal. He was all over the stage, leaning out into the crowd to have beer poured in his mouth, swinging his guitar around his neck...all while never missing a note.

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

I don't know - I've always felt like John and Paul's strengths were writing music, but not necessarily fantastic lyrics. I think they're good lyricist, but I personally would not group them with Dylan, Westerberg, or even Finn. Although I think in general the English are better lyricist then us. I mean, how can you not love the lyrics to "Common People"?

quote:

Originally posted by L. R. William Spencer:

quote:

Originally posted by Il Mago:
The Hold Steady have proven one thing to me. There's a fine line between cheese and greatness. In the last ten years, if I heard music like this, I would have laughed it off. It's corny riff-rock, and classic rock no less. But for some reason I don't think Boys and Girls is cheese. Somehow they hit all the right notes with me. It's exceptional....but so many bar bands cheese me off...I'm a little confused. Like one Rolling Stone writer said:

Damn it Hold Steady, how can you be so good?!?

It took me a while to decide why I felt the same why as you, and it's definitely the lyrics. Anyone can play pretty-sounding chords. Not many people can write songs like Craig Finn can: I'm counting them on one hand: Jeff Mangum, Jeff Tweedy, Bob Dylan, Thom Yorke.... and I'm out.

I still think people confuse the left-field with the well-written.

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
I still think people confuse the left-field with the well-written.

I was going to make a comment about Yorke. While I like Radiohead a lot, I've never considered Thom's lyrics particularly impressive. I don't think you can make sense out of 90% of Radiohead songs.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
I was going to make a comment about Yorke. While I like Radiohead a lot, I've never considered Thom's lyrics particularly impressive. I don't think you can make sense out of 90% of Radiohead songs.

You're right about that EG75. The lyrics are interesting, but don't really say too much.

I'm in a bit of a pickle with the Hold Steady. I'm going to visit my parents in Florida in March (they have a house there where they live all winter). Anyway, they live about an hour away from what will be an amazing concert. There's actually two. The first is some sort of Saturday festival that has the Hold Steady and the Thermals headlining. The next day, The Hold Steady are playing a show on their own. Now, both of my parents are in their 60's, so I'm not going to bring them, and I don't want to drive myself because I can't imagine going to a Hold Steady show without hitting the booze.

What should I do? Should I just pretend the shows aren't happening? Should I ditch my parents and go on my own? Tough one.

quote:

What should I do? Should I just pretend the shows aren't happening? Should I ditch my parents and go on my own? Tough one.

A) Hire a driver.

B) Get a hotel room.

C) Meet somebody at the show, and go home with her. Or him, if that's your sort of thing.

D) Wait until The Hold Steady plays Jack's Fish Head Bar & Grill in Nova Scotia.

E) Risk life and limb (yours and others) to drive an hour there and back.

The hotel room idea isn't bad. That way, you wouldn't have to drive an hour while sauced.

Or, you could just not get too drunk. Pace yourself. You know?

Who else is playing at this festival besides the Thermals and the Hold Steady?

Is there an opener for the second Hold Steady show? When I saw them, Sean Na Na was opening, and they're really excellent too.

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
D) Wait until The Hold Steady plays Jack's Fish Head Bar & Grill in Nova Scotia.

Nice jab, Leland.

We did have Wilco here last summer, that's the biggest "cool" concert we've had. Unless you consider Bon Jovi cool. We did have the Stones/Alice Cooper/Kanye West/Sloan show in September, but I didn't go $130 a ticket to a band that hasn't been relevant for many years (who I saw for $15 at Sarsstock).

Yeah, I've got to figure something out to see at least one of these shows. I'm not sure who else is at this festival. I just saw the listings on P4k yesterday. I suppose I'm not too excited at the prospect of going to a concert alone, I did that once for the Flaming Lips/Beck (still can't believe I couldn't convince anyone to go to that one), it's not too fun. Even though I like to listen to music by myself, concerts I like to share.

Actually, I just saw that P4K blurb, and it looks like the Thermals will be opening at that second show too. As P4K pointed out, the Thermals/Hold Steady double-bill is most certainly the best tour going on right now. You should definitely go.

quote:

Originally posted by Il Mago:
Unless you consider Bon Jovi cool.

You don't?

quote:

I did that once for the Flaming Lips/Beck (still can't believe I couldn't convince anyone to go to that one)

I went to the same show by myself and like you, couldn't believe I couldn't get anyone to go. But i still had fun.

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:
I still think people confuse the left-field with the well-written.

I couldn't agree more.

quote:

Originally posted by m.leland:

quote:

Originally posted by L. R. William Spencer:

quote:

Originally posted by Il Mago:
The Hold Steady have proven one thing to me. There's a fine line between cheese and greatness. In the last ten years, if I heard music like this, I would have laughed it off. It's corny riff-rock, and classic rock no less. But for some reason I don't think Boys and Girls is cheese. Somehow they hit all the right notes with me. It's exceptional....but so many bar bands cheese me off...I'm a little confused. Like one Rolling Stone writer said:

Damn it Hold Steady, how can you be so good?!?

It took me a while to decide why I felt the same why as you, and it's definitely the lyrics. Anyone can play pretty-sounding chords. Not many people can write songs like Craig Finn can: I'm counting them on one hand: Jeff Mangum, Jeff Tweedy, Bob Dylan, Thom Yorke.... and I'm out.

I still think people confuse the left-field with the well-written.

The two often coincide.

quote:

Actually, I just saw that P4K blurb, and it looks like the Thermals will be opening at that second show too. As P4K pointed out, the Thermals/Hold Steady double-bill is most certainly the best tour going on right now. You should definitely go.

Man, I'm totally pysched about this show. Two of my favorite bands of '06 at the same place. How can I resist?

As a bonus, the Indy show is on a Friday, so I won't have to go into work after the innevitable doings at a Hold Steady show.

I just googlemapped some disappointing news. Well, it turns out that my Parents place is a 4 hour 50 min drive from the Hold Steady/Thermals show.

Ain't happening.

I wish the tampa bay area had a bigger music scene... that's why I wanna get my ass to boston. I love that place and good bands are constantly playing. I WANNA SEE THE HOLD STEADY!!!

quote:

Originally posted by b0arder753:
I wish the tampa bay area had a bigger music scene... that's why I wanna get my ass to boston. I love that place and good bands are constantly playing. I WANNA SEE THE HOLD STEADY!!!

You should have come to the Atlanta show in October. Sparsely attended, but kick ASS!!!

I didn't get this for a long time but I'm starting to understand. They sound a lot like a less glossy Counting Crows, though maybe not as good.

quote:

Originally posted by thetreesgetwheeledaway:
I didn't get this for a long time but I'm starting to understand. They sound a lot like a less glossy Counting Crows, though maybe not as good.

Them's is fighting words. Better watch your step round these parts.

quote:

Originally posted by brighteyes215:

Them's is fighting words. Better watch your step round these parts.

Yeah I know. The similarities are hard to dispute though. I think Finn's lyrics are great but his delivery is lacking something.
I've never understood people's rejection of Counting Crows. I recognize that they've gone to hell recently but This Desert Life is a great Dylanesque record with some beautiful turns of phrase.

quote:

Originally posted by thetreesgetwheeledaway:

The similarities are hard to dispute though.

I dispute them.

It's not that I have anything against the Counting Crows. I own their first two albums, and they're pretty enjoyable. However, I just don't see any similarities. At all. The Hold Steady are not without their influences - you could've named a few mid-80s Minneapolis bands and I would've agreed with you - the Counting Crows just aren't one of them.