Even though The Hold Steady’s new album Stay Positive has been out awhile and seemingly everyone has already written a review of the album, I figured now would be as good (or bad) a time as any to throw in my two cents. I mean, better late than never, right? And remarkably appropriate for me as well. I wasn’t really an early adopter of The Hold Steady and wasn’t even thrilled with Separation Sunday the first few times I heard it. But then I saw The Hold Steady live and a short while later released Boys & Girls In America. I was sold and have been paying my dues to the church of The Hold Steady ever since.
The band’s fourth full-length, Stay Positive, rockets out of the gate with “Constructive Summer;” a song that references Iggy Pop (“Lust For Life”), Minneapolis punks Dillinger Four (“doublewhiskeycokenoice”), The Clash (“St. Joe Strummer”), and features backing vocals from Lucero’s Ben Nichols. It is the perfect anthem for drinking away these hot summer nights as we who are aging relive our own glory days. Then the opening chords of “Sequestered In Memphis” hit you and you’ll feel like you’re 19 again. The melody takes hold and won’t let go on what is perhaps the most instantly catchy song The Hold Steady have ever written and with the guitars, the brass, and the piano it is f&*$ing magical in a Springsteen-arena-rock sorta way. This is what rock n’ roll is supposed to be.
“One For The Cutters” opens with a harpsichord line from keyboardist Franz Nicolay that made do a double take. It is unlike anything I’ve yet heard from The Hold Steady and a marked expansion of their sonic palette. “…Cutters” is also one of frontman Craig Finn’s most engaging narratives on all of Stay Positive and is most likely a reference to Bloomington, IN and (more specifically) the classic 1979 film Breaking Away. Finn and company then blaze through the rockin’ “Navy Sheets” before slowing it down with “Lord, I’m Discouraged” and giving guitarist Tad Kubler the opportunity to give us a wicked Slash-esqe solo. It’s a song that (like “First Night” from Boys & Girls In America) shows The Hold Steady are at their best when they stoke a slow-burning barroom rock n’roll fire that just begs for the clanking of glasses and drunken conversations as a backdrop.
“Yeah Sapphire” is another by-the-numbers (but still great) Hold Steady rocker that is followed by “Both Crosses” (maybe my least favorite song on Stay Positive) and its desolate and dusty Southwestern meandering. A different feel for the band but not my favorite. The title track (however) picks things up again with an undeniable and thunderous fervor and unforgettable chorus. Finn again shows his age and name-checks his punk roots (“Youth of Today” and “7 Seconds”) and acknowledges that soon “the kids at the shows will have kids of their own.” So true.
From here the album continues to rock and gives us “Magazines” (which again features vocals from Lucero Ben), “Joke About Jamaica” and its nod to the joke that is Led Zeppelin’s “D’Yer Mak’er” before finishing with “Slapped Actress;” a massive rock anthem filled with enough “whoa-ohs” to fill a Volkswagen. And then (depending on which version of the record you bought) there are bonus tracks. Can everyone say album of the year?
Boys & Girls In America was my favorite album of 2006 and even though it wasn’t immediately obvious, this one just might be better. Give this one a few spins and some booze and it will. So if you wanna do this thing right, head out to your favorite watering hole and get a bucket of beers and a few whiskey shots (or whatever). Get a copy of Stay Positive on the jukebox and bully it until you get thrown out.
MP3 | The Hold Steady – Sequestered In Memphis Stay Positive
MP3 | The Hold Steady – Slapped Actress Stay Positive
Related posts:
- Review: The Hold Steady – Boys And Girls In America (or) in new england during the autumn
- Review: Bullets To Broadway – Drink Positive (or) a size or two too small
- Review: Smoking Popes – Stay Down
- Review: The Hourly Radio – History Will Never Hold Me (or) when seeing isn’t always believing
- My Favorite Albums Of The 2000’s
Speaking of late, I just read your review of a CD I bought a week or so after it was released. I too, believe it’s always better late than never.
I’m hoping you can help me out, too. I see Patterson Hood from the Drive-By Truckers got credit in the liner notes, but I can’t figure out which song he’s performing in. I admit I haven’t listened to it intently enough.