The Hold Steady: New Album, Pitchfork Love, DC Live Date

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As much as I love their 2005 release, Separation Sunday, the new album is better. It's scary when you think about how good this band is, and also how unique the sound is. Lyrically they are peerless. Peerless in the sense that no one is writing songs like they are - in true American storyteller fashion. Boys And Girls In America is a rollercoaster of emotions, from depression to inebriation, to happy-go-lucky party mode. It takes you from the track out to Minneapolis and back to the bar. It gets you high and brings you out on the town with the boys and girls.

Lead singer Craig Finn relates some of the themes from the album at Vagrant Records:

"Well, Boys and Girls in America comes from Kerouac. In On the Road he says, "Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together." The record is kind of about love and guys and girls and relationships. Most of the songs go back to that. But that’s an umbrella-you can do a lot of things within that. The songs are a little more self-contained. They don’t relate as much to each other but all go back to this one big thing."

That one big thing is relationships, as told through the eyes and ears and hearts of the boys and girls. They are fantastic stories, fantastic songs, and simply put, fun. It has an enjoyable, party/sing-along feel that is rarely seen in a top-to-bottom quality record. It is a rare achievement, and worth every penny. In addition to Finn's everyman delivery, Kubler's explosive guitar work, and Franz Nicolay's steady work on the keys - which has come to form The Hold Steady's trademark sound - you can expect guest vocals from Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum), Elizabeth Elmore (The Reputation), and Dana Kletter (Dear Enemy).

While it isn't surprising that Pitchfork gave them their highest mark of the year (9.4) for this album, it is a little surprising that Pitchfork's link is the only non-commercial link listed at their album stream. As much as I don't want to be suspicious, because the album is great, I am suspicious. JK drew my attention to it (look lower left corner) early in the week. It would be one thing if the link posted pointed you to the review of the new record, something that bands frequently do when they receive a good write-up, but the link goes to Pitchfork's homepage. It all seems a little strange. I'm not going to think too hard about it, but I thought it was worth mentioning. The album, in the end, speaks for itself. What Vagrant decides to do, as a label, is another, separate entity, I guess.

MP3: The Hold Steady - "First Night"
MP3: The Hold Steady - "Hot Soft Light"

Tour Dates of Note
Nov 22 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw (Constantines support)
Nov 24 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's
Nov 25 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat