The new Hold Steady album kinda blows.

[KickTheBobo]

first off, lemme say that I really, really wanted to get into this band. It's been many years since I really connected with a musical act, and when my pal recommended that I check these guys out, I gave them a shot. I spent a few months listening to the first two albums, and caught them live once but they just didn't fully capture my heart. Don't get me wrong, they have songs that I absolutely LOVE to death, and Separation Sunday is almost a perfect album imo, but man: these last two full-lengths are kinda lame. Sure, they have some killer tunes on there, but then there is a lot of just weird hokey shit too.

I would say, at best, they are delivering the goods maybe 62% of the time. Sure, that 62% is pretty amazing stuff, but does that make up for the lameness?

I guess I'm just discouraged because it doesn't seem like I can "love" bands the way I used to. Is that a getting old and jaded thing?

that said, "Constructive Summer" is an awesome driving song.

any thoughts?

[jamesp]

I think each album has gotten worse than the last. Almost Killed Me and Separation Sunday are both awesome but I never really dug the third album. I love a few songs off this new album but there are some that are really lame (isn't there one with a harpsichord?).

[Gilly]

I love One For the Cutters.

[chrisfoll577]

I really enjoyed Stay Positive when I first heard it, although I don't think it gets better with multiple listens... in fact, I think it gets rather tiresome. 

I want to really like The Hold Steady, Craig Finn and I have a lot in common (he's also Comm major from a Jesuit College and a practicing Catholic) and when he sings about theological concepts set against his booze-soaked Purgatory like in Separation Sunday and this new album, he's already won me over.  I'm also a sucker for the countless lyrical callbacks (Mississippi River, Ybor City etc.).  I just can't get myself as excited about this band as seemingly a whole lot of people do.

I do agree that they don't seem to bring it musically some of the time... I'd be happier with the band if they made more songs like 'Killer Parties' and less like 'Navy Sheets'.

[todd]

I really enjoyed Stay Positive when I first heard it, although I don't think it gets better with multiple listens... in fact, I think it gets rather tiresome. 

I want to really like The Hold Steady, Craig Finn and I have a lot in common (he's also Comm major from a Jesuit College and a practicing Catholic) and when he sings about theological concepts set against his booze-soaked Purgatory like in Separation Sunday and this new album, he's already won me over.  I'm also a sucker for the countless lyrical callbacks (Mississippi River, Ybor City etc.).  I just can't get myself as excited about this band as seemingly a whole lot of people do.

I do agree that they don't seem to bring it musically some of the time... I'd be happier with the band if they made more songs like 'Killer Parties' and less like 'Navy Sheets'.

I really like The Hold Steady when they do big, dumb rock songs. Sometimes they are a little cheesy though (the opening of Southtown Girls, the weird synth sounding thing in Navy Sheets, the opening of One for the Cutters). I love their live shows though.

[chrisfoll577]

I really like The Hold Steady when they do big, dumb rock songs. Sometimes they are a little cheesy though (the opening of Southtown Girls, the weird synth sounding thing in Navy Sheets, the opening of One for the Cutters). I love their live shows though.

I love the big dumb rock songs too, I think they contrast well with Finn's talk-singing and the somewhat poetic lyrics, I just think 'Navy Sheets' goes a little bit too far.

I agree about their live shows, their Pitchfork set was the highlight of the festival for me.

[gravy boat]

I too really loved Separation Sunday.  But they changed producers after that album to a more hook-laden, power rock kind of guy. I liked them better when their songs were more ragged.

[AaronC]

I would say, at best, they are delivering the goods maybe 62% of the time.

This sums up my feelings on this band perfectly.  Bottom line, they're a good, sometimes great, rock band. 

[Emily]

What's this? Bobo doesn't like something that's new? Shocking!

[Andy]

I wanted to like them until I saw them live.  It was in about a 50 person venue and I really, really enjoyed it.  Now I would say that I like them, although I haven't listened to their new album more than just having it on in the background.

[Phantom Hugger]

I guess I'm just discouraged because it doesn't seem like I can "love" bands the way I used to. Is that a getting old and jaded thing?

Sounds like you may be ready to down shift into the Randy Newman catalog.

[Jan.]

I never heard the albums but I saw them at the Pitchfork Festival.

I didn't like them. At all.

[samir]

Constructive Summer remains my favourite song of 2008.
Beat it, musicians of the world, I dare you.

[dave from knoxville]

I guess I'm just discouraged because it doesn't seem like I can "love" bands the way I used to. Is that a getting old and jaded thing?

Sounds like you may be ready to down shift into the Randy Newman catalog.

http://www.lexapro.com/

[Steve of Bloomington]

I guess I'm just discouraged because it doesn't seem like I can "love" bands the way I used to. Is that a getting old and jaded thing?

Sounds like you may be ready to down shift into the Randy Newman catalog.

Leon Redbone, yo!