I haven’t listened to the new album, but my colleague Tito Perez has, finding it “disappointing listening on the first pass.” Now I’m even more curious and will give it a few listens over the weekend.
Also of note: The Hold Steady Guide to the Twin Cities.
After three or four passes, I’ve become a fan of the new album.
It took me half a dozen attempts to fall in love with Separation Sunday. But once again with Boys and Girls, I was hooked once I picked up the over-arching story.
It takes a little work, but you’ll get it. When you start singing the choruses on the train and cranking the fast songs in the morning, that’s when the Hold Steady works their magic.
I liked their first album, didn’t like their second, and am now gun shy about the third. But on retrospect, it took me a lot of listens of the first album before it really clicked for me.
If you like the Hold Steady, you might like Matthew Ryan or his new band Strays Don’t Sleep. Not quite as loud as Hold Steady, but equally boozy, sad, angry at America, angry at that girl, angry at yourself…good stuff.
disappointing only in that i have the HIGHEST expectations from this band. It willl probably still end up in my year end tops list. …