The Hold Steady-- Boys and Girls in America

[Josh]

It was an easy choice for me. Sure, it's not as "arty" as stuff like, say, Return to Cookie Mountian, or Ships, but I think it's immensely more listenable than either of those albums (and I love both of those albums). But what I love about Boys and Girls, I think, is that while it is very listenable, very broad in its appeal, it's also smart, sophisticated, complex, and bold. It manages to be great art, great rock and roll, and a great party album all at the same time-- no easy feat.

[bloop]

I tend to favor that which is brazenly ambitious, perhaps even "difficult", but I don't really disagree with you.  I would probably find myself listening to this one more than TV on the Radio - it just fits more moods and makes fewer people in my house want to kill me - but I'm not sure it implies that I should rank it higher, if that makes sense.

Of course, another problem is that my listening stack is high enough that I'm listening to all of them, but giving none of them the time and repeated listens they really need to sink.  I'm similarly excited about the album, though, so that should say something.

[Josh]

Currently, this album is #4 on the MetaCritic list, with a 91%-- just one point below The Decemberists and two points above Bob Dylan.

Listening to it yesterday afternoon, I think I loved it more than ever. It really does get better and better-- I laughed out loud yesterday when I observed for the first time that "Massive Nights" almost sounds like some strange, surreal high school prom number from an alternate universe. Kinda fitting, huh?

[bloops]

two points above Bob Dylan.

Yeah.  That critic on the bottom was retarded, for lack of a better word.

[BecauseEdwardISEdward]

I just picked up the recent Paste Magazine, where Hot Soft Light is on the CD. I think a few more CDs, and you should have a working knowledge of how to get around Minneapolis and the rest of the Twin Cities. I live about 5 minutes from the Northtown Mall (next to where I got the magazine), and Rainbow Foods is within walking distance from my house. I'm being stalked.

Otherwise, I like the song, and most else of what I've heard of The Hold Steady -- Craig's former band Lifter Puller was a mainstay on college radio here.

[murlough23]

Ugh. I hate this album. The lead singer's rambling just doesn't do it for me at all. Every time I listen to it I just want to shake the guy and shout, "Shut up about your drinking, shut up about your drugs, and shut up about Jesus!" Sorry guys, but I'm gonna have to go against the critical majority with this one.

[bloop]

Yeah, that's the other common response to them, though.

[murlough23]

Yeah, that's the other common response to them, though.

Really? Now I don't feel so weird.

NP: "Firefly", Over the Rhine

[Brenden]

I was about to revive this thread because something about the album has me wondering.

Where does "First Night" fit in relation to the previous album? Are these the same characters, or what?

[NinjaRob17]

Ugh. I hate this album. The lead singer's rambling just doesn't do it for me at all. Every time I listen to it I just want to shake the guy and shout, "Shut up about your drinking, shut up about your drugs, and shut up about Jesus!" Sorry guys, but I'm gonna have to go against the critical majority with this one.

That makes two of us. The only song that I can moderately tolerate is "Same Kooks". The rest just has no appeal toward me.

[starhawk]

This album has grown on me immensely.  It didn't stand out to me at first because it isn't as arty as some of the other great rock records from last year, but I have found Boys and Girls to be the most consistent one (rock records or otherwise).  I love every track.  Straight through.  There is only one other record that can attest that from last year, Detrola, which is currently my favorite record from 2006.  That's it.

...but the lyrics, though written very well, do not connect with me much, being a boy in America who is neither a drunk nor a druggy...I liked his story-telling style from Seperation Sunday better. 

[bloop]

It's certainly talking about a culture of boys and girls in this country of which most of us are not and were not a part.  I think it's well-told from that perspective, though.  As a teacher, I can attest to the drama being similar. 

I immediately loved the guitar work on the album.  Everything else lined up after that.

[murlough23]

It's certainly talking about a culture of boys and girls in this country of which most of us are not and were not a part.  I think it's well-told from that perspective, though.  As a teacher, I can attest to the drama being similar. 

I immediately loved the guitar work on the album.  Everything else lined up after that.

I'm sure it tells a story that is very true for some people. I won't hold it against the album critically just because I can't relate, even if that does decrease my personal enjoyment a bit. My main gripe is the vocals. They're a total turnoff to me.

NP: "Come Right Out and Say It", Relient K

[bloop]

The vocals are a large part of the reason I like it as much as I do, but I tend to like different approaches more often than most people.  In this case, the vocals serve the music, which is always my primary concern.

[murlough23]

The vocals are a large part of the reason I like it as much as I do, but I tend to like different approaches more often than most people.  In this case, the vocals serve the music, which is always my primary concern.

My primary concern with vocals is that I can understand most of what's being said and that what I'm hearing don't irritate the *#^%! out of me. Oh well, one out of two ain't bad.

I'm all for "different approaches", but if a sound which irritates me continues to do so no matter how much I get used to it, there comes a point where I know my response to it isn't going to change.

NP: "Dance, Dance Christa Paffgen", Anberlin