The Hold Steady Band • Page 7

Yea. The first four are a class (or two) above the other 2. I think HiW was some exceptional songs on it, and it’s pretty underrated, but it’s got some meh tracks as well. Teeth Dreams is good! But it’s a pretty safe THS record (“Oaks” is sick though)

 

Okay my list would be:

Separation Sunday (probably in my all time top 10)
Boys and Girls in America
Stay Positive
Almost Killed Me
Teeth Dreams
Heaven is Whenever

I still like the bottom three a lot. I gave Almost Killed Me the nod because that has one of the all-time great opener/closer track combos. Maybe the best ever on a debut album.
Teeth Dreams over Heaven is Whenever because the Teeth Dreams A side is great, then it drops off, but Oaks closes the album on a high note.
Heaven is Whenever has their best song since Stay Positive (The Weekenders). I also like Sweet Part of the City and We Can Get Together. I just don't rate the rest of that album nearly as highly.

 

Agreed, Oaks is a true standout.

 

Stay Positive is kind of bloated for me. I like it, but I struggle to get through it in one sitting. Teeth Dreams is amazing for the first half and then crashes off a cliff. Heaven is actually pretty stacked with great songs. Would be better with Franz, but that’s really the only thing I’d change about it. Boys & Girls is their best by a lot for me, though.

 

Blackout Sam is one of the coolest songs these guys have written

 

Separation Sunday will always be my favorite.

 

Yeah I pretty much agree with this. This band needs the keys. The new songs I've heard are a return to form.

 

Can't wait to listen.

 

haven't listened to Denver Haircut since it came out and man it still rocks. such a perfect Hold Steady line:

it doesn't have to be pure, it doesn't have to be perfect
just sorta has to be worth it

 

so much of this is just like...archetypical hold steady in every way. like this is exactly a hold steady album and nothing more or less. it's everything that they do boiled down to only the essentials.

i think it's a good thing. it's fun. i don't think it has the highs of Teeth Dreams but it's definitely more consistent. I do kind of miss the magical kind of adrenaline rush that i got from songs like "Spinners" or "Oaks" but these are all good songs.

keep in mind that i hadn't listened to any of the stand alone singles so all of this is new to me so it's not like i've actually literally heard it before lol.

 

Does this website not like the hold steady anymore or what?

 

I’ve only listened to the new one once straight through, and all the singles a handful of times but there’s just something that doesn’t quite click with their new stuff for me.

The songs are all good, but just seem kind of watered down or something. I can’t put my finger on what it is though

 

I think that it's (for lack of a better word) diminished because some of these songs have been out for a while now. Entitlement Crew was released in what, 2017? So in that sense, this feels like a collection of singles and loosies. Not that it's bad, I enjoy the release a lot, but it doesn't feel like a traditional album to me.

 

So happy I've managed to almost completely stay away from all the singles over the last few years, hype to see how this comes together as a record

 

Somehow have never listened to this band before this week. Thoroughly enjoyed Boys and Girls in America.

 

Yeah, I think I listened to "Entitlement Crew" when it first came out, but I've mostly stayed away from the various single releases. I think this is pretty good and coheres pretty well! It's interesting: I do miss the ambition of Heaven is Whenever and Teeth Dreams, and this release feels almost...unnecessary after how good Craig's solo album this year turned out, but it's hard to complain. It's just great to have a new Hold Steady album in my life.

 

Album is pretty dang fun.

Laughed out loud at the zeppelin line.

 

This album kicks

 

"blackout sam" is a great song

 

I wasn't so psyched because as someone who had the singles in regular rotation, this just felt like an EP release to me.

But man all of these songs are bangers and Entitlement Crew is a great side-b opener and Confusion the perfect closer.

God this so good.
Also, Epaulets holy shit.

 

rest of the album is already a grower (i didn't hear any of the songs beforehand)

 

Yea it’s great. I’d say their best record since Stay Positive. But I’m lower on HiW than a lot of people.

 

nah i'd agree with that, and i love heaven

 

This is easily their best album since Stay Positive. Super, super happy with this, start to finish.

The keys being back makes a huge difference but Craig sound energized and happy too.

Read an article where Craig said the last two albums, the band sounds too serious, or "not fun"......I think a very good point, and this is a return to FUN

 

The horns are a very welcome return too