Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

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Iowan
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Iowan »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:
Iowan wrote:
Smitty wrote:I've enjoyed the last couple Finn solo records as much as BAGIA and SP, the two best THS records IMO.
"Clear Heart Full Eyes" didn't due much for me, but "Faith in the Future" is an excellent album.

I'd put Separation Sunday ahead of BAGIA as well.

I rank the THS albums as such:
BAGIA
Separation Sunday
Almost Killed Me
Stay Positive
Teeth Dreams
Heaven Is Whenever

Teeth Dreams is a wildly underrated album in my opinion. Most on this board never cared for it, but other than a couple of songs I thought it was a really strong return to form from Heaven Is Whenever (which has about 2-3 songs I still listen to).
I'll tell you the problem for me with recent THS (Teeth Dreams and Heaven is Whenever), they aren't good records particularly but you are right in that they have good songs. I almost never listen to songs, only full, complete albums. Once in a blue moon I'll make a playlist for traveling but that's very rare. BAGIA, Stay Positive and Seperation Sunday crop up in regular rotation 2 or 3 times a year. In contrast Faith in the Future has been a regular listen (at least once a month) since it was released. I really want to catch a show with Franz sitting in. There's no question to me that was the best incarnation of the band.
I tend to listen to full albums at the time of release or discovery, and eventually parse out which songs I prefer. A lot of my listening occurs in a scenario where I'm in machinery for up to 18 hours a day, and I like to build massive playlists that function like personal radio.

I'll go with the album format in the car.

Thus, a bad flow, or an album that has its clunkers all in a row (the cardinal sin of Teeth Dreams) doesn't usually end up going down as a miss for me if the majority of the songs stick with me.

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Vincent
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Vincent »

Looks like THS may be added to the Toronto Turf Festival. Good looking lineup with DBT etc.
Dave

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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by John A Arkansawyer »

Does any other band have quite so many really nicely done fan videos? (As opposed to concert videos, which is a whole other story.) This one is just one of many I looked at this weekend (it has a familiar face about 1:45 in):

The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be

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Clams
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Clams »

Great, great piece about THS, a band that I am FINALLY coming around to.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/isaacfitzgeral ... .hjVE5V4J3
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

Iowan
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Iowan »

Clams wrote:Great, great piece about THS, a band that I am FINALLY coming around to.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/isaacfitzgeral ... .hjVE5V4J3
Enjoy, my friend.

It's not that deep of a rabbit hole, but damn it if it don't rock.

hanklow
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by hanklow »

I own two THS records.
I love Boy & Girls in America...LOVE.
I dislike Teeth Dreams...it all sounds the same to me.

Which record should I try next?

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RolanK
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by RolanK »

hanklow wrote:I own two THS records.
I love Boy & Girls in America...LOVE.
I dislike Teeth Dreams...it all sounds the same to me.

Which record should I try next?
I'd go for Stay Positive
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa

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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by John A Arkansawyer »

RolanK wrote:
hanklow wrote:I own two THS records.
I love Boy & Girls in America...LOVE.
I dislike Teeth Dreams...it all sounds the same to me.

Which record should I try next?
I'd go for Stay Positive
Great record! You really can't go wrong with any of them up to that one. I'd recommend Separation Sunday.

I called my best friend and told him everything that had always worked from, Life's Rich Pageant to Exile on Main Street, had stopped working and I needed something bad. He said either The Dirty South or Separation Sunday. I'd heard TDS and hadn't been blown away--I had to see the ROCK SHOW to really get the records besides SRO--so on my lunch hour, I drove to the store and bought that sucker and started listening to it on the way back. It put the life back in me.
The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be

hanklow
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by hanklow »

Thanks I'll look at picking both of them up.

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schlanky
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by schlanky »

hanklow wrote:Thanks I'll look at picking both of them up.

And after you've worn those out, check out Almost Killed Me. That's my favorite.
Let the outside air in

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cortez the killer
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by cortez the killer »

schlanky wrote:
hanklow wrote:Thanks I'll look at picking both of them up.

And after you've worn those out, check out Almost Killed Me. That's my favorite.
If you own Almost Killed Me, Separation Sunday and Boys & Girls in America, you should be all set with The Hold Steady.
You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
- DPM

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Smitty
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Smitty »

The new Craig Finn solo record is solid.
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.

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RolanK
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by RolanK »

Smitty wrote:The new Craig Finn solo record is solid.
One of my favourite albums this year.
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa

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Clams
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Clams »

RolanK wrote:
Smitty wrote:The new Craig Finn solo record is solid.
One of my favourite albums this year.
Top 5 for sure
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

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Vincent
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Vincent »

cortez the killer wrote:
schlanky wrote:
hanklow wrote:Thanks I'll look at picking both of them up.

And after you've worn those out, check out Almost Killed Me. That's my favorite.
If you own Almost Killed Me, Separation Sunday and Boys & Girls in America, you should be all set with The Hold Steady.
Production values aside, Stay Positive has quite a few killer tracks.
Dave

blackwll
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by blackwll »

SO is THS done? Three years is a long time not to release an album. Is Tab ok? Craig seems quite active.

Edit: Answered my own question. Good news for NY anyway:

"We had so much fun celebrating Boys & Girls In America and the holidays at Brooklyn Bowl last December that we’ve decided to do 4 more shows the same weekend THIS year! MASSIVE NIGHTS is what we're calling this year’s Brooklyn Bowl shows. They will take place Wednesday, November 29 through Saturday, December 2."

I miss this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8ZtgIsKa04

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Vincent
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Vincent »

Unconfirmed rumor has Patterson opening tomorrow nights Brooklyn show.
Dave

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Clams
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by Clams »

Vincent wrote:Unconfirmed rumor has Patterson opening tomorrow nights Brooklyn show.
Consider it confirmed. THS posted it on FB a little while ago.
Everyone needs a friend, everyone needs a fuck

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cortez the killer
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by cortez the killer »

You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
- DPM

John A Arkansawyer
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Re: Artist of the Week 12/6/10: The Hold Steady

Post by John A Arkansawyer »

This is sweet in more ways than one:

The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be

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