If you've never heard of The Hold Steady or if you've heard of them but never listened to their music, I highly recommend you check them out. I suppose they would be described as indie rock, but I just consider them a rock and roll band.
I first heard of them in an article in Esquire (I think) in 2004 or 2005, listing albums put out since 2000 that everyone should own (or something like that), and The Hold Steady's debut album, Almost Killed Me, was on the list. I can't remember the exact phrasing, but it said you would like the band if you're into AC/DC and read a lot. I didn't read a lot, but I was certainly into AC/DC, so I decided to check them out. By the time I read the article, the band had just released their second album, 2005's Separation Sunday. I bought that, and it was unlike anything I had ever heard before. Lead singer Craig Finn was half-singing, half-talking these intricate and interesting lyrics about religion, drugs, teenagers, and recurring characters, on top of rock riffs. I then bought Almost Killed Me, and it was more of the same.
I've also seen them described as the best bar band in the world. I'm not sure that's totally accurate, but it paints a decent enough picture of what the band is all about. Lead singer Craig Finn and guitarist Tad Kubler handle most of the songwriting, crafting intricate, amazing, Springsteen-esque stories about drugs, booze, strange characters, religion, Midwestern teenage life, growing up, and being past your prime. On top of that, they are one of the best live bands out there. I've never seen them put on a bad show, and they always seem like they're having a good time. When Craig Finn tells the crowd "there is so much joy in what we do up here" -- as he does at most shows -- you have to believe him.
2006's Boys and Girls in America is my favorite Hold Steady album. The band made an opus to the ups and downs of young love. In 2016, the band did a special deluxe tenth anniversary release of the album, including the splattered vinyl you see above. The vinyl version included a second LP with unreleased tracks on one side and demos on the other. For purposes of this exercise, I'll be picking a favorite song from both sides of the actual album, as well as a favorite song from Side 3 (the unreleased songs), but not Side 4 (demos).
Favorite song from Side 1: "Stuck Between Stations"
This is the first song off of the album, and the band often starts off shows with this one. It's a clever, rollicking song. It's Springsteen-esque in its sound, but uniquely Hold Steady in its lyrics. I've always like the blunt humor of the line "There was that night we thought John Berryman could fly / But he didn't, so he died." Berryman was a famous and influential poet who, in 1972, plunged to his death off of the Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis onto the banks of the Mississippi River. And I also love the following stanza: "She was a really cool kisser / And she wasn't all that strict of a Christian / She was a damn good dancer / But she wasn't all that great of a girlfriend." Things to think about when picking a mate, kids.
Favorite song from Side 2: "Massive Nights"
This is my favorite Hold Steady song. From the opening drum rat-a-tat, it smacks of mischief. It's about getting blasted and going to a school dance, with a groovy bassline and sneaky little organ snippets. It represents everything I love about The Hold Steady –- interesting lyrics, good energy, and a raucous, sing-along chorus. I love hearing it through speakers, and even more, I love hearing it live.
Favorite song from Side 3: "For Boston"
I think all of the unreleased tracks on Side 3 deserved to be on the album, but no one consulted me, so here we are. I love "Girls Like Status" -- and its universal truth that "guys go for looks / girls go for status" -- but I'm picking "For Boston," a solid rock song that references "Shamrock Shakes and Oxycontin." While I don't plan on becoming acquainted with Oxycontin, I very much love Shamrock Shakes.
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