Some folks listen to their favorite old rock tunes and wonder why nobody writes them like that anymore; others — like the members of Brooklyn-based rock band the Hold Steady — do something about it. Without regard to charts or trends, the five-piece group specializes in blasts of classic-sounding guitar rock that blend arena-sized riffs with bar-band enthusiasm. Rather than simply serve as rock revivalists though, the band uses its riffs to power songs full of very up-to-date, sharply observed storytelling.
After relocating from Minneapolis to New York in 2000, ex-Lifter Puller bandmates Craig Finn and Tad Kubler decided to move away from the angular indie-rock of their previous band, and Finn began writing songs that reflected an earthy, slice-of-street-life sensibility similar to that of Bruce Springsteen, Paul Westerberg or Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott. With Finn again taking the role of frontman and bassist Kubler moving to lead guitar, the Hold Steady were born (the band’s lineup currently includes bassist Galen Polivka, drummer Bobby Drake, and keyboardist Franz Nicolay).
In 2004, the band released its debut album, Almost Killed Me, a work that earned the band a great deal of critical acclaim. That was followed in 2005 with Separation Sunday, a concept album of sorts that in following the misadventures of some down-and-out street characters was able to examine themes of sex, drugs, and religious and/or rock and roll salvation. Some of those characters’ stories were picked up on the band’s third album, Boys And Girls in America, which ranked #8 on Rolling Stone’s list of the Best Albums of 2006. The Hold Steady worked with producer John Agnello to complete its fourth album, Stay Positive, released in the summer of 2008.
Provenance: Brooklyn, New York
Latest Release: Stay Positive (2008)
© 2008 Nigel Music Media LLC. Used by permission.
The Hold Steady
