"The '80s almost killed me," admits the Hold Steady's Craig Finn on "Positive Jam," one of ten ock & roll confessionals on the band's debut. That sets the tone for the rest of Almost Killed Me, as Finn reveals a lifestyle that included a "skater phase," a "raver phase," and a "razor blade phase." His lamentations are the appropriate voice for the band's debut, which sets out to recapture the glory of classic American ock and early indie rock. With rugged guitar riffs and solos and Finn's half-sung, scratchy voice, the Hold Steady mostly succeed, easily recalling the classic ock of early Bruce Springsteen or the sincerity of latter-day Hüsker Dü. When he's not remembering the parties and acting like "a Twin Cities trash bin," he reacts to the corruption of today's youth. Finn may seem like a fish out of water at this point, but having survived a self-indulgent life, his lyrics, as well as the Hold Steady's back-to-basics ock, are ironically welcoming.
The Hold Steady are now officially trendy (every major mag including Time & Newsweek have profiled them. My dad asked me about them. Need more proof?) and I couldn't be happier.I had never even heard of The Hold Steady until Jenny Tatone mogged about them a while back (Thanks Jenny). After reading about them I was intrigued but didn't have access to their catalog until recently and I say to a...
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I just thought it was a good afternoon for some Hold Steady wisdom.A thousand kids will fall in love in all these clubs tonight...
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Happy Birthday America!! You look good for a 232yr old. I know the last 8 years have been brutal on you, and have aged you at an unnatural rate, but I tink(I hope, I pray) you'll be ok..stay postive.
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"Right now, no band displays the ranting soul, haunted heart or diseased liver of the American rock myth with more truth and empathy than the Hold Steady."
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A song about loving songs. This holiday season, I am SO thankful for the Hold Steady.
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It's been a long time, Mog. I have been busy with a young kid and a new job, at an alt-weekly in Minneapolis.A piece I did on The Hold Steady just went up here.You'll find all kinds of web content, including an interactive map, here.
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The Hold Steady are now officially trendy (every major mag including Time & Newsweek have profiled them. My dad asked me about them. Need more proof?) and I couldn't be happier.I had never even heard of The Hold Steady until Jenny Tatone mogged about them a while back (Thanks Jenny). After reading about them I was intrigued but didn't have access to their catalog until recently and I say to a...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Positive Jam |
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| 2 The Swish |
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| 3 Barfruit Blues |
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| 4 Most People Are DJs |
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| 5 Certain Songs |
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| 6 Knuckles |
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| 7 Hostile, Mass. |
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| 8 Sketchy Metal |
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| 9 Sweet Payne |
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| 10 Killer Parties |
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© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "Almost Killed Me")
