http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/15/ew.review.holdsteady/index.html

Review: 'Stay Positive' is nearly perfect
Story Highlights
Hold Steady's new album hit file-sharing sites seven weeks early

Band added three bonus tracks to the CD, to be released July 15

Frontman Craig Finn writes rich, often dark, occasionally hopeful songs

Weird storytelling keeps it from being classic-rock pastiche, reviewer says

I'm sure there is a Crap/Not Crap for these guys but
i didn't want to use the search engine.

I've heard one song by these guys
and that was enough for me

The first record was alrightish. Bit like Lifter Puller crossed with Meatloaf or something. I hated the second album enough to give up completely. Their schtick is amusing for one or two songs and then it's like "well, what else have you got?" Sadly they don't got nothing.

Also, their singer dude isn't very funny. Granted, he tries and about one in twenty times he delivers. That's not a good ratio.

It's pretty good party music, but nothing imporatn, moving or groundbreaking.

The live show was off the charts good the first time i saw them (3 years ago?), but has been getting steadily boring (the same every time) since.

I like them. Not a lot, but I do like them enough to listen to their records occasionally.

I liked Seperation Sunday, but the record after that was too over produced for my tastes. Also, Craig Finn sounds better when he's speak-singing instead of trying to actually sing.

Crap.

saw them from backstage once because a friend was opening for them. they were dreadful, and they must have played for 90 minutes. they did the thing where the drummer played the same beat for 10 minutes and they each got a solo, including the fuckin organ guy. singer then gave some trite monologue about sense of community/stayin' positive/etc.

someone on here once dubbed them 'springsteen meets jawbreaker' and i find that dead-on, except neither of those artists are as bad.

I saw them a few years at the STRONG urging of friends. I lasted about three songs - hated them and hated most of their fans even more.

The band was on fire, but in that flaming bag of dog-shit on your stoop kind of way. Like clever Billy Joel for hipsters or something.

Opened for them twice, and BOTH times the singer says to the crowd, as a voice-over during a song, "The love in this room is so strong," and the crowds erupt in applause. I guess he does that at every show, like it's part of the song but people think he's actually talking to them.

Are we sheep? This band makes me want to vomit.

ontrane wrote:Opened for them twice, and BOTH times the singer says to the crowd, as a voice-over during a song, "The love in this room is so strong," and the crowds erupt in applause. I guess he does that at every show, like it's part of the song but people think he's actually talking to them.

Oh shit! that's exactly what he said when i saw him at the Metro! hilarious.

maybe it's supposed to be a verse or something and they overdub applause on the record..