Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By The Hold Steady, Maric Media/Destroy All Lines 2019.
It never ceases to amaze the number of times I come across a band that has been around for a long time, released a number of top selling albums, developed a strong world-wide fan base and yet they are totally new to me.
That’s the case with The Hold Steady who hail from Brooklyn, New York.
They formed in 2003, have released seven critically lauded albums and performed in all 50 US states as well as touring extensively throughout Canada, Europe and three tours of Australia.
They are an interesting band. Their sound is a mix of indie rock, Bruce Springsteen and Weddings Parties Anything (WPA), and they really came to prominence with their 2006 release Boys And Girls in America via Vagrant Records.
That album was ranked #8 on Rolling Stone’s Best Albums of 2006 and charted in the Billboard Top 200.
They followed it up in 2008 with another top charting album, Stay Positive, which reached #30 on the Billboard chart and #15 in the UK.
These are the two albums that they will be playing in their entirety on consecutive nights on their Australian tour in May 2020.
At this stage they have released three dates: Friday May 22 at the Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne – which has already sold out; Saturday May 23 at the same venue and Sunday May 24 at the Corner Hotel, also in Melbourne. I don’t know if any other dates are planned.
The strength of The Hold Steady is their songwriting. Their songs are like mini short stories, hence the comparison to Springsteen and WPA.
Listening to Boys And Girls in America and Stay Positive introduces us to a cast of sad sack loners, the broken hearted and downtrodden, who may be beaten down by life but they’re still defiant. It’s this grittiness and defiance that make their songs so interesting.
I’m pleased that I’ve come across this band. If you want to see them when they tour, I suggest you book early.
