Introductory Albums Vol. 1: The Hold Steady
Everything that has made The Hold Steady a band with such a devoted following is present here, and Craig Finn shows why he’s one of the greatest songwriters of this decade.
Separation Sunday: Ive written about Craig Finn, the lead man for The Hold Steady, before. After his band Lifter Puller broke up in the early 00s, The Hold Steady came about. Since 2004s debut album Almost Killed Me, the band has released five studio albums, all of which are great. But if Im recommending the band to anyone, I suggest they start with the same album I did. Separation Sunday was the bands second album, released in 2005. While their debut was a very good album, Separation Sunday is a showcase of everything that makes The Hold Steady what they are. And what they are is a kick-ass bar-rock band. Nearly every song on the album is an anthem, thanks both to the musicianship and the incredible lyricism from Finn. And the lyrics are what really make this album shine. Over the years, Finn has developed a group of characters, all mostly residing in the midwest, who often make terrible decisions, and by the end of it find some sort of redemption or hope. In the opening track Hornets, Hornets, Hornets, were introduced to the setting and the theme of the album: I guess the heavy stuff aint quite at its heaviest/by the time it gets out to suburban Minneapolis. In standout track Your Little Hoodrat Friend, Finn describes exactly what the title suggests, painting the picture of someone that no one would want to deal with. And when he says I aint ever been with your little hoodrat friend/what makes you think Im getting with your little hoodrat friend, the narrator seems to feel the same. Banging Camp is the first mention of one of the recurring characters in The Hold Steadys discography, Holly. And her story is explained in Stevie Nix, with lines like she got screwed up by religion. she got screwed by soccer players/ she got high for the first time in the camps down by the banks of the Mississippi river/ lord to be seventeen forever. The rest of the album dabbles in the hopeless with songs like Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night and Crucifixion Cruise. But the album, as do most from The Hold Steady, ends with a bit of hope. Holly was a hoodrat/ now you finally know that/ shes been disappeared for years/ today she finally came back. So, while I would suggest that you listen to all of The Hold Steadys albums, start with this one. Everything that has made The Hold Steady a band with such a devoted following is present here, and Craig Finn shows why hes one of the greatest songwriters of this decade.