Topic: Stay Positive (Read 13440 times)

pat101 · « **on:** 25 May 2008, 21:27 »

Alright, it's been briefly discussed in the mediafire thread a few times but I'm ofthe opinion the new Hold Steady album is "oh-my-dear-lord" amazing

your thoughts?

mberan42 · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 May 2008, 21:50 »

ROCKS

Helpless Rock · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 May 2008, 23:02 »

Is that a fucking harpsichord on "One For The Cutters" or what? It sounds like a harpsichord. Is it a harpsichord?

Over all it's pretty awesome. But that's typically what The Hold Steady do.

pig nash · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 May 2008, 23:10 »

I quite like it on first listen, on to the second. Although, I could go for less backing vocals.

ImRonBurgundy? · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 May 2008, 02:22 »

I am quite loving it.

Caspian · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 May 2008, 06:31 »

2/10.

Not that I've actually listened to it; but this is an indie rock band we're talking about.

Inlander · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 May 2008, 07:26 »

Oh Caspian, you scamp!

valley_parade · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 May 2008, 07:30 »

I dunno. I haven't gotten it yet, but with all this hype, I have a feeling I might be let down.

Johnny C · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 May 2008, 09:19 »

Still no Separation Sunday, but better than Boys & Girls In America so it's pretty close. "Both Crosses" = WTF

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 May 2008, 21:42 »

"Both Crosses" is one of the best songs on the album.

I listened to it pretty nonstop for a couple days. Earlier tonight I listened again and realised it's not quite as good as I had been thinking. In particular I got a better understanding of people who have been saying some of the lyrics are dodgy, especially the opening of the title track. Whether it's intentionally like that or not, I don't know, but boy, those are some really effort-less lines.

8/10

imapiratearg · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 May 2008, 21:49 »

I don't know, Johnny. Maybe Separation Sunday has to grow on me or something, but I think I like Boys and Girls In America best. Stay Positive is pretty sweet as far as I can tell, but some of the songs are kind of quirky and there isn't as much awesome licks as there were on previous albums. Of course, I've only listened to it once, and that was a couple of days ago, so I may not be remembering correctly.

I will say, Separation Sunday had some really sweet tracks on it.

ImRonBurgundy? · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 May 2008, 23:20 »

Separation Sunday is the apex of Hold Steady albums. That said, this album is still really great.

Johnny C · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 May 2008, 00:30 »

Quote from: zerodrone on 26 May 2008, 21:42

"Both Crosses" is one of the best songs on the album.

Oh yeah, it just came out of nowhere for me.

Ishotdanieljohnston · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 May 2008, 06:30 »

No guys, this is seriously THE best...

The sixteen or seventeen listens I've given it these past few days have confirmed this theory in my mind.

Kyros · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 May 2008, 06:42 »

I really really really like it. Not as much as I loved Boys and Girls in America though, maybe it hasn't hit me yet.

Oh and I'm really sick of the "There's gonna come a time when she's gonna have to go with whoever's gonna get her the highest" line.

TheFuriousWombat · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 May 2008, 09:30 »

Is it weird that, despite being pretty into the whole "indie rock" thing, I really do not enjoy, and never have enjoyed, anything THS has done?

De_El · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 May 2008, 09:45 »

If one were to try and claim there's any unifying aesthetic to indie rock, THS wouldn't be it. It's basically what everyone's said about them: they're a bar band with really clever lyrics. Maybe you should try listening to 'em drunk.

imapiratearg · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 May 2008, 11:19 »

I like his voice. Even if he does slur drunkenly ~~on the first couple of albums~~.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 May 2008, 11:41 »

Yeah I wouldn't really even put this band in the indie rock category. They're a rock band, that's all. They draw more from Bruce Springsteen than anything else. Especially now that the keyboard player is a full time member of the band.

mfpole · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 May 2008, 14:31 »

Do you know if that means he dropped out from the World Inferno/Friendship society too?

ImRonBurgundy? · « **Reply #20 on:** 28 May 2008, 17:12 »

No, he still plays with them when he can, I think.

Thrillho · « **Reply #21 on:** 02 Jun 2008, 09:19 »

I didn't know they'd finished the album. When's it out?

pig nash · « **Reply #22 on:** 03 Jun 2008, 01:48 »

July I think.

Shadows Collide · « **Reply #23 on:** 03 Jun 2008, 01:55 »

I think the file has been removed from the internet on mediafire.

AnonymousNoob · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 Jan 2009, 19:37 »

I kind of always get kind of bummed out when Lord, I'm Discouraged sounds like it's going to end.

But then it keeps going for a bit and it's awesome.

I think this is a reasonable reason to revive an old topic such as this.

AnonymousNoob · « **Reply #25 on:** 18 Jan 2009, 20:38 »

Hm, perhaps I should have devoted an entire thread to a single thought.

Next time!

Spluff · « **Reply #26 on:** 18 Jan 2009, 21:40 »

Or, you could just not post it!

DarkAvenger · « **Reply #27 on:** 18 Jan 2009, 22:14 »

If you really needed to type that thought up there is a great place to do it. I believe it's called Microsoft Word.

AnonymousNoob · « **Reply #28 on:** 18 Jan 2009, 23:59 »

Fair enough, you guys are harshing my mellow.

STAY NEGATIVE, M'RITE.

Tom · « **Reply #29 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 00:31 »

Inlander · « **Reply #30 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 00:34 »

Man, I can never understand why you people don't just ignore a thread instead of getting all pissy about it.

David_Dovey · « **Reply #31 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 00:55 »

That's OK I wanted to talk about Stay Positive as well.

I listened to it this morning, and I listened to it a couple of weeks ago when I was driving down to the Southbound festival. The first two tracks of this album are amazing psyche-up music. I got so much shit done today because of it.

ImRonBurgundy? · « **Reply #32 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 02:00 »

Any love for the three bonus tracks? "Two-Handed Handshake" is a great great song.

Inlander · « **Reply #33 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 03:59 »

I haven't listened to Stay Positive in ages, but I'm pretty sure "Two-Handed Handshake" is my favourite song on the whole disc. And it's not even meant to be there.

LukeSimm · « **Reply #34 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 05:32 »

I don't like it. *hides*

The lead singers voice just seems to grate on me, and the songs just seem pretty generic. Like nothing that hasn't been done before.

I hear they are good lyricaly, but to pay more attention to the lyrics would be to pay more attention to the vocals, and urgh. As I've already said, his voice is just really grating. Don't know what it is, but there really is something I don't like about them.

So... in short, *hides from the onslaught and protects his music badge from being taken away from him*

--- Luke

GMM · « **Reply #35 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 11:28 »

I fuckin' love the Hold Steady and was listening to this one for the first time in months this morning. I always think I like it less than the preceeding three but I actually like it just as much.

I adore Craig's voice and lyrics both and I guess you could dismiss the music as generic throwback rock but really, that'd be silly. There's lots of really great guitarwork and yes, awesome awesome lyrics that would make them worth listening to even if it sounded like Conor Oberst singing over a child beating up a ukelele.

imapiratearg · « **Reply #36 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 11:51 »

I totally agree with Dovey. "Constructive Summer" gets me so pumped. It also reminds me of That 70's Show. "We're gonna lean this ladder up against the water tower / climb up to the top and drink and talk." Also the gang vocals. SO AWESOME.

Also, the solo on "Lord, I'm Discouraged" fucking slays.

GMM · « **Reply #37 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 12:09 »

Quote from: imapiratearg on 19 Jan 2009, 11:51

Also, the solo on "Lord, I'm Discouraged" fucking slays.

It's such a big dumb solo and yet done so earnestly that you can't help but love it. [Also good for silly solo-ness: Joke About Jamaica]

This album just came to and end I remembred again how much I love the the backing vocals staying up over the fadeout. WOOOOAH OH, WOOAHOH etc.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #38 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 15:05 »

I think that one bonus track ("Ask Her for Some Adderol"? it doesn't say on the CD case) is really awesome.

More awesome than a couple songs on the album proper.

GMM · « **Reply #39 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 15:35 »

I think all three of the bonus tracks are as good as the main record, espescially Two-Handed Handshake.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #40 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 15:40 »

ITT: Hold Steady express their opinions on downloading leaked albums by intentionally leaving 3 songs that they absolutely knew should have been on there off until the physical release.

See also: Dear Science, "deluxe edition".

GMM · « **Reply #41 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 15:50 »

Well, the difference being those TVOTR tracks weren't... Actually the one I've heard WAS good enough to be on the album. Damn, yr right. I've only heard Dogs of Light I think of the bonus tracks. [Good work, various digital stores on mislabelling the bonus tracks there]

AnonymousNoob · « **Reply #42 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 18:42 »

I actually hate it when tracks that are tacked on to albums (and aren't even their own proper tracks for that matter) so I opted for the version without the special tracks.

Give me a separate disc if there's any bonus stuff.

I BELIEVE IN THE PURITY OF THE ALBUM.

Seriously though, I tend to listen to CDs in my car and it bugs me when there's no gap track or anything (hell the liner notes don't even acknowledge them).

Inlander · « **Reply #43 on:** 19 Jan 2009, 18:54 »

For the longest time I thought that Cat Power's Moon Pix album actually had 14 tracks rather than 11, despite being subtitled "11 songs Australia 1998", because the C.D. I bought contained three bonus tracks that were completely unlisted and unmentioned anywhere. And because I was young and inexperienced in the ways of bonus tracking.

Even to this day I have difficulty stopping the C.D. after "Peking Saint" has finished.

David_Dovey · « **Reply #44 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 00:31 »

Quote from: imapiratearg on 19 Jan 2009, 11:51

I totally agree with Dovey. "Constructive Summer" gets me so pumped. It also reminds me of That 70's Show. "We're gonna lean this ladder up against the water tower / climb up to the top and drink and talk." Also the gang vocals. SO AWESOME.

Also, the solo on "Lord, I'm Discouraged" fucking slays.

OH GANG VOCALS HOW I LOVE THEE, LET ME COUNT THE WAYS.

and re: the solo on "Lord, I'm Discouraged," I think that song sums up what draws me to the Hold Steady, and it ties into what someone said earlier in the thread: The Hold Steady are not an "indie rock" band, they are just a rock band. And rock music should include gigantic crotch-grabbing finger-tapping solos whenever appropriate.

Inlander · « **Reply #45 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 01:16 »

Just make sure that the fingers that are doing the tapping are not on the same hand that is doing the crotch-grabbing.

Either that, or tap very gently.

David_Dovey · « **Reply #46 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 01:29 »

Unless you are into that kind of thing

Who are we to judge

Thrillho · « **Reply #47 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 09:55 »

Quote from: LukeSimm on 19 Jan 2009, 05:32

I don't like it. *hides*

The lead singers voice just seems to grate on me, and the songs just seem pretty generic. Like nothing that hasn't been done before.

I hear they are good lyricaly, but to pay more attention to the lyrics would be to pay more attention to the vocals, and urgh. As I've already said, his voice is just really grating. Don't know what it is, but there really is something I don't like about them.

So... in short, *hides from the onslaught and protects his music badge from being taken away from him*

--- Luke

Don't worry, we could use some alternative opinions on this forum. Please listen to Neutral Milk Hotel and tell us you hate them as well?

RedLion · « **Reply #48 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 13:44 »

You know, I've never really gotten into this album as much as I did Boys and Girls which has been my favorite album THS has done so far. I tried listening to it again today, but THS is, like Springsteen's early work, the very definition of "summer music" for me. It doesn't feel right listening to it when it's 10 degrees and there's more than a foot of snow on the ground.

GMM · « **Reply #49 on:** 20 Jan 2009, 15:46 »

Related: Are there any Lifter Puller fans in the house?

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Stay Positive (Read 13440 times)

Shadows Collide

AnonymousNoob

AnonymousNoob

AnonymousNoob

LukeSimm

AnonymousNoob