Hold Steady deliver again.

by Dan Gephart in New Releases, Uncategorized

What’s this? Talk-box guitar? A theremin? A banjo? Yes, that’s the new Hold Steady. But don’t believe what you’ve read elsewhere. The new Hold Steady is the same as the old Hold Steady. They’ve just added a few new instruments and a couple guest appearances.

Strip away the extra layers and you’ll find the band is still all about the huge guitar riffs and Craig Finn’s street-wise, yet literate lyrics — a Bruce Springsteen and Thin Lizzy meet somewhere in punk combination. There are a couple clunkers, but Stay Positive is mostly another great collection of flat-out rocking songs.

As always, Finn is a blast. He continues to talk his way through songs about getting stoned, listening to music, having sex and whatever else hoodrats do over the summer. The man referenced Steve Perry and Patty Smyth a few years ago on Swish. This time around on Joke About Jamaica, Finn names several Led Zeppelin songs.

Drive-By Trucker Patterson Hood contributes to Joke About Jamaica. It’s ironic, I always thought of The Hold Steady as doing for classic three-chord rock what the Truckers did with southern rock – show reverence for the music they’re aping, but with a slightly sarcastic wink and nod.

Sequestered in Memphis, Constructive Summer and Stay Positive all play by the classic Hold Steady rules as does the rousing album closer Slapped Actress.

But it’s not all fun and games. Some songs stray to the dark side, belying the chipper title. The woman in One for the Cutters starts drinking with the townies then finds herself involved in murder. And in Both Crosses — the best track on the album — a woman sees visions of crucifixions and bodies in bags. This is perhaps where the band breaks most from its usual formula. The song starts off with acoustic guitar theme. The banjo, courtesy of J. Mascis, comes in midway through and the theremin adds a touch of drama.

Yes, Stay Positive is a step forward for the band, but they’re still moving in the same direction.