Sunday 15 June 2008

The Hold Steady 'Stay Positive' - early thoughts

I don't normally do this, I usually just keep listening to an album until I'm ready to review it 'properly' but there is a new Hold Steady album and things have to be said!

It may be surprising, given the amount TracksandGigs wrote about THS last year, that there has been nothing on here about 'Stay Positive' until now, since it leaked a fortnight ago. Well, this may be an unfashionable view, but I don't agree with leaks- I don't download them and there are no leaks on this blog. While others have been listening to poor quality pirated copies of the album, I have waited, and today was rewarded as 'Stay Positive' was released on itunes.

Must have listened about 6-7 times so far, but don't yet feel able to write a proper review. More listening and more sinking in required. I am prepared to say though, that it contains two of my all-time favourite Hold Steady songs... 'Lord I'm Discouraged' and 'One For The Cutters', both of which are pretty radical departures from what has gone before.

Full review coming up later this week, but in the meantime, would be interested to hear what other people think. Listening to 'Joke About Jamaica' now are that one is really starting to click.

1 comment:

WEB SHERIFF said...

WEB SHERIFF
Protecting Your Rights on the Internet
Tel 44-(0)208-323 8013
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Hi Gary,

On behalf of Rough Trade / Beggars Digital, Vagrant and The Hold Steady, many thanks for plugging "Stay Positive" (street date 14th July and advance, digital release date 9th June) ... .. thanks, also, on behalf of the label and the band for not posting any pirate links to unreleased (studio) material, as you state in your blog you do not agree with leaks. Also if your readers want good quality, non-pirated, preview tracks, “Sequestered in Memphis” is available for fans and bloggers to stream / link to / post etc on the band’s MySpace ... .. check-out http://www.myspace.com/theholdsteady and http://www.theholdsteady.com for details on “Stay Positive” and the band’s 2008 shows ... .. for a limited period a play-through of “Stay Positive” shall also be available on the band’s MySpace and on NME (http://www.nme.com), although these are for promotional purposes only and the artist and labels have kindly asked fans and bloggers not to host or link to pirate copies of the full album on-line – for which again many thanks in advance.

Thanks again for your plug.

Regards,

WEB SHERIFF