Me and my friends are like
The drums on "Lust for Life"
We pound it out on floor toms
Our psalms are sing-along songs
This old town is lifeless
Been...
It is not only the Hold Steady's best record, but acts as a culmination of all of the ideas, stories, musical paths and character journeys that they've so pointedly led us down before.
Stay Positive not only confirms The Hold Steady’s status as one of the best rock’n’roll bands in the world, but establishes them as one of its most important too.
Self-referential, poetic, spoken-sung performances in dirty beer halls, Midwest anthems that make everyone raise those beers in the beer halls. [Summer 2008, p.92]
Stay Positive has consistently stronger material than its preecessors and, perhaps more importantly, is sequenced to maximum efficacy. [Aug 2008, p.100]
If you know what's good for you, however, you'll drink the whole album in, because intelligently constructed and musically thrilling records like this are a rare, rare find.
Considering most of the album is spent describing what life’s like for the rest of us, it’s surprising Stay Positive ends on a relatively self-focused note, courtesy of album highlight “Slapped Actress.”
Stay Positive is my favourite The Hold Steady album, even better than Separation Sunday and that's saying something. I like the maturity Stay Positive is my favourite The Hold Steady album, even better than Separation Sunday and that's saying something. I like the maturity and world-weariness in Craig Finn's voice this time around and the band has never been tighter. Franz Nicolay's keyboards, rather than overpowering the mix like they did on Boys and Girls complement the songs so well. Anyone who comments that the songs all sound the same just haven't spent any time with this album. The variety of music here is amazing. I was listening to some old Lifter Puller tunes yesterday -- and to see where Finn started out and where he is today is like watching an epic movie unfold. Simply outstanding. If you've never heard this band, pick up this album, listen to it 3-4 times with the lyrics in hand and prepare to be swept away. You will be a fan for life.…Expand
Wow what an album!!! This has to be one of the best albums i've ever heard. Consistently good, no amazing! No duds, serious. If you like Wow what an album!!! This has to be one of the best albums i've ever heard. Consistently good, no amazing! No duds, serious. If you like good old fashion rock n roll you'll like this. If you like music lyrically dense and quality, you'll like this. If you love music, you'll love this!!!…Expand
Really, really amazing. Constructive Summer might be one of the best songs I've heard in a long, long time. Classic rock. Go buy or at Really, really amazing. Constructive Summer might be one of the best songs I've heard in a long, long time. Classic rock. Go buy or at least download. The experience will justify itself.…Expand
This is rock and roll. The Hold Steady remind me a lot of Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones and you can really understand thoseThis is rock and roll. The Hold Steady remind me a lot of Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones and you can really understand those comparisons once you listen to this album. Starts off with a bang with "Constructive Summer" and then goes to "Sequestered In Memphis" which is easily the stand out track. Craig Finn doesn't really sing, but talks rhythmically and sometimes yells but he tells a story in each track. He, nevertheless, has a great voice and the back up vocals come perfectly at times. The guitar solos in this album feel like Led Zeppelin guitar solos. All In All, Stay Positive mixes old rock and roll with modern garage punk rock and it sounds really great. B+…Expand
The title 'Stay Positive' is a bit of a risky one - what is conceived as a rallying call could end up sounding like a desperate The title 'Stay Positive' is a bit of a risky one - what is conceived as a rallying call could end up sounding like a desperate plea if the album falls flat - and this release has a lot to live up to. 'Boys & Girls' was a fun listen and carved out a niche for the band as the feel good rockers who boasted untypically clever lyrics. The band seem a little too aware of this on the opening two tracks which follow the blueprint established on 'Boys & Girls' a little too closely. The next two songs throw a lot of new ideas in the mix but aren't 100% successful. At this point on my first listen I was a little worried - not one of these songs is a patch on the first 4 songs that opened the last album. 'Lord...' marks the breakthrough - it is a steady, stately slow burner that boasts an awesome guitar solo that ignites the album. The next three songs continue the winning run - 'Sapphire' has a mean guitar sound, 'Crosses' would have probably been the best song on the recent Gutter Twins album and the title track contains this album's great impassioned (and slightly comical) Finn vocal. The quality dips slightly on 'Magazines' - but it is still a catchy rocker with those strange part punk, part muppet guest vocals on the chorus. 'Stay Positive' then rallies for a big 1-2 finish. 'Jamaica' is a bit kitchen sink with its Specials organ, rambling piano, voice box solo and the rest but it is theatrical in a good way and works pretty well. Even more successful is the stunning 'Actress'. It is the grandest of grand finales and recalls the more dramatic moments from last year's Okkervil River album 'The Stage Names'. Despite 'Stay Positive's imperfections I still believe this is exactly the sort of album they needed to release after their breakthrough - this is no weak retread and if some of the experiments don't quite come off you still have to applaud The Hold Steady for their positive ambition.…Expand
