User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 95 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 76 out of 95
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Mixed: 7 out of 95
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Negative: 12 out of 95
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Oct 28, 2011Just some awesome American Rock music with guitars galore. Classic Rock bands like Bruce Springsteen come to mind while listening to this record. I can't recommend this enough.
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Mar 28, 2011
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Sep 3, 2010A bit of a change for the Hold Steady. Putting their feet in Brooklyn, they are adapting to a little New York sound but remain steadily themselves. Not as exciting, however, than some previous albums.
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LesHMar 17, 2009But for how heralded these guys are
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ArchieSJan 3, 2009Wow 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!!!
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SteveSDec 29, 2008THS come through with not only the best rock album of 2008, but one of the finest this century.
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demostDec 27, 2008The Hold Steady has consistently hit the mark since Separation Sunday and Stay Positive is certainly no exception. The stories are rich and the melodies are more mature than previous albums. The Hold Steady is this generation's Springsteen, while casting a more realistic reflection of the time.
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GuillaumeBDec 23, 2008The Hold Steady is why good old simple rocking goods, and then some, are still around. And they deserve a damn big round of applause for their work.
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PJBDec 12, 2008
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AndrewCDec 12, 2008Let's agree these guys are good at one thing, old fashioned rocking. This isn't groundbreaking or anything incredibly different. I can always count on these guys for a great rock record and amazing lyrics. This is probably my favorite record they've released. Just too solid all the way through. No skippers! Great record!!
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LoganFDec 8, 2008The Hold Steady reiterate themselves lyrically a lot, it's good for connection with a long time listener, but the tunes don't beat the last three albums.
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JsdonqWOct 14, 2008Great album... Constructive summer kicks things off perfectly and Slapped Actress continues the Hold Steady tradition of having epic finishing songs on albums.
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JayDOct 14, 2008Album of the year, without doubt. Also, Brendan D is a 'tard. "seminally overrated"? Get over yourself.
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tgbSep 28, 2008Weak riffs. 100% ordinary. I hate when bands put out a "dynamic coming out record" and it's just worn territory from the beaten path served to us on a silver platter with a sprig of parsley. Then the band stands by their work like its all original, or at least an authentic homage to the bands they would love to emulate, but it's just ends up a stupid fucking indie fart.
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StephenCSep 3, 2008
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LeahT.Aug 29, 2008Not what it's cracked up to be. A lot of literal lyrics and repetitive chords. Sorry, but I expected something more original and creative. The Hold Steady has this "we Rock" arrogant attitude that makes this all the worse. Skip it.
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TonyPAug 28, 2008Forget the naysayers - this is the best album of the year so far from a fantastic live band who have no airs and graces - they just make great rock music with great stories.
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JakeBAug 26, 2008The Hold Steady proove yet again that they are one of the best bands in America. On Stay Posotive they tried to expand their sound and did so with great achievment. Althouthg some of the songs fall short, (Navy Sheets, Yeah Saphire) the rest are as good as it gets. The Bonus Tracks are also phenomenal arguably the best songs on the record.
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ChesterAug 21, 2008Love the Hold Steady. Love all of their past albums. Love their live show. However, this album is mediocre at best.
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NickC.Aug 20, 2008The Hold Steady tried to change things up and failed miserably. Stay Positive leaves very little to stay positive about. I would rather listen to the brokerdealer than this shit.
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CharlieQ.Aug 18, 2008This is one of the years top albums. The storytelling quality of the lyrics is riveting. The music, while nothing new, is played with a heartfelt intensity that's impossible to deny. There's a very natural & instinctive feel about the whole album. It's a pure rock album which wasn't made for the masses, but should appeal to them.
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BasV.Aug 17, 2008Kick ass record! The hard part is making it look so easy.
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bdaAug 12, 2008Positive: Finn's lyrics are as good as ever, the dearth of Minnesota references notwithstanding. Not so positive: Like Boys and Girls in America, there's too much keyboard.
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BrendanDAug 11, 2008This is exactly what Wilco's "Sky Blue Sky" would've been if Tweedy didn't know how to catch us off-guard. What a horrible record from one of the most seminally overrated bands in the world.
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JordanS.Aug 11, 2008Best album of the year so far.
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SteveOAug 1, 2008It's listenable, but i agree... we've all heard this stuff before! Same old power chords, same old, same old. Try something new please!
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JoshL.Jul 28, 2008One of the best albums of the year!
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LawrenceH.Jul 28, 2008
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JoeJul 27, 2008
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EricN.Jul 25, 2008
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ToddG.Jul 21, 2008
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RobertH.Jul 19, 2008Just don't understand all the praise.
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HarryS.Jul 18, 2008Never cease to amaze.
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BrianR.Jul 18, 2008The Hold Steady went for a bigger deeper sound than on previous albums. It pays off on almost every song.
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JasonJJul 18, 2008
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StaashBJul 18, 2008Sounds like the Counting Crows to me. Should be added to the "Stuff White People Like" blog.
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StephenL.Jul 17, 2008Really, 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.
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GinaS.Jul 17, 2008
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JohnH.Jul 17, 2008These guys are incredible - and this album in particular kicks ass!
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MycroftW.Jul 17, 2008One of the most likable bands out there shows consistency with another triumph. The Hold Steady is well on the way to become the Drive By Truckers of the big city.
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MichaelE.Jul 16, 2008Boring, old-fashioned in a not-so-inspired way. Some call it "Dad Rock", but if you compare this to old albums that are similarly rooted in American traditions - Little Feat, the early Allman Brothers - you might get skeptical about all these enthusiastic reviews, I think. No strong melodies, no great hooks, al sounds a bit similar!
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MichaelV.Jul 16, 2008Had to build my own chill-out tent to recover from my first listen of "Stay Positive". Brilliant lyrically and musically, I may need an intervention.
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DavidA.Jul 16, 2008I find it less consistent than their previous 2 efforts, but it is still a great album. You can tell they are trying new things and attempting to stay fresh. It works in some areas, and doesn't in others. The key to them has always been the lyrics, and Craig Finn has once again written some great songs.
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MaxC.Jul 16, 2008Not their best but any Hold Steady record is better than just about any non-Hold Steady record these days.
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GuyHJul 16, 2008
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SandeepM.Jul 16, 2008Warmed over Counting Crowes. Why are people falling all over themselves, for this?
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BrianG.Jul 15, 2008Another gay album from a gay band.
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ChrisKJul 15, 2008Another brilliant album. "Separation Sunday" is still my favorite, but this one is just as killer.
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TrevorZ.Jul 15, 2008So! Good! It's insane how consistently good this band is.
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PatJul 15, 2008I don't know what the reviewer from Spin was smoking, because this is in no way mellower than any other Hold Steady release. It's a great followup to the absolutely classic Boys & Girls In America, and together they are an almost perfect 1-2 punch of good old-fashioned, roll-the-windows-down-and-crank-it rock. Great album.
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MarkS.Jul 15, 2008
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JimmyJul 15, 2008This is the most fun album the has been released this year.
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IsaacO.Jul 14, 2008in reality, this is about an 8+, rather than 9. It's the weakest of all their albums. That said, it's still better than 90% of the rest of the music that has come out this year. or is likely to come out.
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MattS.Jul 14, 2008
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RickR.Jul 14, 2008very good. a little too much sameness from boys and girls in america in the sound, and from separation Sunday in the lyrics. not really a huge step forward. but hey, they do what they do well. best tracks are 'lord I'm discouraged' (despite the cookie-cutter guitar solo), 'magazines', 'joke about jamaica', and 'slapped actress'.
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JoeyjojoS.Jul 14, 2008Another outstanding album from the best band out there
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Awards & Rankings
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Ultimately, Stay Positive achieves the admirable feat of being a record you can listen closely to or rock out to, equally adaptable to late-night wallowing and the party at the water tower.
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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.
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Despite some subtle new touches --a harpsichord, a banjo, light strings--the sound proposes constancy.