Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

  by Geraint Jones

published: 21 / 1 / 2007

---

Review

Infused with angst, boundless energy and no little insight, the Hold Steady’s third album is deservedly reaping the band long overdue widespread acclaim. While a long way past his teenage years, front-man Craig Finn clearly has a deep well of experience from which to draw. His sleazy, evocative songs about sex, drugs, booze and rock and roll, inspired by growing up in Minneapolis, demonstrate such an understanding of his subject matter that whether you’re 36 and getting nostalgic or 16 and in the thick of it, in Manchester or Des Moines, you’ll find plenty of common ground here. Coupled to the band’s inspired pilfering of some of rock’s greats – early Springsteen, Thin Lizzy and the Replacements, the latter at both their sloppiest and their most sublime (Craig Finn is a confessed huge admirer of the Paul Westerberg-fronted Minneapolis legends), then given a Hold Steady make over, ‘Boys And Girls In America’ is an inspiring and hugely thrilling ride from start to finish. Arriving soon for their first ever UK shows, The Hold Steady seem guaranteed to make a big impact this year and hopefully well beyond. Setting an early benchmark for 2007, come the year’s end ‘Boys And Girls In America’ is going to take some beating.

Track Listing:-

1 Stuck Between Stations
2 Chips Ahoy
3 Hot Soft Light
4 Same Kooks
5 First Night
6 Party Pit
7 You Can Make Him Like You
8 Massive Nights
9 Citrus
10 Chill Out
11 South Town Girls