[2008-07-15] The Hold Steady "Stay Positive" (limited first pressing has 3 hidden bonus tr

Linda · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:54 pm

http://www.nme.com/news/the-hold-steady/34625

The Hold Steady finish new album

Feb 23, 2008

The Hold Steady have completed recording on their fourth album, tentatively titled ‘Stay Positive’.

The album sees the band include more diverse instrumentation alongside their bar-room rock, including mandolin, harpsichord, strings and horns.

Revealing the album’s likely title, frontman Craig Finn said: “It's probably going to be called ‘Stay Positive’, we can say tentatively.

"There's a song called ‘Stay Positive’ we've been playing live, and it was just something that's been kind of hanging around in my head a long time. I would say it's safe to say that's the name of the record.”

Crediting producer John Agnello with the more adventurous sound, guitarist Tad Kubler told Pitchfork: “In terms of fidelity or stereo range, I think John took a little different approach in the way we mixed it in terms of just using some hard pans and doing some things different, rather than just a compressed guitar rock record.”

The album still needs to be mixed and mastered - no release date has yet been announced.

Since releasing 2006’s ‘Boys And Girls In America’, the band have gone on to greater fame, including headlining NME’s Rock ’N’ Roll Riot Tour USA last year alongside Art Brut.

The Hold Steady's ascent and eventual breakthrough with 2006's Boys & Girls in America was never pre-ordained. If anything they did it without the tastemakers' consent. Their shtick is old-fashioned through and through, beginning with Thin Lizzy and ending with Bruce Springsteen, performed by men advanced enough to have experienced those touchstones first or second hand. And look at them--not exactly The Strokes, are they? But it was precisely their enthusiastic unoriginality, the fact that the clichés were piled on so thick and so fast, that they triumphed. And placed next to that unapologetically feel good record, that [title]Stay Positive[/title] sounds so immediately brighter and more muscular is undoubtedly a great sign. Production is really cranked up--see the horns wedged into "Sequestered in Memphis", the REM mandolin texturing of "Both Crosses" and the surprising harpsichord flagrancy of "One for the Cutters". They're clearly determined to not be so easily pegged this time around, though admittedly they never exactly go that far off-piste. "Our songs are sing-along songs," announced Craig Finn semi-helpfully, and though the spirit is right, with such a conversational lyrical style that is rarely the case. It's more about the rock gestures and knowing when to punch the air. And there are instances aplenty, from the Pete Townsend-esque windmill power-chords in "Constructive Summer", to the overblown solo in "Lord I'm Discouraged" that is so "November Rain" it's practically going through Stephanie Seymour's trash (those not watching MTV in the mid-90s, hit Youtube).

1. Constructive Summer
2. Sequestered in Memphis
3. One for the Cutters
4. Navy Sheets
5. Lord, I'm Discouraged
6. Yeah Sapphire
7. Both Crosses
8. Stay Positive
9. Magazines
10. Joke About Jamaica
11. Slapped Actress

Hidden Bonus Tracks - limited to first 50,000 copies
12. Ask Her for Adderall
13. Cheyenne Sunrise
14. Two Handed Handshake

Limited First Pressing (14 tracks):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019T9F9S/?tag=imwan-20

Subsequent Pressings (11 tracks):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BP4K4K/?tag=imwan-20

NoURider · **Joined:** 21 Jul 2006 **Posts:** 3310

Excellent news! My favorite band of recent vintage!

Linda · **Posted:** Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:01 am

http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/uncut/news/11473

THE HOLD STEADY PREPARE TO STAY POSITIVE

The fourth Hold Steady album "Stay Positive", is "a bit more expansive than past efforts," according to the band's lead singer, Craig Finn.

Writing in his regular Uncut column, Finn details the making of the 11-track album, due to be released on July 14. "Many of the songs had originated as rough demos recorded in European hotel rooms last summer," he says.

The recording itself took place in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Wild Arctic studio in Queens, New York, with producer John Agnello. Guests on the sessions included Ben Nichols from Lucero and Doug Gillard, who spent some time playing guitar in Guided By Voices.

Finn identifies his favourite track as the opener, "Constructive Summer", although he also draws attention to "Both Crosses", which was recorded in one take, and "Slapped Actress", which mentions "Opening Night", a John Cassavetes film.

"I believe it ["Stay Positive"] captures a band hitting their creative peak," says Finn, "as well as enjoying each other's creativity and company."

Linda · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 8:11 pm

http://www.nme.com/news/the-hold-steady/36353

The Hold Steady gear up for US dates

May 1, 2008

The Hold Steady are gearing up for a string of US shows in advance of the release of their fourth album.

As previously reported they are scheduled to perform tomorrow night at Webster Hall for the Tribeca Film Festival, and then head to Connecticut for a show on May 7.

They are California bound in June, returning to the east coast for three shows including one at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn, and will perform at the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle and the Pitchfork Music Festival in July.

The band are currently gearing up for the release of their fourth album ‘Stay Positive’, and previewed several tracks from the LP during their stint on the NME Rock & Roll Riot Tour last year. ‘Stay Positive’ comes out July 15.

John Agnello took on production duties on the forthcoming release, the same man who worked on their ‘Boys And Girls In America’ album.

They will play:

New York, NY Webster Hall (Tribeca Film Fest) (May 2)
Middletown, CT Andrus Field @ Wesleyan University (7)
Chula Vista, CA 94/9 Independence Jam (June 8)
Baltimore, MD Ram's Head Live (27)
Philadelphia, PA The Paul Green School of Rock Music Festival Brooklyn, NY McCarren Pool (29)
Chicago, IL Pitchfork Festival (July 19)
Seattle, WA Capitol Hill Block Party (26)

Linda · **Posted:** Sat May 03, 2008 3:36 am

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/art ... 1003797341

The Hold Steady Details 'Positive' 4th Album

May 01, 2008,
Michael D. Ayers, N.Y.

The Hold Steady has finalized the track listing for its fourth album, "Stay Positive," Billboard.com has learned. The 11-song set is due July 15 via Vagrant Records and features contributions from Drive By Truckers' Patterson Hood, J. Mascis and Doug Gillard, formerly of Guided By Voices. The Brooklyn rock group also reconvened with John Agnello, who produced 2006's "Boys And Girls In America."

"There's less party talk," frontman Craig Finn tells Billboard.com of the new material. "I don't think anything is a radical departure, but there are things that I wanted to talk about. I was influenced a lot [by] getting old, and attempting to age gracefully. The idea is to not wake up washed up. You want to keep progressing, intellectually."

Indeed, tunes such as the slow, bluesy ballad "Lord, I'm Discouraged" and "Stay Positive" see Finn's narratives reflecting on themes of maturity. Fans will also notice that the band has opted to change up its sound on some tunes, opting for a harpsichord on "One for the Cutters" and a banjo on "Both Crosses."

"I think four records in, you're thinking what have we done before?" Finn says. "What should we do here? You have these initial habits, but you're fighting those -- and that's healthy, to make things sound different."

"I think we've tackled the big huge rock riff," adds guitarist Tad Kubler of the band's past. "And I think we wanted to extend what we're used to doing. Step out of our safety zone."

For Kubler, that meant trying out a slew of new gear, including a talk box on "Joke About Jamaica" that he says "was so ridiculous, I had to try it out."

Finn's vocal delivery has gone through some changes as well. He has been engaged in singing lessons since the release of "Boys And Girls In America."

"One of the things I found out [is] I always hear more melodies than I was projecting," Finn says. "I hopefully got better, communicate more than I'm hearing."

The Hold Steady plans to launch a large tour following the record's release, with July dates already lined up for Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party and Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.

NoURider · **Joined:** 21 Jul 2006 **Posts:** 3310

This is one of more interesting upcoming releases for me. Although I think Finn's vocal delivery has always been one of the group's appeals...hopefully he doesn't lose his quirkiness via his lessons...

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:25 pm

http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/uncut/news/11812

FANS INSPIRE THE NEW HOLD STEADY ALBUM

The Hold Steady have revealed that their older fans were the inspiration behind their new album, Stay Positive.

“In talking to them, we have found that no matter their ages, they are so much like us as people, that they seem at times an extension of the music,” said frontman Craig Finn.

“A great American philosopher named D. Boon once said 'Our band could be your life.' I think that is true. But 'Your Life could be Our Band' is also a true statement.”

Steve G · **Joined:** 29 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 473

Picked this up today at bestbuy for 9.99 (it includes 3 hidden bonus tracks (everywhere, not just bestbuy) for a limited time).

Today was like the good old days of CD's for me, took a walk in the sunshine and got 2 new releases for 9.99 each by artists I really like Hold Steady with the bonus tracks and Mellencamp with the hi-res DVD.

nothing like getting 2 new releases on the same day (except getting 3!) reminds me of Swervedriver & The Pixies in '91, Robert Plant, CSN, & Pete Townshend in '82 and countless other double and triple headers over the years

Jimbo · 19 Jul 2006

Steve G wrote:

nothing like getting 2 new releases on the same day (except getting 3!)

Ya got that right! :ohyes:

Rawburn · 24 Sep 2004

This band gives me hope. They must be great live.

NoURider · **Joined:** 21 Jul 2006 **Posts:** 3310

Rawburn wrote:

This band gives me hope. They must be great live.

I have seen this band several times, and they never disappoint. All four of their albums are excellent!

Jimbo · 19 Jul 2006

This one sounds like a cross between Bruce and Graham Parker--which is a good thing!

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:55 pm

http://www.nme.com/news/the-hold-steady/41692

The Hold Steady announce US spring dates

Dec 16, 2008

The Hold Steady have announced a string of dates, kicking off March 31 in Albany, NY.

The band will perform at the House Of Blues in Chicago in January at a Club Charities event, but that is the only US show on their schedule before the March 31 tour launch.

They are continuing to support the release of their album ‘Stay Positive’ which was released in July.

Tickets for the band’s January 15 show at Chicago’s House of Blues are currently on sale, with tickets for the headlining tour going on sale this Friday (December 19).

The dates are:

Chicago, IL House of Blues (Cubs Charities event) (January 15)
Albany, NY Valentine's (March 31)
Buffalo, NY The Tralf Music Hall (April 1)
Grand Rapids, MI Calvin College Fine Arts Center (2)
Urbana, IL Illini Courtyard Café (3)
Bloomington, IN Jake's Nightclub (4)
St. Louis, MO The Gargoyle (6)
Iowa City, IA Picador (7)
Omaha, NE Slowdown (8)
Boulder, CO Fox Theater (10)
Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge (11)
Reno, NV The Underground (13)
Stateline, NV Harrah's Tahoe South Shore Room (14)
Sacramento, CA Harlow's Night Club (15)

NoURider · **Joined:** 21 Jul 2006 **Posts:** 3310

Tom Morello will be opening at the HOB show on 1-15. Interestingly, they have two ticket prices, which is odd for a GA environment. I guess they'll be charging more for the few bar seats stage left

[2008-07-15] The Hold Steady "Stay Positive" (limited first pressing has 3 hidden bonus tr

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