Combining an often infectious garage rock sound with smart, emotionally laced lyrics, The Hold Steady have fused the styles of Springsteen with the fury of The Replacements, to produce some of this decades best music. For a while they were indie’s best kept secret, but thanks to the recent successes of Separation Sunday and Boys & Girls of America, these Brooklyn rockers became a household name, earning the acclaim and respect of everyone from Daniel Radcliffe to Bruce Springsteen.

Yet with success comes the daunting challenge of continuously having to live up to the hype, fulfilling the musical quality expected by so many. Stay Positive, The Hold Steady’s newest album, marks the bands latest attempt to live up to these standards. However, this time around, they mix it up a bit, combining their characteristic rock ‘n roll fun with new, diversifying styles.

Stay Positive starts off blazing as a furious guitar rift eventually accompanied by equally infectious piano and drum rhythms introduces us to “Constructive Summer”. The song is a simple rock piece highlighted by a Roy Bittan-esque piano solo and a homage to Joe Strummer, “Raise a toast to saint Joe Strummer/I think he might have been our only decent teacher,” a  phenomenal tribute to one of music’s most influential rockers. While “Constructive Summer” is not in the same category in terms of a “blow you away opener” as “Stuck Between The Stations” was on Boys & Girls in America, it does set the stage for what is to come - a ruckus party of pure garage rock.

“Sequestered in Memphis”, the album’s first single and one of its biggest highlights, follows. Complete with an overly catchy chorus and a trademark Hold Steady style, the song is an instant classic. A blend of piano rock backs the story of a woman caught up with a criminal, a tale that is as entertaining as is the music accompanying it - a characteristic that has come to define the New York based band.

“One For The Cutters” offers the album’s first change up, as the band’s characteristic story tale lyrics are backed by some rather psychedelic harpsichord rhythms. Lyrically, the song showcases Finn at his best, painting a vividly fascinating tale of murder, mystery, and a young woman caught in between. Unfortunately, though the harpsichord is present to enhance these feelings, in the end, it does more to distract than anything else. Rather than provide chordal support, the instrument is used in almost a virtuosic like manner, overwhelming all other musical qualities of the piece, and leaving a sound reminiscent of 18th century music rather than pure, fun garage rock.

The diversity and experimentation continues into the album’s next track, “Funky Sheets”. However, this time around, the unorthodox sounds of electricity blaring from Finn and Tad Kubler’s guitars flow nicely between the punchy rock chords. The guitar heavy middle gives way to an increasingly enthused Finn, ending with a short, but well-placed guitar solo. While far from exceptional, the song does illustrate that the band is capable of mixing it up - a facet of their talents that is only further demonstrated in the following track.

Clocking in at just over five minutes, “Lord I’m Discouraged” is a slowed down, particularly sentimental, even by The Hold Steady’s standards, ballad that mixes musical brilliance with lyrical grace. Opening with the simplicity of the piano, a mellowed Finn soon enters. “Lord I’m Discouraged” are the first words echoed, the initial emotions of a moving tale of lost love. The song’s midsection is taken over by an epic guitar solo, eventually transitioning to a near-halt, only to see the the band’s story teller then once again enter, brilliantly singing “Lord, I’m sorry to question your wisdom/but my faith has been wavering/Won’t you show me a sign/and let me know that you’re listening?” But in words fitting of the album’s title, Finn continues, “Don’t know for sure if she’s even alive/so I mostly just pray she don’t die,” an appropriate close to a song that is incredible in message as it is in music.

“Yeah Sapphire” marks a return of full-fledged rock ‘n roll. A guitar solo leads way to a continuation of the piano rock styles first heard in “Sequestered in Mephis”, developing into a roller coaster of rhythms and patterns by song’s end. Yet this up-beat tempo is short lived as the slower and darker “Both Crosses” follows. Backed by a rather menacing bluesy, folk guitar sound, the song is a complex story full of mystery and religious imagery. While you could make the case that once again, the depth of the music at times overwhelms the rest of the song, the lyrically brilliance of Finn helps keep focus on the tale.

A powerful organ and enthusiastic “woah-oh-oh” chanting introduce the album’s title track, which unfortunately, also ends up being Stay Positives biggest disappointment. Though still better than average, the lyrics are nothing to write home about, while the arena rock sound gets to be a repetitive and corny - something that obviously can’t be good when talking about a song only three minutes long. Thankfully “Magazines”, complete with a guest vocal appearance by Lucero’s Ben Nichols, is another quality and overly catchy garage rock tune.

“Jokes About Jamaica” starts off groovy only to segue into a story of depression and fear, another change up in an album that for the most part, has lived up to it’s title up until this point. These themes continue in the music’s styles as a less than up-beat piano part and a rather psychedelic guitar solo are prevalent throughout the song.

“Slapped Actress”, a song with lyrics and sounds reminiscent of Boys & Girls, marks both the return and one last attempt at the album-long message. Heavy in both sing-a-long choruses and solo narratives, vocally, the songs offers a rather positive tone, a characteristic reaffirmed at its end. Instead of finishing with an epic piano rock finale, as you’d expect based on the rest of the album, The Hold Steady choose to close with a rather unexpected collective choruses,  a single note among friends. Literally it might not mean much, but figuratively provides one last attempt to…stay positive.

Ultimately Stay Positive is yet another success in what is becoming a rather extensive discography of gems for The Hold Steady. While not without flaws, the album once again showcases the immense talents of the band - both lyrically and musically. However, Stay Positive also deviates off the standard course, exemplifying that The Hold Steady aren’t afraid to take chances, expand their horizons, regardless of the outcome. Sometimes it works, sometimes it fails, but it always offers a band that is real and sincere in sound as it is in message.

Sound: B+
Lyrics: A-
Production: B+
Vocals: B+
Overall: B+

Check Out:
“Sequestered in Memphis”

Categories: Album Reviews, Features, News
Tags: The Hold Steady