It seems the world is finally catching up to the brilliance of Craig Finn's sing-speak, and warmly embracing Brooklyn's The Hold Steady. Since the days of Lifter Puller, Craig Finn and Tad Kubler have been vastly undervalued musicians. However, the release of their later band, The Hold Steady's Boys and Girls in America in 2006 was their catapult to a worldwide audience. That album was vaunted by every critic I know (including myself on that previous website I wrote for...do some investigative work!)
It was also their first record to be released in Ireland. Their previous two, Almost Killed Me (which features the oh-so-wondeful 'Knuckles') and Separation Sunday got a fair bit of love the other side of the great wide ocean, but not here. Boys and Girls changed that, and with the release of their newest album, Stay Positive, this Friday, they're set to embrace an even wider market. Tom Dunne is even playing 'Sequestered in Memphis' for Christsake. How much more popular can you get in Ireland?
The band are also due to perform at Oxegen this weekend. They played a great show earlier this year at The Academy (I was present to hear live versions of some of the new tunes, and they soung great, especially 'Yeah Sapphire'). That show featured support from the Kanyu Tree, a Galway band who make some excellent summery pop.
But as for now...
"Yeah, Sapphire
I'm sick and I'm tired and I'm fried
And you gotta believe me
Yeah, Sapphire
If I cross myself when I come,
Would you maybe receive me?
Yeah, Sapphire
You were feisty at first,
But I broke you and I showed you the temporal
Sacramento,
It swung at us first
But it ended up going down gentle
Sapphire, if Cheyenne's too small
We'll haul it all back to St. Paul
I was just about to call you
When you called
Yeah, Sapphire
I know the last time we touched
I came on a bit rough, please forgive me
Yeah, Sapphire
After you left, it was a big sketchy mess
They almost killed me
Sapphire, if Cheyenne's too small
We'll haul it all back to St. Paul
[these lyrics are found on http://www.songlyrics.com]
I was just about to call you
When you called
Sapphire, if St. Paul don't call
We've always got Aberdeen
'Cause dreams they seem to cost money
But money costs some dreams
It went just as you predicted
I swear there must be something in your dreams
It all went down exactly like your visions
And I know you said don't call until I'm clean
I'm not drunk, I'm cut
I'm gushing blood
And I need someone to come and pick me up
I was a sceptic at first, but these miracles work
I was a sceptic at first, but these miracles work
I was a sceptic at first, but these miracles work
I was a sceptic at first, but these miracles work"
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Hi Paul (Not),
On behalf of Rough Trade / Beggars Digital, Vagrant and The Hold Steady, many thanks for plugging "Stay Positive" (street date 14th July and advance, digital release date 9th June) ... .. thanks, also, on behalf of the label and the band for not posting any pirate links to unreleased (studio) material and, if your readers want good quality, non-pirated, preview tracks, “Sequestered in Memphis” is available for fans and bloggers to stream / link to / post etc on the band’s MySpace ... .. check-out http://www.myspace.com/theholdsteady and http://www.theholdsteady.com for details on “Stay Positive” and the band’s 2008 shows ... .. for a limited period a play-through of “Stay Positive” shall also be available on the band’s MySpace and on NME (http://www.nme.com), although these are for promotional purposes only and the artist and labels have kindly asked fans and bloggers not to host or link to pirate copies of the full album on-line – for which many thanks in advance.
Thanks again for your plug.
Regards,
WEB SHERIFF
they did not play yeah sapphire in the academy last year.
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