From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD
On their exhilarating studio debut the Zydeco Cha Chas keep an attractively tense balance between the formal structures of the material and their flashes of zydeco ebullience. They're traditionalists keen to funk and rock rhythms, eager to put new spins on propriety. Leader Nathan Williams, an accordion-slinging protege' of Buckwheat Dural, who also sings, has brought some fine originals to the session, notably the bump- and-shake "If You Got a Problem" and Paul Kelly's sunny title tune.
-- © Frank John Hadley 1993
Steady Rock,Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas,Rounder / Pgd,Cajun,Cajun / Zydeco / New Orleans,Pop,Swamp Pop,World Music,Zydeco
Average customer rating:
- BORING SINGER, GENERIC "RIFFS"
- Live Good
- So Here's the Thing......
- Another superb effort by one of the most passionate, intelligent bands in the world
- BORING
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Boys and Girls in America
The Hold Steady
Manufacturer: Vagrant Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Indie Rock
| Indie & Lo-Fi
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Oldies & Retro
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Hard Rock & Metal
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- The Crane Wife
- Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks)
- Separation Sunday
- Almost Killed Me
- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
ASIN: B000HIP3X4
Release Date: 2006-10-03 |
Tracks:
- Stuck Between Stations
- Chips Ahoy!
- Hot Soft Light
- Same Kooks
- First Night
- Party Pit
- You Can Make Him Like You
- Massive Night
- Citrus
- Chillout Tent
- Southtown Girls
Amazon.com
Craig Finn loves books and bars. It's not just that he pinched the title of he Hold Steady's third album from the ultimate manual for boozehounds, Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" ("Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together"), but that every leery line of every song is crammed with the wayward poetry and passion of someone who is more familiar with the bottom of a whiskey glass than the sun. Thanks to his raucous Brooklyn band, his music--louder than its predecessors this time, with a few more ballads--also happens to make a great soundtrack for an all-night bender where broken-hearts and broken bottles become one. --Aidin Vaziri
Customer Reviews:
BORING SINGER, GENERIC "RIFFS".......2007-07-23
First off, when people start throwing around adjectives like "poetic" "real" "heartfelt" etc. it gets me all excited. I'm sure it gets you excited to. That's probably why you're here. I'll give you the deal on this band. the music isn't horrible. It's an amalgam and simplification of riffs you've heard a million times from much better bands like thin lizzy, urge overkill, replacements, etc. This could be a good thing. Only difference is there's no song structure, so the riffs just kind of repeat.......off...into...nowhere. The singer's voice is annoying and monotone, but it is gruff, and there are some cheezy piano flurishes thrown around, so i can maybe see the Boss comparison. If you've heard the songwriter is "poetic" or whatever, you were lied to. The guy named the album after a line in kerouac's "on the road," so people assume he's got a Phd in literature or something. Who hasn't read "on the road?" And don't you think it's a little crass to name an album after a line from THAT book? Where's the wit is all i'm asking? where's the imagery? He just sings about getting drunk and not getting laid. BFD.
Live Good.......2007-05-12
Received this CD about an hour before a live, soldout(~600) show. Good show, good CD.
So Here's the Thing.............2007-05-06
Like a lot of previous reviewers, this band caught my attention by making numerous "Best Of" lists from the music press. The reviews led to me to listen to the song samples in a local Borders store. The music reminded me of Bruce Springsteen on a few tracks (a good thing) and the rest of the songs seemed to have a fresh groove to them, so I bought the CD right then.
So here's the thing.......This band is indeed a group of talented musicians, so what I heard in the store had some validity; BUT the problem with this album is that ALL 11 SONGS are essentially either about drug or alchohol experiences, or contain drug/alchohol references. Seriously. As a result, I was bored by track 5 or 6 and skimmed the remaining tracks to make sure that I wasn't missing anything (I wasn't) and have no desire to ever listen to this CD again.
It's a shame, really, because these folks are really innovative and fresh musically - they are simply a one trick pony lyrically, and that gets old real fast. If The Hold Steady could diversify the subject matter of their lyrics, this could have been a decent album. As it is, I can only give it two stars.
Another superb effort by one of the most passionate, intelligent bands in the world.......2007-04-24
I love this album and I love the Hold Steady. I want to get that out of the way at the outset. I say this because I don't want my following comments misconstrued as part of the rather mindless stream of criticism that seems to follow this band around. There is no question that the Hold Steady is the recipient of more unfounded and ill-considered bashing of any bad around. Not by critics! Music critics rightfully praise the band as one of the finest in the world. And the praise is deserved. These guys obviously care passionately about their music and engage in absolutely no poser gamesmanship that their critics foist on them. I've tried hard to understand why people dislike the band. OK, Craig Finn doesn't sing so much as declaim, but he declaims well and is an absolutely brilliant lyricist. Musically, the rest of the band is a bunch of crackerjacks. Tad Kubler is one of the finest guitarists plying his craft in America. On top of all this, they are absolutely brilliant live performers, generous with the audience, working hard to put on a great show. Yet, the critics (again, not by critics or people who actually know what they talk about) persist.
So, on to what I have to say that could be construed as criticism. I give this album five stars because it deserves it. But I will add that I think this is the band's least brilliant album to date. Mind you, I don't think they are in decline or that this represents a disappointing effort. In many ways it is their slickest, most polished album yet. They are obvious masters of their craft and I think they well deserve their #4 ranking in the prestigious Village Voice Pazz & Jop Poll, which I think laps the Grammies several times in terms of credibility. The Poll is voted on by nearly 500 of the most prestigious rock critics in the world. For any album to finish in the top five means it has some serious chops going on. Nonetheless, my favorite Hold Steady album remains ALMOST KILLED ME followed by SEPARATION SUNDAY.
I could very well be wrong, but it seems to me that BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA lacks just a hint of the edge that I found in the earlier albums. And I find that I don't love as many songs on the album as passionately as I do on previous albums. Not that songs like "Chips Ahoy" and "Hot Soft Light" aren't incredible. And they've never played as intensely as on "Same Kooks." But nearly every song on ALMOST KILLS ME simply blows me away. Not so on this one. Also -- and I confess this is a purely personal bias -- I don't like the way that the addition of keyboards to the mix. I didn't like it on SEPARATION SUNDAY and I like it less on BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA. I prefer the band as a quartet than as a quintet.
If you get this as your first Hold Steady album, if you have any musical taste or sophistication at all, it is going to blow you away. You will be amazed at how literate and articulate Craig Finn's lyrics are. He is an amazing front man, though he is also the focus of much of the hatred for the poor souls who mindlessly shut themselves out from the band. His delivery of the lyrics is astonishing, but what he does can barely be described as singing. And he simply doesn't look like a rocker. He looks, in fact, like he should be selling household appliances at Best Buy. Or perhaps doing your taxes at H & R Block. If you saw the guy on the street and were asked to list the 1,000 most likely occupations for him, rock star would not make the list. He doesn't even look like he could be a record store clerk. But he is one of the most brilliant people in rock today. So also is guitarist Tad Kubler. My one regret about the Hold Steady albums is that they don't give Kubler enough room to put his vast skills on guitar on display. Still, this is a great album. And if you love this but don't have their two earlier albums, you've got a lot to look forward to.
BORING.......2007-04-11
I've just listened to all the amazon snippets after reading a positive review from Uncut. Fair enough I have not heard all of every song but what I did hear was basically the same song over and over except for the obligatory ballad. The guy is an awful singer and they sound like a good bar band at best. There are so many bands and singer songwriters who do this style of music who are 100% better than this mess
Average customer rating:
- These guys are great
- Back to the blues
- Rock 'n' roll is alive and well thanks to the Hold Steady, amen.
- a unique band; in a bad way
- Save your money
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Separation Sunday
The Hold Steady
Manufacturer: French Kiss
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Indie Rock
| Indie & Lo-Fi
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- Almost Killed Me
- Boys and Girls in America
- Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks)
- The Crane Wife
- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
ASIN: B0008KLW2C
Release Date: 2005-05-03 |
Tracks:
- Hornets! Hornets!
- Cattle And The Creeping Things
- Your Little Hoodrat Friend
- Banging Camp
- Charlemagne In Sweatpants
- Stevie Nix
- Multitude Of Casualties
- Don't Let Me Explode
- Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
- Crucifixion Cruise
- How A Resurrection Really Feels
Amazon.com
It's only natural that the Hold Steady singer Craig Finn receives all the attention. After all, he's the one with the big mouth. And while his odd and humorous rants are essentially compelling, they wouldn't be half as engrossing if his backing group, especially fellow ex-Minnesotan and Lifter Puller guitarist Tad Kubler, didn't smack up such a glorious din, scabrous punk rock swagger dolled up with classic hard rock power chords. "Separation Sunday" is the NYC-based group's second album and it's every bit as sassy and city wise as their 2004 debut "Almost Killed Me." Finn doesn't know the meaning of the phrase 'hold your tongue' and rudely shouts down the opposition on a number of romantic and religious matters, underscoring his contempt with touching moments of true pathos. Finn's surrounded by self-mutilators, abused lovers and deluded characters desperately chasing faith. It's a good thing he has such a crack band to keep them all in check. -- Jaan Uhelszki
Customer Reviews:
These guys are great .......2007-03-13
Well I'm a late convert to the Hold Steady, having just bought the newest CD Boys and Girls in America about a month ago (and listening to it nonstop since then). This weekend I found a copy of Separation Sunday and grabbed it and I love it. This one's probably a little more raw and rough around the edges than Boys and Girls, which has more piano and more "catchy" tunes. However I gotta say---Separation Sunday has absolutely outstanding lyrics, albeit very focused on the subject of how to reconcile a life of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll with religious and spiritual belief. I find it all quite brilliant, and love the Replacements/Stones/E Street Band sound of the music. The only caveat is the singer's voice---it's not for everyone. But that never stopped me from loving the music of Warren Zevon, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, etc. etc. And I have to say, after 2 CD's, I love the Hold Steady and look forward to all of their future releases.
Back to the blues.......2007-01-30
I thought this album was decent, not the greatest of the year but it had a different feel than most of the rock and roll that was spewed out in the last couple of years. The Hold Steady remind me of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. I like the references to hoodrats and Christianity, two very different directions but the Hold Steady makes it work. The music definitely outweighs the talent of the singer. His range is very limited, and I think that hurts the band a little. His lyrics however are potent and worth listining to. All in all its a good blues album and worth your money.
Rock 'n' roll is alive and well thanks to the Hold Steady, amen........2007-01-21
This album is a must have for those who love to rock, and it just may hit you where it counts if you're lucky. I remember writing down all the words to Back In Black on a small piece of paper when I was 14, and then reading it over and over during Catholic mass until I had them memorized. My little brother asked me what I was reading. When I told him, he got all wide-eyed and said in a hushed voice, "That's bad." And that's the gist of this album--how do you reconcile your love for rock 'n' roll with the mores of the Christian Faith? Maybe not a question that needs to be answered, but the fact that this band decided to pose it within the context of a classic rock hook-laden album makes this disc more entertaining than 95% of the music that came out in 2005. This band is pretty much the thinking person's Cheap Trick.
a unique band; in a bad way.......2006-11-10
The style of the Hold Steady gets old really fast; the singer doesn't even sing, he only talks while guitar goes on in the background. That sounded fine to me on the first song, but then I listened further and soon was getting bored with the repetitive nature of the songs. THe only song that pulls off this style is "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head" by Gorillaz, which has narration more than singing. Cake also is kind of more narration than singing but only slightly. Anyway, the Hold Steady are an awful band who will probably fade into nothingness soon seeing that only 20 people have bothered to review it on Amazon.
Save your money.......2006-10-07
I bought that last cd and it SUCKED! The singer sings monotone the whole entire time and doesn't have any variations of tone. The music isn't half bad, it isn't great, but it certainly isn't so good that i can ignore the lame-o singer. its just terrible terrible terrible. if you listen to anything that i say hear this: do not buy this album, you will regret it for all of eternity!
-steve (music master)
Average customer rating:
- Great first album by one of the world's greatest rock bands
- One of the best rock albums of 2004.
- Hold Steady
- A little too raw
- This is the Album that made The Hold Steady one of my favorite bands...
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Almost Killed Me
The Hold Steady
Manufacturer: French Kiss
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Punk
| Hardcore & Punk
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Indie Rock
| Indie & Lo-Fi
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Dance & DJ
| Styles
| Music
General
| Dance Pop
| Dance & DJ
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- Separation Sunday
- Boys and Girls in America
- Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks)
- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
- Because of the Times
ASIN: B0001IN0VM
Release Date: 2004-04-20 |
Tracks:
- Positive Jam
- The Swish
- Barfruit Blues
- Most People Are DJ's
- Certain Songs
- Knuckles
- Hostile, Mass.
- Sketchy Metal
- Sweet Payne
- Killer Parties
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Krebs: Clavier-Übung
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