Boys and Girls in America

The Hold Steady

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 3, 2006)
• Original Release Date: October 3, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vagrant Records
• ASIN: B000HIP3X4
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,932 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

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

Product Description
ON TOUR 10/21 - 11/19

Oct 21 - Providence, RI - Lupos Heartbreak hotel Oct 22 - Boston, MA - The Roxy Oct 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric factory Oct 24 - Raleigh - Disco Rodeo Oct 25 - Athens - 40 Watt Oct 26 - Knoxville - Bijiou Theatre Oct 27 - Columbus - Newport Music Hall Oct 29 - Pontiac - Crofoot Ballroom Oct 30 - Chicago - Metro Oct 31 - Chicago - Metro Nov 01 - Minneapolis - State Theatre Nov 04 - Seattle - HUB Ballroom Nov 05 - Portland - Crystal Ballroom Nov 06 - San Francisco - Warfield Theatre Nov 07 - Los Angeles - The Wiltern Nov 08 - San Diego - Cane's Nov 09 - Tempe - Marquee Theatre Nov 11 - Boulder - Fox Theatre Nov 12 - Denver - Ogden Theatre Nov 13 - Lawrence - Granada Nov 14 - Austin - La Zona Rosa Nov 15 - Dallas - Palladium Nov 17 - Birmingham - Bottle Tree Annex Nov 18 - Atlanta - Variety Playhouse Nov 19 - Richmond - Toad's Place Nov 20 - Washington D.C. - 9:30 Club Nov 21 - New York - Terminal Five

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive Hold Steady album, October 4, 2006

By	H. Mackins III (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

How could they possibly top Separation Sunday, you're thinking. I'm not sure how they did it, either, but it's true: The Hold Steady's latest, Boys and Girls in America, is their magnum opus and hopefully the shiny silver platter that propels them to the success they so deserve. Craig Finn's poetic lyrics are as good as ever here as he recounts romancing gamblers ("Chips Ahoy"), near death experiences at druggy music festivals("Chillout Tent," with excellent guest vocals by Dave Pirner), slick alibis for mall altercations ("Hot Soft Light), and more. Old characters return, and the music has never sounded better: crunchy guitars, tinkling keyboards, and that filthy, real, barroom feel. An outstanding effort. They'll be hard-pressed to top this one, but won't it be fun to be along for the ride as they try?

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's always entertaining...., October 9, 2006

By	NightClub Dwight (Saint Paul, MN United States) - See all my reviews

Being an Eastsider a stone's throw from Sweet Payne Ave., I am once again thrilled to know solidarity with a (at one time local) band that makes room for a lot of life in their music--not just romantic idealism and not just defeatist nihilism--they tend to capture pieces of life's dialectic nature, which is nice, nice: Hope/Despair, Progress/Setback, Connection/Isolation--life that always ends in death, but death that has at least lost its sting. The Hold Steady continue to be who they are, you may or may not like them, but it is hard to judge or dismiss something this unapologetically unique. The more you demand likeability from music the less you'll probably like The Holdsteady--not because they aren't likeable, but because you'd be missing the point. This album is good alone and better when put in its narrative context (following Almost Killed Me and Sep. Sunday). I was pleased to get an update on the messed up teenage lives of Holly et al. And was especially glad to hear something resembling a ballad or two (First Night, Citrus, Arms and Hearts), Crucifixion Cruise got me wanting more of that. If you're not into or can't meet the demands of the recorded poetic/talk lyrics of an Ivy League grad, then I beseech you to see The Hold Steady in concert--I've been three times and can testify that what might be lacking in a snapshot recording is made up in the storytelling energy of the moment--stories are meant to be told not recorded after all.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Hold Steady: Dividing America's Boys and Girls, October 6, 2006

By	Brett Gustafson "Punk Principal" (NYC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Here's the deal: Craig Finn doesn't sing like most rock frontmen. That's the Mason-Dixon Line of the people who listen to The Hold steady. You love him or hate him. He is nasily, somewhat monotone, and rants more than harmonizes. On the other hand, he is a brilliant story-teller, clever phrase turner, and uses references as diverse as The Beastie Boys.

I personally love him, but I understand that he is not everyone's cup of chai. The music is reminiscent of early Bruce Springsteen or Joe Jackson and of course The Band. Standouts are "Chips Ahoy" and "You can make Him like You." Try it. You might like it.