The Hold Steady

Certain Songs #595: The Hold Steady – “Banging Camp”

July 18, 2016 by Jim Connelly

Album: Separation Sunday
Year: 2005

It starts with that riff: just a couple of Tad Kubler power chords, banging from speaker to speaker until they create a third one and the drums kick in.

And suddenly, the snare drum appears in between those chords for an infinitely infinitesimal moment at a time, and “Banging Camp” is already near perfect before Craig Finn opens his mouth.

But you know that Craig Finn always opens his mouth.

Certain Songs #592: The Hold Steady – “Killer Parties”

July 15, 2016 by Jim Connelly

Album: Almost Killed Me
Year: 2004

“There is so much joy in what we do up here!!”

That’s what Craig Finn would exclaim at some point during live versions of “Killer Parties,” when the massive anthem that closed Almost Killed Me would close their live shows in the early days.

Like, for example, the first time I ever saw them, at the Troubadour in 2006.

Certain Songs #591: The Hold Steady – “Barfruit Blues”

July 13, 2016 by Jim Connelly

Album: Almost Killed Me
Year: 2004

One of the ironies of Certain Songs is that the song “Certain Songs” isn’t a Certain Song.

While the sentiment — “certain songs, they get so scratched into our souls” — is the ethos that powers this entire project, honestly compels me to point out that it’s not one of my favorites musically.

So just in case one of you other Hold Steady fanatics was waiting for the collision of Certain Songs and “Certain Songs,” my deepest apologies.

Certain Songs #590: The Hold Steady – “The Swish”

July 12, 2016 by Jim Connelly

Album: Almost Killed Me
Year: 2004

I don’t recall 2005 all that fondly.

While it never came close to killing me, I was stuck in a job that I absolutely hated, and we were either dealing with or had just dealt with some terrible neighbors that made even going home from work almost as bad as dealing with work. Hell, I might have even been developing an ulcer.

So I was not in a good place at all. That was about the time that “The Swish” came into my life, and through it, the affection I had already developed for The Hold Steady through Separation Sunday turned into full-out love.

Medialoper Bebop Episode 19: Walk Around and Drink

October 12, 2011 by Jim Connelly

This week, Jim, Tim & Kirk look at Netflix’s “never mind” about Qwikster and call back to in the infamous “lost” podcast, where the prediction was made that Qwikster wouldn’t make it through October. (03:22 – 14:10)

Next, we deal with previous podcast business involving Hitler and R.E.M. (14:14 – 19:40)

Then, instead of discussing Facebook for the iPad, we parse the saga of Phoenix Jones, superhero and the rest of the Rain City Superhero Movement, and determine that one of the things a superhero needs is multiple copies of his costume. (19:45 – 30:30) –

Finally, it’s Jim’s favorite album of the 21st century – The Hold Steady’s Boys and Girls in America, – the latest inductee into the Medialoper Bebop Great Albums Hall of Fame. (30:30 – 43:13)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:07 — 64.8MB)

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18 Musical Moments to Die For

April 20, 2009 by Jim Connelly

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done one of these, but I’m back!! In black. (Which is a terrible choice, because it’s, like, 150 degrees today.)

This time, on Musical Moments to Die For, we have two of the greatest cover versions of two of the greatest songs ever recorded; druggy people writing songs about their drug problems, and casual rockstar sexism.

We also have the usual 80’s indie obscurity, and run the gamut from catchy artsy sophistication to catchy dumb-ass stomping crapola.

This is the eighth in a series: The first one had 25, the second one had 24, the third one had 23, the fourth one had 22, the fifth one had 21, and the sixth had 20, and the seventh had 19.

21 Musical Moments To Die For

December 19, 2008 by Jim Connelly

You can talk about genres, artists, albums, or even songs, but sometimes what keeps us coming back to music is the discovery of the transcendent musical moment. For me, “the moment” is the part of the song that fully and utterly engages me; the reason that I keep coming back to it.

I’m not necessarily talking about hooks here, because the purpose of a hook is the draw you into a song. I’m really talking more about traps: the part of a song that that keeps you there.

The is the fifth in a series. The first one had 25, the second one had 24, the third one had 23, the fourth one had 22.

Also: there is a slight — but not total – Christmas theme going on with this one. More of an arc, really. And a couple of mini-arcs, too!

Every single moment I’ve listed below kills me single every time I hear it.

Oh, and this isn’t in any kind of order, despite the numbering.

The Lies of The Hold Steady and Drive-by Truckers

November 26, 2008 by Jim Connelly

“Rock & roll means well, but it can’t help telling young boys lies.” That’s the line. I was one of those young boys who got lied to. Who desperately believed each and every one. The lies started thirty years ago, and they’ve never really stopped.

And last night at the Wiltern Theatre in the heart of a rainy Los Angeles, they were being told again in a way that I haven’t seen in years, as The Hold Steady and Drive-by Truckers put on one of the best rock shows that I have ever ever seen in my entire life.