Lord, To Be 33 Forever

Greetings, faithful readers.  Tonight, we here at the Cuddle are feeling a little down, a little melancholy, yet we can see the silver lining in everything.  As I was rolling into work today, listening to a playlist on the trusty iPod, the sweet sounds of The Hold Steady came ringing through the speakers.  Now, there are myriad bands that beg to be played in the summertime (The Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead come to mind), but Craig Finn and his crew might be my favorite.  There's nothing better than wailing guitars and songs about the misguided follies of youth sung by a guy my age.  There's something reassuring about having musicians out there who can speak from experience and represent what it's like to be in your 30s, having made plenty of mistakes, trying to learn from them, and stopping short of telling others not to make the same ones.  Each Hold Steady album is great (we even chose Boys and Girls In America and Separation Sunday as co-best albums of the decade HERE) but tonight has me thinking about Separation Sunday a little more.
Through 11 tracks, Finn manages to be ridiculously verbose while spinning tales about getting wasted at camps along the Mississippi River, being at parties that are way too druggy, trying to buy drugs from Mackenzie Phillips, and finding redemption despite our foibles.  This is the record that introduces the terms "hoodrat" and "banging camp" into your vocabulary, takes you to Ybor City, City Center (in Minneapolis), and Penetration Park, and allows us to meet Holly, Gideon, and Charlemagne as characters in the Hold Steady universe (here's a tip - they don't do many redeeming things through the course of the record or the next couple, either).
It's Craig Finn's delivery that clinches this record, though.  He's a storyteller, first and foremost, not really a singer.  Those who don't worship the band often point to this as the reason why they can't get into their records, but allowing it to wash over you for a while will lead to the realization that he's truly a lyrical genius.  Check out all of the little details about the hoodrat friend that makes the narrator sick - including "tiny little text etched into her neck: it says 'Jesus lived and died for all your sins'" and the "damn right you'll rise again" tattoo on her lower back (guess why you'll rise again with this one...).  And despite describing why she makes him so reviled, he says, "your little hoodrat friend got me high, though" - so much for redemption.  The great thing about all of this drugging, dirty sex, poor choices, religious imagery, and searching for love in all the wrong places is that The Hold Steady never make judgements about any of it.  It's all just shit that happens - live with it and move on.  There's something that's very reassuring in that - with time and perspective, we can look back on our dirty pasts and make some sense of it all.  "How a Resurrection Really Feels" may be the penultimate song in the album's cycle (as far as the characters go - with Holly crashing into a church and pleading with the priest to allow her to preach her own private gospel to the congregation - her own personal resurrection), but for me, "Stevie Nix" is the song in which Finn pulls it all together.  He can't decide which he'd rather be - seventeen forever, or thirty-three forever.  In the end, it doesn't really matter - would you like to make mistakes over and over again, or have the time and perspective to look back on them fondly or otherwise?  This is where I am tonight, dear readers - stuck between stations on how I feel about where I am - pretty sure that 33 is fine with me, but oh, to be 17 again and make those glorious mistakes a few more times...

You can bet that Separation Sunday will be cued up for a while in the Cuddle Cruiser... enjoy these:
The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday (2005):
"Cattle and the Creeping Things"
"Your Little Hoodrat Friend"
"Stevie Nix"
"How a Ressurection Really Feels"

Until next time, let the sounds of the Hold Steady sing you through summer... and listen...

Lock Your Bedroom Door and Listen To Your Records...

Yes, Ideological Fans, the drought is over. After two long hiatuses, we are back at it at the Cuddle. And what a hiatus it has been. Since Record Store Day, we have been working hard at keeping up with all of the new vinyl releases out there, while stocking our shelves with old favorites as well.

That beautiful creature you see above is none other than the Ideological Dog, Jack, with two of his favorite new purchases. On the left, you'll note a beautiful 12" single of Billy Bragg's classic, "You Woke Up My Neighborhood", a single more famous for its first B-side - "Ontario, Quebec, and Me", a song that holds an esteemed place in Bragg lore. The sleeve has a couple of blemishes (note the slight peel on the record sleeve's lower right corner) and the vinyl has been well-loved (at least on side A), but it's still a welcome addition to the Cuddle's vinyl museum.

On the right in the picture above is our favorite new release, the record that allows The National to stake its claim as the best, and most important, band of the moment, High Violet. While it's not the highly-sought limited edition version on violet vinyl (no stores in the Buffalo area carried it... closest location would be Lakeshore Record Exchange in Rochester and a trip down the Thruway after a long day at work was NOT in the cards this past Tuesday), it was the only vinyl copy that our esteemed Record Theater had (thanks, BFF!!!!).

Now, those of you who know me know of my extreme love of The National, so anything that I say about how amazing this record is needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Look no further than Metacritic.com's current metascore of 86 to see that almost everyone agrees with me. Pitchfork's review really hits the nail on the head of how I feel about this album. It is a literate, mature, brooding work by a group of upwardly mobile thirtysomethings lamenting the slings and arrows faced by upwardly mobile, literate, educated, thirtysomethings as they face the drudgery of everyday life, the realities of marriage and parenthood, the fears of one's future, the examination of one's past, and insecurities that each of these challenges creates. It is definitely NOT for those who like their music wrapped up into tidy, neat little pop-radio-ready packages, with easily understandable themes. You won't hear "Afraid of Everyone" or "Bloodbuzz Ohio" on Top 40 radio anytime in the near or distant future (waaaaaay too intelligent for the average music fan - and if that's snobbery, so be it). Matt Berninger's voice is in it's usual state of baritone perfection (and sounds even more sonorous on vinyl). "Bloodbuzz Ohio" perfectly deals with coming to terms with one's past and one's hometown with the stellar lines - "I never thought about love when I thought about home" and "I still owe money/to the money/to the money I owe" - words that anyone with higher education school loans can commiserate with. "Runaway" is my runaway favorite, as the singer stands in the face of his issues and boldly declares, "I won't be no runaway, 'cause I won't run", yet admits that he'd prefer to be elsewhere - "What makes you think I enjoy being left to the flood?". Rarely do the songs hit an uptempo, driving pace (no "Mr. November" or "Abel" to be found here), but they don't need to. The dour mood of the album reflects the subject matter. It sucks facing reality in all of our daily lives - whether you're a physician from Buffalo or an indie rock front man from Brooklyn...

The National - "Runaway" - from the 4AD release, High Violet

Adding to a banner three weeks of new releases (which will conclude with Tuesday's releases of The Black Keys latest barn burner, Brothers and an Audiophile 180g 2 LP remaster of The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street) were the newest gems from favorites The New Pornographers and The Hold Steady. Each of these records are gems, but one is more flawed than expected.

Whenever The New Pornographers choose to release a record, it's a time of rejoicing in indie pop circles. Together is, simply put, their strongest album since, their first, 2000's Mass Romantic. Each of the band's songwriters is in strong form throughout the record with Neko Case, Dan Bejar, Kathryn Calder, and Carl Newman trading lead singing duties. The Pornographers finally make use of the combination of Bejar and Case's voices together in the standout "Daughters of Sorrow". In an alternate reality, this band's power pop songs would top the Billboard charts. It's fine with me that they never will.

The Hold Steady have always had substantial buzz preceding their records. Unfortunately, their latest, Heaven is Whenever, had plenty of negative buzz surrounding it. Gone is keyboard and mustache maestro Franz Nicolay, and along with him goes some of the go-for-broke, over the top sound that the band has been famous for. Now, some of the reviews for this record have praised the fact that Craig Finn and company sound a little more in control - more "mature" as some would put it - but this truly works to the band's detriment. I can only get into a couple of songs on the record and album opener "The Sweet Part of The City" can't come close to touching any of the previous three openers - "Hornets! Hornets!" from Separation Sunday, "Stuck Between Stations" from Boys and Girls In America, or "Constructive Summer" from Stay Positive. I want to think that, when played live, these songs will take flight (a recent performance of "Hurricane J" on The Colbert Report seems to back this up), but I'm not holding my breath.

As for vintage vinyl that has come into our clutches lately, we've added some beauties by Miles Davis, including a pretty nice copy of In A Silent Way, each of the two different sleeves of Tribute to Jack Johnson, and a passable copy of At Fillmore. We were also able to snag a nice copy of the Concert for Bangladesh 3 LP set with beautifully intact booklet, a first pressing of Herbie Hancock's jazz-funk masterpiece, Thrust, and an excellently preserved first pressing of Rush's first live album, All The World's A Stage (which sounded AWESOME being blared on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning while Mrs. Cuddle and I puttered about). Mrs. Cuddle has even gotten in on the act, seeking out old pop/rap/dubstep/club records for her new DJing hobby. She even encouraged a trip to check out some record stores in St. Catherine's on this past week's trip to The Great White North (we had a lot of fun digging through dusty crates of LPs and finding her a copy of her favorite Aerosmith record, Draw The Line - lots of sentimental value with that one).

Hopefully there's much more vintage vinyl to be had, as the BFF and I venture to Boston to visit friends, visit The World's Greatest Sporting Venue for Red Sox vs. Royals, and do some shopping. I've already got my vintage record stores planned out for the trip...

Until next time, be well, for heaven's sake, pick up the new National record (vinyl preferred), and listen...

Father, Can I Tell Your Congregation How A Resurrection Really Feels?

It's finally time, faithful readers. After a 1 month delay (sorry), we here at The Ideological Cuddle are very proud to name our favorite album(s) of the past decade. We've discussed some great albums that have had profound influences on my life over the past 10 years. The crown jewel of this list trumps them all. Without further adieu...

NUMBER 1:

The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday & Boys and Girls In America

Sorry, I just can't choose between these two records, and there is way too much on these two records that is essential to who I am, how I look at things, and how I listen to things to leave one of them off of the list. Maybe it's the affinity I feel for lead singer Craig Finn - I mean, how many lead singers in indie rock these days are the same general age that I am? (it's rhetorical, no need for smart ass answers from anyone out there looking to call yours truly "old"). His world-weary view and "been there, done that" observations of youth behaving very badly resonate with those of us that have moved on to more deadline-filled endeavors. Those of us beyond a certain age can't just return to our boozy, promiscuous days in real life, but The Hold Steady's music can take us there.

Separation Sunday is more of a rumination on religion, where Boys and Girls In America is a slice-of-life snapshot of what the title implies and the narrative threads of these two records are something to be admired. Each song cycle revolves around a group of three characters - Charlemagne, Gideon, and Hallelujah ("but her friends all called her Holly"). These three go through more in the space of 22 songs than any "normal" human being could endure - illicit drugs, drug deals, murder, arrest, religion, STDs, it's all here. As you can tell by the names of the characters, the band has a lot to say about religion as well. A main focus throughout both albums, religion is cast as a crutch and a redemption, it's never all good or all bad, but it's definitely a driving force. By the end of these two records, it's tough to tell if Finn is a fan of organized religion as he straddles the line between true believer and blasphemer.

Two albums' worth of songs about drugs, sex, religion, and parties might be good enough by itself, but it helps that each record is catchy as hell. Loaded with hooks and a loose bar band sound, The Hold Steady sound like the early E Street Band (without the overrated front man... Yeah, I said it...). One of the things that pushed The Hold Steady to achieve this sound, especially on these two records, was Franz Nicolay. The unique keyboard and accordion player became a full-time member of the band after their first record, Almost Killed Me, and brought an element of sound that the band was lacking. His organ, piano, and accordion lines fill a void in the band's sound that they may not have realized they couldn't live without. Unfortunately, the band will have to live without Franz from here on - it was announced this weekend that Nicolay had left the band and pursue separate endeavors. The band may never be quite the same without Franz's trademark handlebar mustache at the forefront.

Not enough can be said about Tad Kubler, the band's lead guitarist. He sets the tone for these songs time and time again. "Stuck Between Stations" is a perfect example - driving guitar line propelling the song forward with ascending piano and glockenspiel notes reeks of Bruce Springsteen and his crew (take away Finn's voice and it sounds like the greatest song the Boss never wrote). The guitar solo in the song's bridge is devil-horn-hand-sign worthy. His solo at the end of "Same Kooks" later on the record echoes Thin Lizzy and Ted Nugent. Listen to all of these two records and you might think that Kubler should be ranked among modern rock's finest guitarists - you'd be right (and these two records don't even cover his finest, lighter-raising moment - his solo on "Lord, I'm Discouraged" from 2008's Stay Positive - which he played on double neck guitar when I saw the band at the Phoenix in Toronto late in that year).

A lot has been made of Craig Finn's vocal delivery, which alternates between a rough growl and a rapid fire recitation of the lyrics. You can't exactly call his voice "typical", and it certainly wouldn't work for many bands, but it's perfect for The Hold Steady.

It's been about 4 years since I first experienced this band. I can safely say that I have listened to The Hold Steady more than any other band since then. When I first purchased Boys and Girls In America (dirt cheap from the Vagrant Records website along with With Strings: Live at Town Hall by the Eels - see this post for details, as it ranked #15 in my Decade's Best list), it didn't leave my CD player for 3 months. Literally. It was the record I listened to when I visited my grandfather alive for one of the last times. It helped me through his death by allowing me to escape reality and live inside of Craig Finn's dreamworld for a little while. I was clearly obsessed, and I clearly haven't been cured.

A last comment on the band - the live experience. The BFF and I saw The Hold Steady with The Drive-By Truckers at The Phoenix in Toronto (as mentioned above) and saw them tear through 17 tunes in about 60 minutes with the ferocity of a punk band and the swagger of the world's greatest rock & roll band. They barely paused between songs, unless it was to allow Craig Finn to ramble about multiple subjects. Finn stood front and center through each second, gesticulating to the crowd, screaming the lyrics that we all knew by heart, hearing them being thrown right back at him. Nicolay was at stage right, behind his keyboard kit wearing a white suit, handlebar mustache in all of it's curvy glory. Tad Kubler was at stage left, looking low key (even when holding the double-neck). Galen Polivka (bass) and Bobby Drake (drums), the rock solid rhythm section, took a back seat to the other three, but laid the foundation for everyone else to shine above. It was telling that, after they had exhausted the crowd, many didn't even stay to listen to the DBTs.

Finn might sum up the entire experience by the dueling refrains from "Stevie Nix" on Separation Sunday. He alternates cries of "Oh to be 17 forever" with "Lord, to be 33 forever". Which is it? Maybe the point is that both are the epitome of who we are - two ages, one with no experience and nothing but adrenaline propelling us forward, the other, more aged and wiser, with less fire in our bellies, but more insight into ourselves.

I hope that many of you who haven't heard The Hold Steady's brand of indie rock check out the songs below. Those of you already familiar with the band can find some other tracks at this previous post. I hope everyone out there catches The Hold Steady live, as that's how they deserve to be heard. Party with them, and maybe you can say that "Killer parties almost killed me".

Separation Sunday - "Hornets! Hornets!"

Separation Sunday - "Cattle and The Creeping Things"

Separation Sunday - "Your Little Hoodrat Friend"

Separation Sunday - "How A Resurrection Really Feels"

Boys and Girls In America - "Stuck Between Stations"

Boys and Girls In America - "Massive Nights"

It has been a pleasure presenting my favorite 20 albums of the last decade to all of you who have chosen to stop by at this little blog. I hope that each reader tells a few friends about the things that you've read about here and invite them to read as well. I really feel that this blog is finding its voice and will continue to present new music insights in the coming year. We have plans to present reviews of new albums (I've been dying to present my thoughts about Spoon's latest masterpiece, Transference) and post full bootleg concerts (lots of these lined up). Keep reading. We're only getting started.

It Burns Being Broke, Hurts Being Heartbroken, And Always Being Both Must Be A Drag...

The holiday season is deeply upon us. The stresses of daily life compounded with the strain of the holidays equals major issues for some. What better way to let loose than throw some killer parties...
To celebrate, we here at the Ideological Cuddle are prepping a massive end-of-the-decade set of posts celebrating our favorite music from the past 10 years. It's hard to believe that the 'Oughts' are almost over and a new decade will be dawning. It's even more difficult to believe some of the records that came out in this decade (it's already been 9 years since Kid A, REALLY???). I have a huge list of albums that inspired me and pushed me along over the past 10 years and can't wait to share my favorites with you. I encourage all dear readers out there to leave your comments with your favorites from the past decade as well...

One of the bands that will definitely be included in the Decade's Best is the Hold Steady. I realized that I hadn't posted anything about this raucous bunch of Minnesotans (via Brooklyn) to this point as I was going through their back cataglogue (completely encompassed in this decade, by the way). Craig Finn's lyrics and delivery are steeped in the mythology of youth, the drug culture, deviant behavior, and even more deviant sex. There are recurring characters (most famously, Charlemagne, Holly, and Gideon), religious allusions, literary references, and, of course, killer parties. Finn has been accused of being all the things that his music embraces, but he's said time and again that his lyrics are merely a reflection of the things that he's seen and heard. Seeing this band live is the way to go, as they might be the best at what they do (call it what you will - bar band rock, indie rock, whatever) in all of music. You won't have a better time at a rock show and you won't feel closer to a group of fellow devotees than you will at a Hold Steady show. They tour constantly, so you shouldn't have trouble catching them anywhere in these here 50 states (heck, they even came to Buffalo this year).

So what's the link between The Hold Steady and the holiday season? This band just makes you feel good - that's exactly what we all need at this time of year. As the snow falls (sometimes in horizontal sheets in our neck of the woods), the shoppers flood the roads, and the stress levels rise, its good to know that there are bands out there cranking out rock and roll the way it was meant to be played - loud and energetic and frenetic - and transporting us to all those dirty places where they throw such Killer Parties...


Here's a little taste of the boys in their element - courtesy of Ideological Cuddle favorite, Daytrotter :
The Hold Steady Live from South By Southwest (via Daytrotter):
Sequestered In Memphis
Constructive Summer
Stay Positive
Sweet Payne

And a bonus live-in-studio track of The Hold Steady covering Led Zeppelin:
Your Time Is Gonna Come

Until next time (and the beginning of the Decade's Best posts), be well, de-stress, and listen...

You and I Belong in the Same Time and Place

This post comes one day too late, but I think that it's appropriate that I am able to reflect on the events of the past two days before blogging about them. My sister was married yesterday, and I can't imagine a better way to spend time with a large number of people that I love. I held it together pretty well (no crying for this guy - at least, none that anybody saw), but can't be more proud to be a brother-in-law to my sister's soul mate. Seeing them together, seeing my parents having a great time, spending the evening with my lovely wife (we'll celebrate 5 years together in about two weeks)... can't think of anything better.

I had planned a wedding mix of songs for your enjoyment, but it came out as more of a love mix... I don't think that any of these songs are "traditional" love songs, but they all mean something very important to me. I hope you enjoy them, and check out the artists who perform them (if you aren't well-acclimated with their work already). A word on the last song - the live version of "Killer Parties" by The Hold Steady really rings true, and not just in the lyrics and the feel of the song, but in Craig Finn's comments leading into the tune... "There is so much joy in what we do here" - you can feel it in his voice... that's how I felt yesterday...

Robyn Hitchcock - "I Feel Beautiful"

Eels - "My Beloved Monster"

Rhett Miller - "Question"

The National - "Lucky You (Live from Daytrotter)"

Band of Horses - "No One's Gonna Love You"

Leonard Cohen - "Ain't No Cure For Love (Live)"

M. Ward - "Poison Cup"

The Jayhawks - "All the Right Reasons"

Camera Obscura - "The Sweetest Thing"

The Hold Steady - "Killer Parties"

Until next time, be well, love all, and listen...