The Hold Steady-Stay Positive
Vagrant
July 15, 2008

Stay Positive is a non stop party that name drops Joe Strummer, Youth of Today and Seven Seconds. They're not as much of a bar band as the soundtrack for going to a bar with a group of snooty artists. Craig Finn's half sung half talk lazy voice is a constant centerpiece of this band, while the band backs him up with all the necessary talent (ala Bruce Springsteen).

Everything on here is a well polished machine, which I think works well for them. This album has some of the best songs that they've written, especially "One For the Cutters," and Finn's lyrics and stories are something that too few musicians are doing nowadays. The songs have energy when they need to and add atmosphere when they need to, making this album the total package of noise.

Its hard for me not to constantly listen to "Sequestered in Memphis" and "One For the Cutters" constantly, as those are two of my favorite songs of the year so far, but this whole album start to finish doesn't have any clunkers and is full of toe tappers and glass tippers.

Written by: RF
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