There are some nights, when there is really only one band that feels natural to listen to. When every awkward boy walks away with an awkward girl and their friends are too wasted to even pay attention to whats going on around them. The Hold Steady have been granted (and have held) the title of America's bar band ever since their debut "Almost Killed Me" back in 2004 and the one thing that the band has always gotten completely right, is the song writing. Craig Fin has found a unique blend of Bruce Springsteen, Paul Westerberg and the whole of Husker Du. Almost all of his tracks deal with a party that one could call the best party ever, at least until the next party is even better. Or the bummer parties where a person gets too high or too drunk and must face the consequences of enjoying themselves just a little to much. In what is easily their career high Craig Finn, with remarkably few lyrics some describes a intense night of partying, a relationship that ended on a sour note and even a little hint at alcohol or drug addiction. "She was a really cool kisser, wasn't all that great of a girlfriend." With that simple statement, the listener is able to see the entire relationship play out as if they were an onlooker watching their best friends relationship fall to pieces. The song has a feeling like flying, the sound the band creates can really only be compared to Bruce Springsteen on Born to Run. Its like a wall of sound and an intoxicating rush of joy and nostalgia. I once heard Craig Finn say this song is all about "Art, love, depression, hiding from alcohol its fate and its about everything else." And honestly, that's all it is. A brilliant blend of strong song writing, an epic uplifting sound and of course nostalgia for the party that you wish you could live over and over again.
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