If you’ve yet to discover the delights of The Hold Steady, then here’s a taste of what you’ve been missing. The New York quintet’s recently released third album ‘Boys And Girls In America‘ is arguably an early contender for album of 2007; a feast of whiskey-soaked alt-rock anthems that owe a debt to The Replacements and Bruce Springsteen, whilst still sounding remarkably fresh and vital.
‘Stuck Between Stations‘ is the first track, and a very fine introduction to the band it is too. Amidst the chiming piano and bold guitar licks, vocalist/guitarist Craig Finn reels off his stream-of-consciousness lyrics with the knowing aura of a guy who’s spent more than a few nights with nothing but his guitar and the long, winding roads for company.
You can check it out on the link above, and be sure to see the band live when they return to these shores for a few dates in early July:
2nd – London Shepherds Bush Empire
4th – Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
5th – Manchester University