Hold Steady, Toronto, Sept 27

[Northern Wish]

I love pretentious people!

"Father can I tell your congregation how a resurrection really feels?"

[edger]

I thought the lead singer came off as preachy

I say thank god someone is. Rock and roll is rooted in the preacher to congregation call and response and to me too many jambands have taken this out of the mix opting for an introverted approach that can at times be frustrating. You listen to Phish in interviews for instance and these are sharp individuals who have interesting viewpoints' date=' and sometimes I want to hear from the artists and not just have the abstraction of their music speak for them. Just my .02.

[/quote']

I think preaching and good songwriting are two entirely different things. Both convey a message, both have the potential to impart their little pearls of wisdom, and I suppose both can be powerful. I 'tend' to personally prefer messages that can be interpreted in many different ways, depending on who you are, space, time, etc. Having said that, I also like a hard-hitting song that just lays it on the line (if what is being laid down is something interesting to chew on).

To me The Hold Steady's song "guys go for looks but women go for status" came off as one big cliche, and didn't offer up anything particularly innovative that I hadn't thought about before. I don't think the melody that accompanied that message made up for this in any way. Although I am sure they have better songs if someone wanted to point me towards them.

[Jakis]

I love the hold steady!

"There was a stage and a PA

up in western Massachusetts.

the kids came from miles around

to get messed up on the music. "

[Deeps]

I thought the lead singer came off as preachy

I say thank god someone is. Rock and roll is rooted in the preacher to congregation call and response and to me too many jambands have taken this out of the mix opting for an introverted approach that can at times be frustrating. You listen to Phish in interviews for instance and these are sharp individuals who have interesting viewpoints' date=' and sometimes I want to hear from the artists and not just have the abstraction of their music speak for them. Just my .02.

[/quote']

I think preaching and good songwriting are two entirely different things. Both convey a message, both have the potential to impart their little pearls of wisdom, and I suppose both can be powerful. I 'tend' to personally prefer messages that can be interpreted in many different ways, depending on who you are, space, time, etc. Having said that, I also like a hard-hitting song that just lays it on the line (if what is being laid down is something interesting to chew on).

To me The Hold Steady's song "guys go for looks but women go for status" came off as one big cliche, and didn't offer up anything particularly innovative that I hadn't thought about before. I don't think the melody that accompanied that message made up for this in any way. Although I am sure they have better songs if someone wanted to point me towards them.

I can't help but feel it's the delivery and not the content that's freaking you out, and my opinion is that this delivery is quite overdue, as I am tiring of the enigma that a lot of the Jambands have created, it's actually pretty prevelant in the indie scene too.

I say, listen I've got a boring job and I'm out on the weekend fill me up with energy and leave your passive nature for the afternoon set that I'll skip at some festival.

[Northern Wish]

Try Lord I'm Discouraged, Cheyenne Sunrise, First Night for some slower less preachy songs.

As for Girls go for Status, yeah a big cliche but I love how Craig can weave a dirty tale of drugs deception and debauchery buried under a three minute rock ditty.

Lyrics to Girls Like Status (I might have screwed some of it up):

He was drawn-up in the dark up in Penetration Park

He says he's got your medication

She was sitting on the edges of his vision trying to start a revolution

But he's done with all the parties, he's covered in contusions

Your life leaves life lines, your rug leaves bright bruises

She said she was cruising but she came back all proud and out of focus with a cool car, drank and broke us

Guys go for looks, girls go for status

There are so many nights where this is just how it happens

Guys go for looks, girls go for status

He was dreadlocked in the dorms in the Colorado corn

He says he's got your vegetation

She was sitting on the edge of the bed smoking trying to reach emancipation

And he's done with DVDs, he's fully entertained

He's bleaching out the blood stains, he's got diamonds in the drain

She said that she was coming but she wasn't, just make hard facts noises

It kind of sounded like a locus

Guys go for looks, girls go for status

There are so many nights where this is just how it happens

Guys go for looks, girls go for status

It was song number three on John's last CD,

"I'm going to make it through this year if it kills me"

And it almost killed me

And song number four on that thirsty floor, you want the scars but you don't want the war

Now that's just hardcore

These kids are clever to the core

Guys go for looks, girls go for status

[edger]

I thought the lead singer came off as preachy

I say thank god someone is. Rock and roll is rooted in the preacher to congregation call and response and to me too many jambands have taken this out of the mix opting for an introverted approach that can at times be frustrating. You listen to Phish in interviews for instance and these are sharp individuals who have interesting viewpoints' date=' and sometimes I want to hear from the artists and not just have the abstraction of their music speak for them. Just my .02.

[/quote']

I think preaching and good songwriting are two entirely different things. Both convey a message, both have the potential to impart their little pearls of wisdom, and I suppose both can be powerful. I 'tend' to personally prefer messages that can be interpreted in many different ways, depending on who you are, space, time, etc. Having said that, I also like a hard-hitting song that just lays it on the line (if what is being laid down is something interesting to chew on).

To me The Hold Steady's song "guys go for looks but women go for status" came off as one big cliche, and didn't offer up anything particularly innovative that I hadn't thought about before. I don't think the melody that accompanied that message made up for this in any way. Although I am sure they have better songs if someone wanted to point me towards them.

I can't help but feel it's the delivery and not the content that's freaking you out, and my opinion is that this delivery is quite overdue, as I am tiring of the enigma that a lot of the Jambands have created, it's actually pretty prevelant in the indie scene too.

I say, listen I've got a boring job and I'm out on the weekend fill me up with energy and leave your passive nature for the afternoon set that I'll skip at some festival.

Random thoughts:

Obviously people have their energy filled through different avenues.

I think you made an accurate observation that its probably more the delivery than the content that I was less than enthusiastic about. And again, I love a 'rockstar', but some pull it off better than others. I don't know if i can put my finger on the 'quality' that allows this to be so.

I don't equate humility or understatedness or rawness with being passive.

Thanks for the recommendations on other tunes to check out NW! Actually after reading through the rest of the lyrics for Girls go For Status, it's not a bad song. Got hung up on the shitty chorus I guess.

[NewRider]

My bad, edger is SOOO.. not lame.

[c-towns]

weak sauce dirtboy.

[edger]

My bad, edger is SOOO.. not lame.

It's okay I'm a 'little' lame

[Thorgnor]

If you do both nights, you'll have two massive nights followed by a crushing low!

How'bout lusty little crushes? Any of those to spare?

[Northern Wish]

Those only come out at all ages hardcore matinee shows.....