The Hold Steady - A Positive Rage
Rating
RIYL
Bruce SpringsteenThe Replacements
The Mountain Goats
The Thermals
Release Date
04/07/2009
Label
Vagrant RecordsTracklist
1. Intro2. Stuck Between Stations
3. The Swish
4. Chips Ahoy!
5. Massive Nights
6. Ask Her for Adderall
7. Barfruit Blues
8. Same Kooks
9. You Gotta Dance (With Who You Came With)
10. Lord, I'm Discouraged
11. You Can Make Him Like You
12. Your Little Hoodrat Friend
13. Southtown Girls
14. Citrus
15. First Night
16. Girls Like Status
17. Killer Parties
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“There are some of these indie rock shows that you go to that are so joyless. I just want people to feel this joy and celebratory nature of rock and roll when they see The Hold Steady.”
The documentary accompanying The Hold Steady’s live album, A Positive Rage, opens with this quote from singer Craig Finn. It perfectly outlines the band’s philosophy and the atmosphere you can expect at one of their live shows. The video chronicles the band as they mystify audiences in America and London while touring for 2006’s Boys and Girls in America. This concept of delivering joy to the crowd is one that runs strong through every aspect of this package. Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing them live can attest to the fact that they are able to do so in a manner that is unmatched among their peers.
The footage included on the DVD contains some excellent performances of full songs such as “Chips Ahoy!” and insight into the mindset of the band at the time. Highlights include Craig Finn sitting at a café table while he’s being interviewed by the British press and reflecting on how far the band had come. It also has Finn confirming what many of us already knew – The Hold Steady was created in the shadow of The Replacements. He also confesses that, “My vocals are just me talking at an amplified volume.”
The remarkable thing about watching the documentary is the lack of drama within the band and the unrelenting passion that they have for performing. They set out to play simple rock and roll with smart lyrics and it is inspiring to see how many people appreciate and identify with what they are doing. Nevertheless, the video as a whole seems more like a glorified press release than an actual compilation of material that fans have been yearning for. Most of it is cobbled together from crowd testimonials, interview snippets, and the band commenting on their own status. It falls short in producing that ‘insider’ feel that a good music documentary is able to create for fans.
The linear notes are written by Craig Finn himself and reflect on the tour in a more intimate way. They mention the singer telling drunken stories in a hotel room after being worked up following an especially riveting performance. It’s clear to me that more stuff of this nature should have been included on the DVD. He also mentions performing “Chillout Tent” with Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum which would have been great to hear. It’s also a shame that they didn’t have footage of a drunk Kiefer Sutherland crashing their dressing room, which apparently happened.
The real gem here is the live set recorded at the Metro in Chicago, IL on October 31, 2007. There are some nice surprises on the set list. Particularly powerful is the trio of “Ask Her for Adderall”, “Barfruit Blues”, and “Same Kooks”. These deeper tracks from the band’s catalog demonstrate the energy that has allowed them to become an infamous live act. The storytelling during songs such as “Your Little Hoodrat Friend” and “Girls Like Status” make this a more interesting experience than your typical live album. The true standout here is the closer, an almost 11 minute version of “Killer Parties” in which Craig Finn sounds like he’s about to burst while proclaiming, “There is so much joy in what we do here!”
It’s hard to capture the excitement and energy of a performance by The Hold Steady. This collection does an admirable but certainly not flawless job of accomplishing this. As a fan of the band, you would be foolish not to add this to your collection. You undoubtedly get your money’s worth with a documentary, personal liner notes, a full live set and downloadable bonus tracks which are part of the enhanced CD. A Positive Rage isn’t going to convert non-believers, but it can be a nice introduction for anyone who hasn’t heard them yet. The package paints them in a favorable light while displaying the appeal of the band. However, to experience the real joy you’re going to have to purchase a ticket when they come to town. As the apparently drunk woman states at the end of the DVD, “Can I say that I am a harsh critic but that was outrageous. Talk about crowd control…shit.”
--Dave Spak
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