The Hold Steady

Hey, remember when The Hold Steady was, like, a thing? Remember when the mere mention of the Brooklyn, New York-based band’s name caused your friends to squeal in delight, and/or scoff in disgust? The group’s infectious (some would say forced) populist vibe worked wonders on a series of terrific (some would say unlistenable) albums, most notably Boys And Girls In America and Stay Positive. But after 2010’s not-bad-but-also-not-great Heaven Is Whenever—which marked the departure of keyboardist Franz Nicolay—the arguments and gnashing of teeth seemed to cool. Still, Heaven exudes nonstop nostalgia for the good old days, with Finn’s reminiscing sounding even more wistful than usual. With the addition of Lucero guitarist Steve Selvidge, the keyboard-less five-piece is currently working out material for a sixth album on the road.

Updated 03/27/2012