| View Larger Image | Separation Sunday | Audio CDby The Hold Steady
| List Price: | $12.98 | | Price: | $11.99 | | You Save: | $0.99 (8%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Audio CD | | Studio: | French Kiss | | Release Date: | May 03, 2005 | | Sales Rank: | 16,775th |
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TRACK LISTING |
Disc: 1
- Track 1: Hornets! Hornets!
- Track 2: Cattle and the Creeping Things
- Track 3: Your Little Hoodrat Friend
- Track 4: Banging Camp
- Track 5: Charlemagne in Sweatpants
- Track 6: Stevie Nix
- Track 7: Multitude of Casualties
- Track 8: Don't Let Me Explode
- Track 9: Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
- Track 10: Cruxifixion Cruise
- Track 11: How a Resurrection Really Feels
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Amazon.com
It's only natural that the Hold Steady singer Craig Finn receives all the attention. After all, he's the one with the big mouth. And while his odd and humorous rants are essentially compelling, they wouldn't be half as engrossing if his backing group, especially fellow ex-Minnesotan and Lifter Puller guitarist Tad Kubler, didn't smack up such a glorious din, scabrous punk rock swagger dolled up with classic hard rock power chords. "Separation Sunday" is the NYC-based group's second album and it's every bit as sassy and city wise as their 2004 debut "Almost Killed Me." Finn doesn't know the meaning of the phrase 'hold your tongue' and rudely shouts down the opposition on a number of romantic and religious matters, underscoring his contempt with touching moments of true pathos. Finn's surrounded by self-mutilators, abused lovers and deluded characters desperately chasing faith. It's a good thing he has such a crack band to keep them all in check. -- Jaan Uhelszki |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 40 reviews)
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"I think I might have mentioned that before" by Blake Maddux (Arlington, MA United States)  2 Stars
September 21, 2008
When I reviewed The Hold Steady's vomit-inducing debut album (Almost Killed Me), I said that its follow-up - Separation Sunday - was a major improvement. I hadn't listened to it that much, but it had to be, right? I mean, even a solid BM is an improvement over diarrhea.
Now that I have really listened to it, I find that I was partially right: it is an improvement, but not to the point of being a very good album.
At the very least, Separation Sunday isn't as excruciatingly annoying as Almost Killed Me. It doesn't make as many references to the same things as often as the first album did. However, it still makes too many. In the course of eleven songs, we get treated to eight references to getting high. The name-dropping of cities is scaled back significantly. As opposed to seventeen on Almost Killed Me, I count ten different cities being mentioned on Separation Sunday. These include Denver three times, Ybor City once (as opposed to three on Almost Killed Me), and the "Twin Cities" once, as well as one time each for Minneapolis and St. Paul. Some place called "Penetration Park" - Google it - is mentioned three times, and "the banks of the (usually Mississippi) river" come up seven times. Charlemagne, who was mentioned several times on the debut, gets his own song on Separation Sunday, and he is mentioned twice in the song "Don't Let Me Explode". FINALLY, "hoodrat" is mentioned four times outside of the song called "Your Little Hoodrat Friend."
In addition to the significantly fewer instances of what made Almost Killed Me so insufferable (oh yeah, no one is described as looking like anyone else on this album!), there are some genuinely good lyrics. "She said `I won't be much for all this Humbert Humbert stuff'." "It burns being broke, and it hurts to be heartbroken, but being both must be a drag." "Youth services always finds a way to get their bloody crosses into your druggy little messed-up teenage life." "They did `She's Got Legs' into `Ain't Too Proud To Beg' into something by The Dixie Dregs. They faked their way through `Fairytale of New York'."
There are also some pretty dumb ones, like a reference to a lame song from their first album: "That song got so scratched into her soul." Another one is a failed attempt to be clever: "When they say killer whales, they mean they whaled on him until the killed him...." There is also the self-congratulatory, back-patting lyric "At least in dying you don't have to go through new wave for a second time."
Moreover, "I kind of dig the(se) awkward silences" pops up in two songs, and there is one obligatory Bruce reference: "Tramps like us and we like tramps." The most appropriate lyric on the album, however, appears in "Cattle and the Creeping Things": "I think I might have mentioned that before." (I think that Craig Finn uses Magnetic Poetry to write his lyrics.)
On most tracks, the music is pretty basic. However, there are many fine moments as well. Among these are cool fade-outs ("Hornets! Hornets!", "Cattle and the Creeping Things", "How a Resurrection Really Feels"), strong guitar and bass ("Your Little Hoodrat Friend", "Banging Camp", "Charlemagne In Sweatpants"), and colorful keyboards/piano/organ ("Banging Camp", "Stevie Nix", "Multitude of Casualties"). Craig Finn's voice is, well, Craig Finn's voice. This album won't change how you feel about it.
Yes, Separation Sunday is an improvement, even if this means simply that it is less bad. I hadn't heard of The Hold Steady until their third album, Boys and Girls In America, was released. I listened to it, and I felt that the hype was mostly justified. Had I heard and reviewed their albums in the order that they were released, I would like to think that my review of Separation Sunday would end something like this: "Harsh criticism aside, they are getting better. Hopefully, their next release will improve upon Separation Sunday as much as it improved upon Almost Killed Me. Then they will be on to something."
Alas, I feel that I can say that only with knowledge that they did, in fact, improve so exponentially. Had I heard Separation Sunday when it first came out, I expect that I would have greeted Boys and Girls In America with trepidation at best, and disdain to the point of not bothering with it at worst.
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The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday by Thomas Orange (Dallas, TX)  5 Stars
September 09, 2008
A hood rat riff rocking masterpiece, blending 70s punk and classic rock together with vocalist Craig Finn's brilliant lyrics. This one rocks at a street level, with lots of good songs. Their best with the possible exception of their latest "Stay Positive".
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Rock Music is Saved by Max White (Boston, MA)  4 Stars
August 17, 2008
True- many of the songs sound similar. True- The Hold Steady rock hard, front to back, have entertaining lyrics, and can flat out play. A great band who won't revolutionize music, but might just make it enjoyable again.
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Holly was a Hoodrat but I guess you probably know that! by Joseph W. Watkins (Atlanta, GA) 4 Stars
August 13, 2008
THIS IS A GOOD BAND. It so hard to find a band that writes good lyrics and totally rocks out at the same time. The Hold Steady combine what was best about the Replacements with a whole lot of Springsteen. Craig Finn,vocals and guitar, is a great storyteller. This album is a theme album about Holly the Hoodrat. Finn talks about the streets of Minneapolis,Minnesota and the Mississippi River and this girl Holly who was a hood rat, being a bad Catholic, Resurrections, banging camp, Charlamange in Sweatpants, and a whole bunch else that allow the Hold Steady to look straight into a mirror at their reflection and call themselves a ROCK BAND. These guys are the real thing. Really good Guitar band plus a little organ and keys to. Feels like the Lyrics of Westerberg but with the Boss's energy. If you like Bruce Springsteen or bands like the Replacements, the Drive By Truckers, the Whigs, or even a jam band like Widespread Panic, this band is for you.
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Nouveau Springsteen by Kurt Harding (Boerne TX) 4 Stars
March 25, 2008
My introduction to The Hold Steady came through hearing a few of their songs on sampler discs included with some of the music magazines to which I subscribe. My first impression when I heard them was that they sound a lot like Bruce Springsteen in the early days before he became overtly political and self-important. Those who know the Springsteen album Greetings From Asbury Park will immediately relate to what I am saying when they first hear Separation Sunday.
I liked Springsteen in those days so I looked up The Hold Steady here and picked Separation Sunday as my initial CD experience with them. I find there is a lot to like. The band is tight, the singer has attitude, and the lyrics have the kind of noirish feel I like in the music I listen to. To me, the best cut is Stevie Nix, but I also really enjoy Cattle and the Creeping Things and Charlemagne In Sweatpants.
Some complain that lead singer half-shouts and half-sings the songs. Well, that's not a complaint for me. That shouting style fits the songs very well. This isn't presented as an album full of love songs, after all. My only complaint is that with just a over forty minutes worth of music, the CD is over almost before it starts. However, the price is right.
I enjoyed this well enough to give The Hold Steady another shot. If you like in-your-face rock and roll and enjoyed the music of Bruce Springsteen before he became rich and famous, then you should enjoy this. Note that amazon says that The National is similar. I like The National, but I think that about the only things the bands have in common are a snarky attitude and the fact that though they are both based in New York, the principal band members are from elsewhere.
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SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| Almost Killed Me
by The Hold Steady
2008 two CD set containing the first two albums from the critically acclaimed New York-based band led by Craig Finn (formerly of Lifter Puller). Almost Killed Me was originally released in 2004 followed a year later by Separation Sunday. Full Time Hobby.
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| Boys and Girls in America
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ON TOUR 10/21 - 11/19 Oct 21 - Providence, RI - Lupos Heartbreak hotel Oct 22 - Boston, MA - The Roxy Oct 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric factory Oct 24 - Raleigh - Disco Rodeo Oct 25 - Athens - 40 Watt Oct 26 - Knoxville - Bijiou Theatre Oct 27 - Columbus - Newport Music Hall Oct 29 - Pontiac - Crofoot Ballroom Oct 30 - Chicago - Metro Oct 31 - Chicago - Metro Nov 01 - Minneapolis - State Theatre Nov 04 - Seattle - HUB Ballroom Nov 05 - Portland - Crystal Ballroom Nov 06 - San Francisco -...
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| Stay Positive
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Stay Positive is the fourth studio album from The Hold Steady and follows their hugely popular 2006 release Girls And Boys In America. Working once again with producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.), the album sees the band continue in the same direction their previous release took them, mixing classic bar-room style Rock with Craig Finn's half spoken/half sung lyrical tales of drinking, partying and love. Features the single 'Sequestered In Memphis'.
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| A Positive Rage
by The Hold Steady
2009 two disc (CD/DVD) release featuring 17 live tracks (CD) plus The Hold Steady Documentary (DVD). In the last three years, the Hold Steady have a come a long way. They've gone from being everyone's favorite bar band in their hometown of Minneapolis to critically acclaimed, international heavyweights. The band's newest studio album, Stay Positive, adorns just about every tastemaker Top 10 list of 2008, and the album has now sold over 100,000 copies worldwide. The band's live show is a big...
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| Stay Positive
by The Hold Steady
Two LP set includes the bonus track of 'Ask Her For Adderall'. Stay Positive is the fourth studio album from The Hold Steady and follows their hugely popular 2006 release Girls And Boys In America. Working once again with producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.), the album sees the band continue in the same direction their previous release took them, mixing classic bar-room style Rock with Craig Finn's half spoken/half sung lyrical tales of drinking, partying and love. Features the...
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