This album would make a god-awful Public Service Announcement. Why, you ask? Boys and Girls in America is chock-full of references to wild parties, drugs and alcohol, with a touch of sex thrown in the mix. But as a musical work, The Hold Steady's newest release succeeds with flying colors. Their rock-power-pop sound charges out from the start and maintains frenetic energy all the way to the end.
The quintet's lead vocalist, Craig Finn, has a distinct voice that half-sings, half-speaks. His singing may not be all that musical, but it gives a certain unique quality to the songs. And while the lyrics aren't particularly deep, plenty of them include clever and unusual turns of phrases that are beautiful, if you listen closely.
Plenty of songs are devoted to dysfunctional people and their romantic relationships. "Stuck Between Stations" tells of an imperfect ex-lover -- "She was a damn good dancer but she wasn't all that great of a girlfriend." The track opens strongly with guitars, which alternate well with solo piano.
The completely frantic, synthesizer-fueled "Same Kooks" uses the typical formula seen throughout the album -- love/sex + drugs. Yet, it manages to be lyrical -- "She said it's hard to feel holy when you can't get clean / Now she's bumping up against the washing machines / She said it's hard to slow down when you're picking up speed."
The first mellow track is "First Night," which reflects on how a girl has changed since he first met her. Finn recalls a picturesque memory -- "She was golden with barlight and beer / She slept like she'd never been scared."
The funniest track is "You Can Make Him Like You," which basically tells a girl that it's okay to take advantage of her too-willing boyfriend -- "You don't have to deal with the dealers / Let your boyfriend deal with the dealers / It only gets inconvenient / When you want to get high alone." I can't forget the kicker -- "If you get tired of your boyfriend's things / There's always other boys." What guy has the guts to just say that, outside of the consoling-best-guy-friend role?
And then comes even more drugs and alcohol. "Hot Soft Light" takes place in the middle of a police interrogation and involves mucho drug use -- "I've been straight since the Cinco de Mayo / before that I was blotto / I was blacked out I was cracked out / I was caved in."
The title of "Party Pit" describes the setting of the song. The last lyrics are "Gonna walk around and drink some more / Gonna walk around and drink" (repeat many times). "Chillout Tent" describes the hookup of two drug-overdosed kids at a festival.
One of the more downbeat standouts, "Citrus," sounds innocent enough until you hear the ode-to-alcohol lyrics -- "Hey citrus / Hey liquor / I love it when you touch each other." This song may have the deepest and most unusual lyrics The Hold Steady write, finding Jesus and Judas in lovers and drug dealers, respectively.
So all in all, The Hold Steady offer a fresh, original take on the formula of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. They weave together heavy guitar riffs, softer piano, random eclectic-sounding instruments and debauchery-filled lyrics. Somehow, they make it work. You can totally rock out at a party to this album and probably tokealong to it as well. Though I can't say I'd endorse the latter.
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