A Positive Jam

Intro To A Positive Jam Season 1: The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me

A Positive Jam is a podcast dedicated to breaking down great albums track by track. Our first season focuses on The Hold Steady’s classic debut album, Almost Killed Me.

 

The Hold Steady emerged in 2004 with Almost Killed Me, a record that took a throwback 70s’ rock sound and made it wholly new. In a time of 80s knock-offs, dance-punk bands, and the last gasps of nu-grunge and boy bands, The Hold Steady kicked the doors down with a bag of one-liners and guitar solos. They reminded the sniffling indie kids and critics of the early ‘00s that this was supposed to be a party. And, they changed our lives.

 

In our intro episode, co-hosts Mike Taylor and Daniel Shvartsman explain why this album matters and what we aim to do over the course of the 12 episodes that cover season 1. We will be breaking down the 10 tracks from Almost Killed Me, one episode at a time, as well as breaking down bonus tracks and the Minneapolis music scene.

 

A Positive Jam debuts with full episodes in the first week of August 2020 and will be available on Spotify, Apple, Stitcher, Google Play, and wherever you get podcasts. Subscribe to get episodes as soon as they come out, and hold steady for the season through one of the great rock albums of this millennium.

 

Season 1 of A Positive Jam is sponsored by Retro Gear Shop. Check out Retro Gear Shop at https://retrogearshop.com/

 

A Positive Jam Season 1 Playlist: The Hold Steady Starter Kit

As we build up for the launch of A Positive Jam - coming in on August 5th - we're releasing a couple playlist episodes. These playlists should help you get excited to dive into the Hold Steady's debut, Almost Killed Me, and will set the context for the 2004 music scene that the Hold Steady crashed into.

 

In this episode, Mike Taylor walks us through his Hold Steady starter kit. The six songs - only six?! - that will get someone new to the band up to speed on what the Hold Steady is generally about. And if you're already a big fan of the band, you'll probably get fired up re-listening to these tracks. Or maybe we missed a track?  If so, you can tell us on twitter @mbrookstaylor or @danielshortman.

 

Check out the full playlist here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Ail7NL4yZDOxVQgXXQvKx?si=JcONNoMoSriDi314TeXeRQ

 

And make sure to subscribe to A Positive Jam here:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Stitcher
• Podbean

And hold steady for our debut episode, August 5th!

A Positive Jam Season 1 Playlist: The Early '00s Music Scene

As we build up for the launch of A Positive Jam - which is one week away, on August 5th - we're releasing a couple playlist episodes. These playlists should help you get excited to dive into the Hold Steady's debut, Almost Killed Me, and will set the context for the 2004 music scene that the Hold Steady crashed into. 

 

In this episode, Daniel Shvartsman sets the scene for music in the early '00s. A time where R&B and rap fully eclipsed rock, where indie mainstream music was falling into two nostalgic channels, where unconventional song structures and emo were having a moment. But also, 2004 would be a turning point year. This playlist will bring you back to that era and see why music was ready for a change, as driven by the Hold Steady and others.

 

There's no way to get to everything in 33 songs, of course. Any other tracks you remember from this era as important ones? Let us know on twitter @mbrookstaylor or @danielshortman, or @shortmanstudios. 

 

Check out the full playlist here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2hEU9wP2t4KdiBBjhHabGn?si=7rOOTgbRSUiqszit827yaQ

 

And make sure to subscribe to A Positive Jam here:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Stitcher
• Podbean

And hold steady for our debut episode, August 5th!

A Positive Jam Track 1: Positive Jam

We start it all off with a positive jam. Namely, "Positive Jam", the first track on Almost Killed Me.

Matt Brooks of the Washington Post joins us to break down the Hold Steady's thesis statement, their scene establisher, their introduction to their triumphant career.

We break down how the track works, including how it sets up the band's ethos as much as Craig Finn's lyrical interests. We talk about where it could have gone wrong and why it's not our generation's "We Didn't Start The Fire". And we discuss whether this track stands alone, and whether it works as the first track for someone new to The Hold Steady.

 

 

A Positive Jam Track 2: The Swish

"Positive Jam" set out what the Hold Steady cared about, but it was "The Swish" that showed who the Hold Steady were and what they were about.

 

Matt Brooks (Washington Post) joins us again to break down the first big rocker of the Hold Steady's album career, track two of their debut Almost Killed Me. We get into the musical elements, including the ringing guitars and the AC/DC tricks, as well as the lyrical elements - the name drops, the geography, the specificity. We explain why Joni Mitchell is an underrated but lyrically tied reference for the Hold Steady, argue over whether the song ends well, and debut our special feature section, Map Corner.

 

Pick out your favorite Shaker Heights' outfit, pull around to the window, and let's get rocking. Check out our favorite lines and more background on this episode in our show notes - https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-season-one-track-2-the-swish

 

A Positive Jam Track 3: Barfruit Blues

Barfruit Blues starts sludgy and ugly, but turns into a soaring, affirmative song about the power of music. The band's back together, they're back in a bar, and it's better to leave and return than to never go anywhere at all. Right? 

Mike and Daniel break down the razor-sharp lines on this track and how a jumble of sounds and parts comes together by the second half to make for a triumphant third track on Almost Killed Me. 

This episode also features an archival live version of the song from 2005. 

See our show notes including some of our category winners and more details on the song and the episode here -   https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-3-barfruit-blues/

A Positive Jam Track 4: Most People Are DJs

We're on the party boat for track 4 as the Hold Steady brings listeners down to Ybor City for the first time. Mike has been to Ybor City, so we talk about why it's the perfect setting for Hold Steady style bacchanalia. We also get into why this is a lighter and more fun song, and which lines really work well on the track. Also, that guitar solo that just keeps going? We get into that.

Most People Are DJs is another statement of purpose, but the Hold Steady manage it while only getting a little bit heavy. Just a little light in the head-y. Meta references and porn stars crop up, jet skis and girls wearing berets, and by the time you finish listening to this episode you'll be stumbling but still in it.

Check out show notes here: https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-4-most-people-are-djs/

A Positive Jam Track 5: Certain Songs

Certain Songs slows things down, and it marks the feature debut of Franz Nicolay’s piano playing - a key sonic element in the albums that follow Almost Killed Me. Certain Songs not only foreshadows the Hold Steady's future; it also raises the question: Do the band’s heartfelt ballads bring the momentum to a halt?

We talk about how Certain Songs’ “piano man” balladeering  fits on the album, whether slow songs are acceptable for hard-rock Hold Steady fans, and what it means that Craig Finn's lyrics spotlight a woman for the first time on the album. We also draw on canonic cultural works like...checks notes...The OC to explain why drawing on Billy Joel, Meatloaf, and the more populist side of rock and roll is effective, at least in this case.

Check out full show notes here: https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-5-certain-songs/

A Positive Jam Track 6: Knuckles

More than any other track on the album, "Knuckles" shows what makes the Hold Steady different. The one liners, the pop culture references, the crunchy guitars. The quips and the catalog of missed expectations are enough to fill a couple podcast episodes.

But there's more to the song than Craig Finn's comedy routine. Matt Brooks rejoins co-hosts Mike Taylor and Daniel Shvartsman, to discuss key themes - Knuckles’ political context and whether this is a protest song; the dissonance between the narrator's view of himself and what other people think; Craig Finn’s lyrical techniques; and the jagged synth lines that fall alongside the lyrics like bits of confetti.

Most importantly, we take a beat to consider the classic Sunny D commercial and how that puts The Hold Steady on the map.

Check out the full show notes here: https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-6-knuckles/

A Positive Jam Track 7: Hostile, Mass

Hostile, Mass is another quintessential Hold Steady track. A mix of punky snarl, classic guitar licks, and Springsteenian sax solos and hope, the track is a stand-out for Almost Killed Me and an ill omen for the band's future at the same time.

To break it all down, we're joined by Leon Neyfakh of Fiasco and Slow Burn fame. He explains why this is his favorite track on the album, as the conversation runs the gamut from NoFX to the persistence of high school drop-out fashion sensibilities to why Season 3 of A Positive Jam should be about the Smashing Pumpkins. 

We also weigh whether the Hold Steady Universe plot line matters if you want to enjoy the music and break out another Map Corner.

Check out our full show notes at https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-7-hostile-ma/.

A Positive Jam Track 8: Sketchy Metal

Sketchy Metal may be the dud of Almost Killed Me. What makes it stand out that way, and what is there to redeem the song?

We talk about its down-tempo approach, the ongoing pace of Craig Finn one-liners, the way the band still gets a heavy sound out of this track, and the prevalence of Catholic imagery on this track. And because it comes up, we share our takes on 70s rock stars and sitcom characters. It’s always positive jamming with podcasters.

Check out the full show notes here: https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-8-sketchy-metal/

A Positive Jam Track 9: Sweet Payne

Sweet Payne starts off on an awkward step as it connects various threads in Almost Killed Me and in the Hold Steady mythology. But it rises from those beginnings to a glorious finish, revealing some of Craig Finn’s best lines and some of the album’s best ensemble playing. It also introduces the idea of the Unified Scene, a defining aspiration and mantra for The Hold Steady, and digs into the Twin Cities as much as anything in the Hold Steady’s discography.

To understand this, we have Shawn Westfall, writer and comedian and founder of The Unified Scene Theater, join us to explain how Sweet Payne fits in, how the dissonance between sunny harmonics and lyrical darkness plays out for the Hold Steady, what hardcore can teach us about the Cityscape Skins, the importance of community, and more. We also bust out a last Map Corner for this season to get deep into the Minneapolis roots.

Check out show notes here: https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-9-sweet-payne/

A Positive Jam Track 10: Killer Parties

Every party comes to an end, and some parties almost kill us. We wrap up our review of Almost Killed Me (though not Season 1 of A Positive Jam!) with a look at "Killer Parties", the closing track on the Hold Steady's debut album. It's a ritual as much as a song, and we treat it with all due consideration. That includes making this a four-person episode, with regular guest Matt Brooks rejoining us as well as Shawn Westfall hitting us up for back-to-back appearances.

Mike Taylor kicks off the episode with a story about trailing the Hold Steady on their fall 2006 tour and how Killer Parties underlines all that is good about the band. We then go into a discussion about the band's use of ritual, including Craig Finn's So Much Joy speech, and the dichotomy between freshness and familiarity.

Check out our show notes here, and stay tuned for a few bonus episodes over the rest of the month: https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-10-killer-parties/

A Positive Jam Season 1 Bonus: Bonus Tracks

Almost Killed Me has a deluxe edition that features five bonus tracks. Bonus tracks are a good thing, especially coming from a great band. So, we break down the five tracks one by one to see what makes them stand out and why they might have been left off the album. These are lesser known but there are plenty of gems here.

We cover:

• Milkcrate Mosh
• Hot Fries
• Curves & Nerves
• You Gotta Dance (With Who You Came To The Dance With)
• Modesto Is Not That Sweet

Two more episodes remain on Season 1 of Positive Jam after this, so stay tuned!

A Positive Jam Season 1 Bonus: The Minneapolis Roots and Mythos of The Hold Steady

The Twin Cities ooze through the Hold Steady's work, lyrically, musically, and as a matter of ethos. What does that actually mean and how can we better understand that?

We bring on Kyle Undem and Brian Holm, co-founders and editors of 30music.com, a classic '00s webzine that reviewed, covered, and interviewed indie music acts of the time, including the Hold Steady. As Minneapolis indie music fans, they both saw the rise of the Hold Steady up close and can understand better than us where the Hold Steady comes from. So we talk about the band’s geographical and musical heritage, Lifter Puller, the resonance of Minneapolis in their lyrics, and how much of this stuff Craig Finn was making up.