The Hold Steady “Almost Killed Me” (Best of the Decade)
Everything changed when Craig Finn returned to the scene with his new musical charges the Hold Steady. While his original group, the amazing Lifter Puller, began to fade out in the late-’90s before Finn moved to NYC, the Hold Steady took no time to catch on with the masses. The sounds were similar, save for a more streamlined classic rock sound which replaced Lifter Puller’s “indie” sound, the backbone was still Finn’s impassioned yelp and manic storytelling. While Nightclub Dwight and the other characters from the Lifter Puller catalog were put to rest, Almost Killed Me found Finn bringing to life a whole new cast of miscreants and decedent city dwellers.
The songs on Almost Killed Me may pale in refinement compared to the band’s later work (especially the amazing Separation Sunday and Boys and Girls in America), but their debut record is still the album that shows the blistering enthusiasm that makes the Hold Steady the very best bar band in the world. The songs are tongue-in-check and self referential, but they never become cheeky. The music, which the band has said was inspired by Thin Lizzy, is powerful, with Tab Kubler busting out his guitar chops at every turn. While I would listen to arguments that their other albums were better (I love them all), Almost Killed Me is still an album from one of my favorite bands of the decade that I find myself coming back to more than any other.
While I am coming around on the Hold Steady somewhat, I’m still disappointed they’re not Lifter Puller. Fiestas + Fiascos is easily one of my favorites of the decade.
Fiestas + Fiascos is my favorite Craig Finn record ever. When I got done writing this I realized it was released in the 00’s. I had been thinking it was a late 90’s record, but I was wrong. I will be writing one for F + F soon.
It was close, but it was a 00s record. I almost forgot that myself also.