SOUNDTRACK: THE HOLD STEADY-Tiny Desk (Home) Concert #219 (June 23, 20210).
I have never seen The Hold Steady, but I have seen Craig Finn solo (which seems like the same thing to me). I never really liked them all that much, although he was great live. It’s the spoken/sung delivery (that sounds a little too much like Bruce Springsteen) that makes all the songs sound the same to me. I feel like there’s a story in each song and his delivery makes me tune out of the words. Oops.
But for its first-ever full-band Tiny Desk appearance, the group squeezed behind a cramped backstage corner of the Brooklyn Bowl, COVID mask protocol in place. Illuminated by string lights, the band ran through tracks from its latest album, Open Door Policy, kicking off with “Heavy Covenant” as a swell of clarinets and trumpets round out the sound
“Heavy Covenant” opens with an accordion from Franz Nicolay with Craig Finn singing. After a verse or two Stephen Selvidge and Tad Kubler bring in the guitars. Halfway through, The Horn Steady add clarinet (Stuart Bogie and Peter Hess) and trumpet (Jordan McLean).
Though the lineup consisted of its current supersized iteration – featuring both Steve Selvidge on guitar and multi-instrumentalist Franz Nicolay back on accordion – the band scaled back its swagger for the space. Here, the recurring “Woos!” on the recorded version of “Unpleasant Breakfast” become softer and more subtle;
For “Unpleasant Breakfast” Bobby Drake starts the song with some hi hat claps before Tad Kubler adds in chords and Stephen Selvidge adds in solo notes. You can hear Galen Polivka’s bass pretty clearly (even if he is hidden behind Finn). Normally I don’t like the addition of horns on songs, but these gentle additions (maybe its the clarinet sound) add perfects accents. After what felt like three minutes of the same melody the song changes gears and gets really big and swaying–and I started paying attention again.
The surf sounds of “Riptown” still rolick, but with restraint that suits the setting.
Finn says “Riptown” is a fictitious place that they should now visit. The claps are a nice addition as are the horns (once again).
“Parade Days” is a bonus song (it didn’t make the vinyl). I like the drama of the opening guitars and the accordion build up.
[READ: July 1, 2021] “Little Sanctuary”
This month’s issue of The Walrus is the Summer Reading issue and features three pieces of fiction and three poems.
This story, about many things, but focusing on the moment children are taken from their parents, is a tough read.
The story is also not set at a specific time or place. Some clues are given. The parents are called Amma and Appa but those words are used in both Korean and Tamil. The opening line asks, How do you find sweet syrup at the end of the world?
Things were bad. The family would soon head into the basement and then “see if there was still an upstairs.”
They had their meal and the children were told not to clean up (which was very unusual). Before the black bus arrived, their Amma cut al of their hair the same–an ugly bowl cut–and told them that their brother would now be their sister.
The children were put on the bus and taken away–their parents getting smaller in the back window. They were taken to the city where a large ship was waiting for them. The children demanded to know when their parents would be following them. But they were given no answer.
Amma and Appa’s papers with the Presidential seal were no longer useful since they had dragged the President out of his bed.
They heard fragments
It depends on how long it goes on
How long what goes on, the war or the sickness?
No answer.
A soldier muttered, “Do you think someone saves my children, you goddamn sugar diamond, you.”
It’s a horrific elliptical piece and I’m not sure if it’s part of something bigger.
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