Any time we mull a Hold Steady post, we know one thing for sure: you guys will definitely give your bashing/loving comments. More so than with most bands. And maybe it's fair -- 'cause the Hold Steady take every opportunity to do just the same. A month ago it was Craig Finn taking down the Doors' L.A. Woman in the Guardian. This time it's Franz Nicolay, but the mustachioed piano man is walking the fields of love. He joins folks like Peter (of Bjorn & John fame), Art Brut's Jasper Future, Sam from the Narrator, and the mighty Battles in Blender.com's piece on musicians defending their fave "bad albums" (i.e. critically panned, unpopular to admit liking, etc.). Particularly enjoyed Battles' pick...
Battles' Choice: Purple - Stone Temple Pilots
It's been hard to understand why Stone Temple Pilots get a bad rap when so many of their contemporaries were much worse ? here's looking at you, Pearl Jam. Unfortunately, the haters always have love for Pearl Jam and none for STP. So on the Pearl Jam vs. STP rivalry tip, STP kicks Pearl Jam's ass wholeheartedly. Looking back, their recorded output is way better than anything Pearl Jam released during a long career of churning out complete shit.
Purple underrated? We say it all the time. He's not doing himself any favors by referring to Pearl Jam's recorded output as "complete shit" by comparison, but we're just focusing on the 'love,' man. After the jump, more cool rockers choose their uncool pleasures.
Decided we'd take one (possibly) representative sentence from their write-ups and include 'em for the tl;dr set. We know you're all just waiting to bash Battles' PJ slag, anyway.
Peter Morén (of Peter Bjorn & John)'s Choice: Hunting High and Low/Scoundrel Days - A-ha
"I'm starting an A-ha revival right now!"
Felix White (of the Maccabees)'s Choice: Hits - Mike & the Mechanics
"I don't know anything else about them, and I hate Genesis, but it's just one of those records that make you smile no matter how hard you try to stop yourself."
Sam Axelrod (of the Narrator)'s Choice: Self Portrait - Bob Dylan
"The haters just need to chill the fuck out."
Jasper Future (of Art Brut)'s Choice: Animalympics Soundtrack - Graham Gouldman (of 10cc fame)
"The tome chronicles the tragi-comic events that unfold when a collection of animals compete in their own bizarre take on the Olympic games."
Franz Nicolay (of the Hold Steady)'s Choice: Singles 1969?1981 - The Carpenters
"Even disqualifying covers like the devastating, sui generis elegy of groupie abandonment "Superstar" and the truly batty "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft," it's a devastating (and often harmonically surprising) catalog almost smothered by the worst kind of coke-thinned studio drums and milquetoast string arrangements, waiting for a Neil Hannon or Jens Lekman to bite. "
Matthew Dear's Choice: Chocolate And Cheese - Ween
"Who else could warp such a web of hysterics and great instrumentation into an album?"
Xavier de Rosnay (of Justice)'s Choice: Staying Alive Soundtrack - Various Artists
"It's so good!"
Marcus Congleton (of Ambulance LTD)'s Choice: Invincible - Michael Jackson
"And there was even a video that featured comedian Chris Tucker, who was popular at the time."
Willy Mason's Choice: Totally Krossed Out - Kris Kross
"I think that was the first time I used a screwdriver."
Brett Dennen's Choice: New Miserable Experience - Gin Blossoms
"This is a record I feel needs to be defended as one of the great releases of the early '90s."
John Nolan (of Straylight Run)'s Choice: Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II - Billy Joel
"Growing up on Long Island, you're sort of indoctrinated into the cult of Billy Joel."
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Head over for the non-excerpted write-ups. Props to Dennen for defending New Miserable Experience -- it takes a strong man. Sure, it was Friends-rock (think we just outed ourselves as once owning the Friends soundtrack CD), but those were some catchy ass hits. Finally, Straylight Run, don't get us started on Billy Joel and/or Long Island...
FREE HOLD STEADY BONUS: Brooklyn Vegan has rounded up lots of info on Hold Steady stuff. Like, head here to find out about how you can have a photo booth pic used for the Hold Steady's forthcoming-single art. AND lots of cool NYC live show stuff: Craig's playing a solo set on 9/13 as part of the Upstairs In The Square series at Barnes & Noble, upstairs at their Union Square location (see what they did there?); the band's playing a free show 9/17 at World Trade Center Park (near the WTC); and most immediately, they're playing a free show at Prospect Park on 8/9.
All free! We're out of breath.
