It came on hot and soft and then it tightened up it's tentacles.

SHE HAD A GUN IN HER MOUTH
AND SHE WAS SHOOTING UP IN HER DREAMS
WHEN THE CHAPARONE TOLD US WE'D BEEN CROWNED THE KING AND THE QUEEN

So after a long courtship with a shitty stream rip of the new Hold Steady album, a quality version has leaked. This means I can finally blog about what's easily one of the best albums of the year!

Boys and Girls in America is a departure of sorts for The Hold Steady, which should be scary, but fuck, these guys can do no wrong. The album is much less drunk bar rock and much more dirty teenage drama rock. Sounds stupid, but it's not. Finn tells stories we all secretly wish we lived when were in high school about being fucked up at school dances, overdosing at music festivals, and buying drugs with money won at horse races. You know, the usual. But these songs aren't just the stories, it's the feeling. A lot of people won't understand how songs about being morally remiss can be so affecting, but listening to The Hold Steady reminds me of how much beauty there is in the uglier side of life. It's like that stupid quote you find in the average sorority girls AIM profile that says something like "here's to the nights we'll never remember and the friends we'll never forget", except articulate, interesting, empowering, and engaging.

From the balls out rock and roll on "Same Kooks", to the gloriously well written and powerful "First Night", to the harmonica soloed anthem "Southtown Girls", The Hold Steady have made an album that should change any indie savy highschoolers life, and remind the rest of us how awesome being young was and still is.

This song is unbelievable.

The Hold Steady - First Night