Rating: NNNN
Most successful bands release a live album at some point, so it’s no surprise that sought-after indie rockers the Hold Steady have just put one out. Recorded at a sold-out Chicago gig in 2007, A Positive Rage accurately reflects the Hold Steady live experience – frenetic energy, fast-fingered riffs, amped-up keyboards and hits like Stuck Between Stations and Chips Ahoy!
[rssbreak]
While these versions don’t trump the studio albums, the record is a solid companion to the band’s oeuvre. Kudos for adding five bonus studio tunes, including two unreleased songs (Spectres and 40 Bucks), plus a 53-minute documentary about their first-ever gigs in London, England.
Top track: Stuck Between Stations