Stay Positive (album)
Encyclopedia
Stay Positive is the fourth studio album by The Hold Steady
, released on July 15, 2008 through Vagrant Records
. Vocalist/guitarist Craig Finn
notes that the album is about "the idea of ageing gracefully [...] keeping going, perseverance [and] how to stay true to the ideals and ideas you had when you were younger." Keyboard player Franz Nicolay
notes that the album is his favourite, stating that it features an "integrated, nuanced, less hectic distillation of [their earlier] sound." Stay Positive is the last studio album to feature Nicolay, who departed from the band in early 2010.
On May 20, the album's first single, "Sequestered in Memphis", was released on the band's MySpace
page and on iTunes
. On June 9, the entire album was made available to stream on MySpace, and on June 18 the full album became available on iTunes. It was later released for the videogame Rock Band
(via the Rock Band Network
) on March 4, 2010.
The record entered the UK Album Chart at #15 on July 20, 2008, the third-highest new entry. It ranked #1 on the UK Indie Chart
. In the U.S. it entered at #30 on the Billboard 200
.
The album was Alex Zane
's record of the week on the XFM
breakfast show. The song "Constructive Summer" was number 56 on Rolling Stone
Stay Positive has sold 88,000 copies as of April 2010
, Craig Finn
notes that he thought the album "should maybe look at the characters I’d been writing about on the previous three albums as they got a bit older, more adult with more adult problems." The title track in particular references several Hold Steady songs and characters from the previous albums, such as "Hornets! Hornets!", "Positive Jam", "Massive Nights" and "Sweet Payne", while relating them to the common theme of believing in the ideals of youth as you get older. The title track references hardcore punk
bands Youth of Today
, 7 Seconds, and Dillinger Four
.
Bullying The Jukebox Radio Program (Australia) - Number 13
Disc 1 Side A:
Disc 1 Side B:
Disc 2 Side A:
Disc 2 Side B:
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
, released on July 15, 2008 through Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an indie rock label based in Los Angeles, California and is home to such artists as The Hold Steady, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thrice, James Vincent McMorrow, Placebo, and many...
. Vocalist/guitarist Craig Finn
Craig Finn
Craig Finn is an American singer and guitarist. He is best known as the front man for bands Lifter Puller and The Hold Steady. He currently lives in New York City...
notes that the album is about "the idea of ageing gracefully [...] keeping going, perseverance [and] how to stay true to the ideals and ideas you had when you were younger." Keyboard player Franz Nicolay
Franz Nicolay
Franz Nicolay is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He is perhaps best known for playing the accordion and the piano in The World/Inferno Friendship Society and playing keyboards in The Hold Steady from 2005 to 2010...
notes that the album is his favourite, stating that it features an "integrated, nuanced, less hectic distillation of [their earlier] sound." Stay Positive is the last studio album to feature Nicolay, who departed from the band in early 2010.
On May 20, the album's first single, "Sequestered in Memphis", was released on the band's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page and on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. On June 9, the entire album was made available to stream on MySpace, and on June 18 the full album became available on iTunes. It was later released for the videogame Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
(via the Rock Band Network
Rock Band Network
The Rock Band Network is a downloadable content service designed by Harmonix Music Systems with the help of Microsoft to allow musical artists and record labels to make their music available as playable tracks for the Rock Band series of rhythm video games, starting with Rock Band 2...
) on March 4, 2010.
The record entered the UK Album Chart at #15 on July 20, 2008, the third-highest new entry. It ranked #1 on the UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
. In the U.S. it entered at #30 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
The album was Alex Zane
Alex Zane
Alex Zane is an English television presenter and DJ.-Background:Zane was born in Leeds and attended Boston Spa School before going on to study Medicine at University College London, a course which he left after a year, and then Media and Communications at Goldsmiths College.-Stand-up comedy and...
's record of the week on the XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
breakfast show. The song "Constructive Summer" was number 56 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Stay Positive has sold 88,000 copies as of April 2010
Lyrical content
In an interview with UncutUNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
, Craig Finn
Craig Finn
Craig Finn is an American singer and guitarist. He is best known as the front man for bands Lifter Puller and The Hold Steady. He currently lives in New York City...
notes that he thought the album "should maybe look at the characters I’d been writing about on the previous three albums as they got a bit older, more adult with more adult problems." The title track in particular references several Hold Steady songs and characters from the previous albums, such as "Hornets! Hornets!", "Positive Jam", "Massive Nights" and "Sweet Payne", while relating them to the common theme of believing in the ideals of youth as you get older. The title track references hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands Youth of Today
Youth of Today
Youth of Today is an American hardcore punk straight edge band, formed in 1985 and still in activity. The band played a major role in establishing the Youth Crew subculture of hardcore, both espousing and evolving the philosophies of the straight edge and vegetarian lifestyles.-History:Youth Of...
, 7 Seconds, and Dillinger Four
Dillinger Four
Dillinger Four is an American punk rock band formed in 1994 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have released four full-length studio albums. The current band members are Patrick Costello on bass guitar and vocals, Erik Funk and Bill Morrisette on guitars and vocals, and Lane Pederson on drums.- Studio...
.
Accolades
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AV Club | USA | The Best Music of 2008 | 2008 | #6 |
| Q | UK | 50 Best Albums of the Year | 2008 | #35 |
| Mojo | UK | 50 Best Albums of the Year | 2008 | #6 |
| Uncut | UK | 50 Best Albums of the Year | 2008 | #12 |
| Rolling Stone Rolling Stone Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J... |
USA | 50 Best Albums of the Year | 2008 | #36 |
| Entertainment Weekly Entertainment Weekly Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture... |
USA | Best Music of 2008: A Second Opinion by Chris Willman | 2008 | #1 |
Bullying The Jukebox Radio Program (Australia) - Number 13
Track listing
- "Constructive Summer" - 2:56
- "Sequestered in Memphis" - 3:33
- "One for the Cutters" - 4:41
- "Navy Sheets" - 3:23
- "Lord, I'm Discouraged" - 5:08
- "Yeah Sapphire" - 3:37
- "Both Crosses" - 4:35
- "Stay Positive" - 2:59
- "Magazines" - 3:09
- "Joke About Jamaica" - 4:36
- "Slapped Actress" - 5:19
CD bonus tracks
A "limited edition digipak" version of the album was released with three bonus tracks (however, they are uncut from one another and run continuous as track 12):- "Ask Her for Adderall" - 2:52
- "Cheyenne Sunrise" - 4:11
- "Two Handed Handshake" - 4:15
Vinyl edition
A double vinyl LP is also available, which includes the limited edition CD's bonus track "Ask Her for Adderall," as well as a slightly different track order.Disc 1 Side A:
- Constructive Summer
- Sequestered in Memphis
- One For The Cutters
Disc 1 Side B:
- Navy Sheets
- Yeah Sapphire
- Lord, I'm Discouraged
Disc 2 Side A:
- Both Crosses
- Stay Positive
- Joke About Jamaica
Disc 2 Side B:
- Ask Her For Adderall
- Magazines
- Slapped Actress