The Current Music Blog: January 10, 2007 Archive

Keepin' it all above the belt at The Buffering Stream, 1/10

Posted at 8:45 AM on January 10, 2007 by Hans Eisenbeis

The Hold Steady Get Jacked

Posted at 10:16 AM on January 10, 2007 by Hans Eisenbeis (4 Comments)

Earlier this week Idolator (the Gawker family’s music site) released its first-ever Jackin’ Pop Critics Poll, a play on the Village Voice’s annual Pazz and Jop poll. That extensive and often exhaustive list of lists and essays will run in a few weeks, and for the first time minus founder Robert Christgau.

Topping the Idolator poll of 497 critics (which was edited by former local critic Michaelanglo Matos) is TV on the Radio with the fantastic blues-punk-trip-hop sex-freak-out that is “Return to Cookie Mountain.”

And landing at the No. 3 spot? Why it’s “Boys and Girls in America” by the Hold Steady, the Lyn-Lake hoodrats we proudly claim as being born at the Entry and bred on Grain Belt. (Though you do have to wonder about a poll where Paris Hilton’s “Paris” comes in at 119. Seriously. If it’s cool to be contrarian, when will it be contrarian to be earnest?)

And speaking of the Hold Steady and earnestness, today local blogger Jon Busey-Hunt over at Hatesexy is calling the Hold Steady the “most unlistenable garbage ever,” and wonders why they get accolades for sounding like Bruce Springsteen while the Killers get pummeled for trying to be the Boss. Hmmm. Could it be those skinny ties and annoying haircuts? —Molly Priesmeyer

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Grabbing hands grab all they can...

Posted at 5:26 PM on January 10, 2007 by Hans Eisenbeis (2 Comments)

Depeche Mode! Remember them? Don't laugh, because y'know everything counts in large amounts.

The seminal new-wave band has been almost completely brainwashed from memory thanks to the recent, troubling, highly toxic nostaligia for the 80s.

But we're not too proud to say we're excited about this secret box set, recently made available for download.

Photo: Courtesy Depeche Mode

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