I try to avoid talking about music here, partly because I’m no longer up to speed on what the cool kids like, but mostly because people are annoyingly opinionated about what they like and dislike. That said, there are only three acts that I faithfully follow these days (The National, The Hold Steady, and anything Jack White does), and two of them were on late-night television last night: The National on Letterman (above, with special guest Sufjan Stevens) and The Hold Steady on Colbert (below).
Both bands are promoting new albums; The Hold Steady’s Heaven Is Whenever is great for drinking with friends, while The National’s High Violet is better for drinking alone, especially the aural heroin of “Bloodbuzz Ohio” (and since I’m only talking about Jack White parenthetically, there’s also the Dead Weather’s new Sea of Cowards to enjoy).
Anyway, enough gay talk about music. Hey, look at Craig Finn! He looks like the nerdy guy from Ocean’s 11!
(Letterman clip via Stereogum)
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Ugh, I can’t fucking stand the Hold Steady. The lead singer’s nasally little voice just makes me want to punch, punch, punch.
I tried aural heroin once…didn’t work so well. Turns out you’re not supposed to stick the needle in your ear…rats.
I just saw The Hold Steady play live for the first time last week. Good times, but Christ, Craig Finn is one goofy motherfucker.
I’m very opinionated about music. I like it.
As the oldest living Glomo, I hadn’t heard of The National until this week. That Bloodbuzz Ohio song is pretty great.
The National, Hold Steady & Jack White….so your faves are basically whatever’s playing on NPR right now?
//actually likes NPR but prefers The Black Keys.
Black Keys for the win. I’m assuming you’ve gotten BlakRoc and the Auerbach solo stuff, but if not, do yourself a favor.
I prefer anal heroin. I learned from Courtney Love.
Well. Now Bloodbuzz Ohio is getting played at work for the next hour or so.
Black Keys for the win indeed. “My Mind is Ramblin” is my choice for aural heroin. Aural crystal meth= “The Moan”
Don’t forget the new Broken Social Scene album, as well. Damn good month for white nerds right now.
These two albums have been taking turns in my cd player. Highly recommend the Titus Andronicus album “Monitor”. Great tunes about drinking and all that Springsteenish shit The Hold Steady do, with a little more of a punk edge.
I agree with the Titus Andronicus’ “Monitor”. The new The National album is very good. But I am not really feeling the Hold Steady’s new album. Black Keys = aural perfection
Y’know, I’m an unapologetic Sufjan fan after Illinoise (though where’s your New Jersey album, dick?!) … but that guy did nothing during his entire Letterman “cameo”. I could have pulled that off.