The Hold Steady's Boys and Girls in America

Not too long ago, the Hold Steady played a show here in Winnipeg. I was indifferent, so I didn't go. The short bits of songs I heard The song used in the UMFM ad for the show didn't convince me that these dudes were worth the money to see 'em (which probably wasn't much cash in retrospect). For some reason, I just wrote 'em off.

That was until I heard "Southtown Girls".

I happened to be visiting my pal Zach Hobbes' MySpace page, and he had that track in the Flash-based player. As with most things on MySpace, the player was buggy at the time and didn't display the artist name properly. I was taken by the southern-sounding harmony of the repeated opening line:

Southtown Girls won't blow you away/But you know that they'll stay...

Then the organ came in. I had to know who this was, and when I found out it was them, I was taken aback. Call it a musical moment of clarity, or somethin'. Gee, maybe I was wrong about these motherfuckers.
Yes, yes folks, I was wrong. Right now (until Tuesday, I'm thinkin'), Vagrant Records is streaming Boys and Girls in America in its entirety, and I can say that I'm blown away. It feels like a concept album: guys n' girls in love, gettin' fucked up on booze and whatever else they can get their hands on, etc. This album has the youthful exuberance of high school (a time in my life that I admittedly pine for perpetually), and I don't drink, so I can live vicariously through this disc.
I'm thinkin' this is what Springsteen was like back in the day, but these dudes drink harder and have more guitar muscle.
I'm telling you right now...I want this album. So there.

Boys and Girls in America Listening Party