The Hold Steady

Been listening to the forthcoming Hold Steady album 'Stay Positive' a lot recently. It's absolutely brilliant in my humble opinion. I absolutely loved their previous three but to my ears this is the pinnacle so far. First listen was good but with every subsequent play I have become more and more obsessed. Craig Finn's lyrics are superb and the Springsteen comparisons carry some weight.

As an opener you can't better "Raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer. I think he might've been our only decent teacher"

You'll do for me, Craig.

Office Worker Reacts To Poor Joke

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Admit it - you've thought about it yourself.

Half Man Half Lyric Biscuit of the Day

Underage Drinking

Is in the news a hell of a lot these days. Dreadful thing, wouldn't let my kids do it, never did it myself, it's political correctness gone mad. Except ... my 17 year old has done it for a year or so and seems to have no problem getting hold of the stuff. I can't condemn him too much because I remember the days of going into the Raven in St Helens and getting served before I was 18. And that wasn't the only place either.

So what is the issue? Is the problem that we used to drink Skol or Harp or mild that was about 3% alcohol whereas these days the tipple of choice is Stella? Even so, I find it difficult to get too worked up about the issue.

Half Man Half Biscuit Lyric of the Day

"Oh, I used to cajole Gordon Giltrap, I used to think that it mattered. But the low drone of the treadmill is the sound of my hopes being shattered."

'Floreat Inertia' from the CD This Leaden Pall.

Gone Baby Gone

I watched this film tonight. Directed by Ben Affleck it is not at all what you would expect from him. It stars his brother Casey as a private detective hired to investigate the disappearance of a four year old girl in Boston. It's not really what you would expect from him but I would urge you to give it a chance. It's a fine movie with a number of twists and it will really make you think. Are you ready to take sides?