Spectres and 40 Bucks

[stevedave]

OK, We got riffs and lyrics to digest here people.

Spectres is weird how it starts. Craig's first line sounds like a 4th or 6th line. Straight in with "Projectionists and Publicists, Athletes and Comedians". It's like he's picking up where some thing left off... And given the doomy piano, the strings the brooding undertones, I'd say this song originally followed Slapped Actress as a hidden track. It's like the credits for the album.

40 Bucks is much lighter in tone. Not just lighter than Spectres. Lighter than almost anything THS have ever done. It has a stop start jam which has some awesome guitar work over the top and a lyrically it concerns a small time band, "They had a local hit, you can find it on the internet" (Lifter Puller?), Certain Songs getting scratched right in and a betrayal of trust...

40 Bucks is single material in my opinion. These 2 new songs have made this an essential release even for the casual fan... I'd love to see a tangible copy of the two studio tracks. Maybe a Seven inch?

[jamesjesusangleton]

Disagree. I think both are too close lyrically to othersongs to have gone on the album - Spectres to Actress, 40 Buck to Jamaica. $40 Bucks isn't about a smalltown band, it's about a girl whose mother was a groupie, and whose "bio dad played bass guitar/ in a five piece out of Wichita/ They had a little local hit/ Couldn't find it on the internet." Then the girl follows her mother's lead, sleeping with some cruddy musician who rips her off. Maybe she's the daughter of the woman in Jamaica. Anyway, it's about her and her mother, not the band.

[motörben]

I though it was 'You can find it on the internet', too. On closer inspection I think you're right JJA. I love 40 Bucks (once 'bux') and Spectres is my favourite song from the SP sessions. As for both sharing lyrical similarities with other Hold Steady songs, erm, have you heard The Hold Steady?

[st5801]

Has anyone found anywhere to pay to download these? I already bought the album on iTunes (they're not included) and I won't be able to get a physical copy of it for a few days.

I'm not a fan of buying physical albums anymore. Not sure why its so hard to make these tracks available for purchase digitally, but oh well, I guess two copies won't hurt.

[jamesjesusangleton]

Apr 7, 2009 5:15:01 GMT -5 motörben said:

As for both sharing lyrical similarities with other Hold Steady songs, erm, have you heard The Hold Steady?

Yes, but these two both sound like Finn was straining to find the thing to say on a subject, came up with two drafts for each of these two themes (nature of performance and groupies), and then one song on each subject was picked for the album. It's not so much that they are referential, but that the story told is too similar for them to have gone on the album alongside Actress and Jamaica. We can both check this if either of us can be bothered ...

[motörben]

Nah, I get it.

[lilhan]

these tracks are fucking a. i refuse to discuss it further. there is nothing else to say.
end of message.

[cre618]

I'm with you.....40 bucks needs to be played live! Vegas?

[stevedave]

These tracks really get in on you after a day of repeats. __Scratched right in.

[sactochris]

Bonus tracks, how yummy.

[212margarita]

I absolutely love the lyrics to “Spectres” I can see why they left it off the official release of the record but it is still an awesome song. 40 Bucks is awesome as well. The multi step process to actually get the songs was a little bit of pain, but maybe that was more of being tired and lazy after work. Either way I have 2 new Hold Steady songs to listen to at work today…how can that be a bad thing.

[Evan]

Spectres definitely feels like a companion to Slapped Actress--it's got the same "film noir" vibe to it.

40 Bucks is unlike anything they've ever done. It's catchy, it's fun...I'm just not sure how I feel about it yet. It's been stuck in my head all day, so that's probably a good thing.

[Clever Kid]

Love both of these songs. Also I like in 40 Bucks the reference to certain songs. I'll have to listen some more to get some more of the connections.

[ltalexander]

I haven't heard Specters yet, but I'm really digging the laid-back vibe of 40 bucks. The guitar lick is a little repetitive, but I love it when all the instruments come in at the end.

[sactochris]

40 bucks is an instant classic. Im not sold yet on spectres but i've only played them once.

[Admin]

40 Bucks's riff reminds me of Queen.

[Sunny D]

Just two more reasons why I love The Hold Steady.

[steveoths]

I finally got around to picking up Posi Rage three days ago and have already listed to 40 Bucks over 20 times. phenomenal song all around. its a little more poppy than we're used to, which is probably why it was left off of SP, but it is catchy as hell. can't wait to hear it live.

Specters is awesome in it own right and seems like the flip-side of the coin to Slapped Actress. they have very similar themes, but while Slapped Actress is fairly upbeat and empowering, Specters seems much darker in tone. I think it says something that the guys decided to end the album on a positive note when could have easily went the other way with a song that is lyrically just as strong. Then again, Actress perfectly sums up SP - satirical, conflicted, but ultimately positive. I'm glad Specters got released eventually though and wasn't just cast aside.

[Sunny D]

Apr 17, 2009 23:24:52 GMT -5 steveoths said:

I finally got around to picking up Posi Rage three days ago and have already listed to 40 Bucks over 20 times. phenomenal song all around. its a little more poppy than we're used to, which is probably why it was left off of SP, but it is catchy as hell. can't wait to hear it live.

Specters is awesome in it own right and seems like the flip-side of the coin to Slapped Actress. they have very similar themes, but while Slapped Actress is fairly upbeat and empowering, Specters seems much darker in tone. I think it says something that the guys decided to end the album on a positive note when could have easily went the other way with a song that is lyrically just as strong. Then again, Actress perfectly sums up SP - satirical, conflicted, but ultimately positive. I'm glad Specters got released eventually though and wasn't just cast aside.

These are the best descriptions I think can be made.

[bigontheinside]

Apr 7, 2009 1:41:00 GMT -5 stevedave said:

It's like the credits for the album.

Perfect description.
I think they both sound like The Hold Steady's NEXT album.

[mcstevepants]

Where can I get these songs?

I bought A Positive Rage, but they aren't on it...

[hoodrat]

Jan 21, 2010 15:53:20 GMT -5 mcstevepants said:

Where can I get these songs?

I bought A Positive Rage, but they aren't on it...

they're 2 of the bonus tracks, which you have to download separately. but, as i dimly recall, there is a link on the disc to download them.

if you can't sort it out, PM jakevagrant.

[kim]

Jan 21, 2010 15:53:20 GMT -5 mcstevepants said:

Where can I get these songs?

I bought A Positive Rage, but they aren't on it...

It's a digital download from the album. Put it in your computer and there should be a pop-up for them to download from Vagrant's website.

[mcstevepants]

Thanks kids, I never put the disc in my computer.