Thrashing Thru the Passion

Thrashing Thru the Passion is the seventh studio album by American indie rock band the Hold Steady, released on August 16, 2019, on Frenchkiss Records.[1] Produced by Josh Kaufman, the album sees the return to the line-up of keyboardist Franz Nicolay, who had left the group after 2008's Stay Positive.

Thrashing Thru the Passion
Studio album by
The Hold Steady
ReleasedAugust 16, 2019
Studio
GenreIndie rock, alternative rock, heartland rock
Length35:34
LabelFrenchkiss
ProducerJosh Kaufman
The Hold Steady chronology
Teeth Dreams
(2014)		 Thrashing Thru the Passion
(2019)		 Open Door Policy
(2021)

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.1/10[2]
Metacritic75/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
The A.V. ClubB+[5]
Exclaim!8/10[6]
The Guardian[7]
Mojo[8]
NME[9]
Pitchfork8.0/10[10]
Q[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
Under the Radar6.5/10[13]

Reviews of the album were generally positive, feeling that the album was something of a return to form for the band. Jonathan Bernstein of Rolling Stone stated that the group had abandoned "the self-seriousness that has sometimes bogged down their recent work, and the result is a shockingly fun return-to-form collection of sad-sack storytelling".[12] Evan Rytlewski of Pitchfork wrote that "despite coming from a band that seems to be winding down in many ways, Thrashing Thru The Passion is so alive and elated that, if not for Hold Steady's well-documented track record, it could be mistaken for the work of a band just hitting its peak. It's as joyous and rousing as the band's best efforts, but also looser and utterly unforced."[10] Jesse Hassenger of The A.V. Club said "with an expanded lineup, this new configuration is a looser and less-anthemic iteration of the band, reducing the fist-pumping and giving the songs more room to breathe" and felt that the album "feels liberated from some of the band’s usual album architecture... It’s a productive scaling-down – the sound of a great rock band getting back to work".[5] Adam Feibel of Exclaim! said "Thrashing Thru the Passion might be the most fun and carefree Hold Steady record".[6] James McMahon of NME stated that the return of Nicolay had improved the band, and that "the Hold Steady achieve their best work when their playing is loose... When they sound like the best bar band in the best bar you didn't know about until you found yourself in it at 3am in the morning."[9]

Track listing
  1. "Denver Haircut" – 3:01
  2. "Epaulets" – 2:47
  3. "You Did Good Kid" – 4:09
  4. "Traditional Village" – 2:48
  5. "Blackout Sam" – 4:52
  6. "Entitlement Crew" – 3:45
  7. "T-Shirt Tux" – 3:58
  8. "Star 18" – 3:13
  9. "The Stove & the Toaster" – 3:33
  10. "Confusion in the Marketplace" – 3:28

Personnel

The Hold Steady

Production

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[14] 30
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[15] 13
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[16] 9

References
  1. "The Hold Steady Announce First Album in 5 Years, Share New Song". pitchfork.com. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  2. "Reviews: The Hold Steady – Thrashing Thru the Passion". AnyDecentMusic?.
  3. "Reviews: The Hold Steady – Thrashing Thru the Passion". Metacritic.
  4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Hold Steady – Thrashing thru the Passion". AllMusic.
  5. Hassenger, Jesse (August 15, 2019). "The Hold Steady makes a loose, welcome return to Thrashing Thru The Passion". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  6. Feibel, Adam (August 13, 2019). "The Hold Steady – Thrashing Thru the Passion". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  7. Horner, Al (August 16, 2019). "The Hold Steady: Thrashing Thru the Passion review – chancers and chasers in fist-punching glory". The Guardian. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  8. "The Hold Steady: Thrashing Thru the Passion". Mojo. September 2019. p. 89.
  9. McMahon, James (August 16, 2019). "The Hold Steady – Thrashing Thru The Passion review". NME. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  10. Rytlewski, Evan (August 21, 2019). "The Hold Steady: Thrashing Thru The Passion". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  11. "The Hold Steady: Thrashing Thru the Passion". Q. September 2019. p. 111.
  12. Bernstein, Jonathan (August 16, 2019). "The Hold Steady Get Back to Big Riffs and Boozy Storytelling on Thrashing Thru the Passion". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  13. Hall, Michael James (August 13, 2019). "The Hold Steady: Thrashing Thru the Passion". Under the Radar. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  14. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  15. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  16. "The Hold Steady Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
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