MAYER WAKEFIELD has reservations about the direction of a play centered on a DVLA re-training session for three British-Pakistani motorists
Latest editorial
Album Reviews With Ian Sinclair: August 19, 2019
New releases from Steve Knightley, Jupiter & Okwess, Jason Palmer, Lisa Knapp and Gerry Driver, Kin'Gongolo Kiniata, Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey, Dan Sealey, Simin Tande, PAZ
JOHN GREEN relishes photography that unfolds a longstanding and poetic relationship with Leeds
A uncomfortably misogynistic authorial voice that sometimes seems to lack insight troubles FIONA O’CONNOR
MARY CONWAY is disappointed by a production that panders – if inadvertently – to Western prejudice against China
JOHN GREEN is fascinated by a history that excavates the enormous role played by agricultural workers in recent times
ALEX HALL recommends a book that places empirical evidence at the heart of understanding racism
The Hold Steady
Thrashing Thru The Passion
(Frenchkiss Records)
★★★★
HAILED as the saviours of rock ‘n’ roll when they broke through in the mid-2000s, Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady arguably lost their way a little in the 2010s: charismatic keyboardist Franz Nicolay left and lead singer and genius lyricist Craig Finn built an impressive solo career.
However, performing weekend residences in various cities since 2016 seems to have revitalised the band (with Nicolay back on board). The outcome is an exhilarating collection of songs recorded over the past year, once again expertly mining the musical landscape somewhere between Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band (checkout the exuberant horns on Traditional Village) and Midwest punk rock outfits like The Replacements and Husker Du.
Though it never quite reaches the glorious emotional highs of their Separation Sunday and Boys and Girls in America records it’s nevertheless a welcome return to form.
More from this author
Despite liberal whining that Trump threatens the ‘international rules-based order,’ the historical record shows Western nations have repeatedly overthrown democracies, backed genocides and violated sovereignty, writes IAN SINCLAIR
IAN SINCLAIR draws attention to the powerful role that literature plays in foreseeing the way humanity will deal with climate crisis
Detailing the deluge of delusion and dishonesty pushed by the pro-war camp, IAN SINCLAIR identifies four key tactics corporate journalists use to confuse audiences and suppress opposition to the proxy war in the east
New releases from Black Country, New Road, Anouar Brahem, and Jaywalkers
