


THE HOLD STEADY
SHARE NEW SONG, “YOU DID GOOD KID”
NEW ALBUM, “THRASHING THRU THE PASSION”, OUT AUGUST 16
LISTEN TO “YOU DID GOOD KID”
“THRASHING THRU THE PASSION” PAIRS FIVE BRAND NEW SONGS
ALONGSIDE FIVE DIGITALLY RELEASED BETWEEN
NOVEMBER 2017 AND MARCH 2019
ALBUM PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW
The Hold Steady have released a new song, “You Did Good Kid,” the second new one from Thrashing Thru The Passion, and can be downloaded with album pre-orders. Thrashing Thru The Passion is the band’s seventh studio album and is out August 16 on Frenchkiss Records. Fans can receive access to exclusive album bundles, including such extras as a poster, lithograph and enamel pin set. All album pre-orders will come with a free download of “You Did Good Kid” as well as the first song “Denver Haircut.” Both songs are available now at all DSPs.
“‘You Did Good Kid’ is the first song we worked on for this session, and remains a favourite,” says Craig Finn. “It went though a few iterations before we came to this arrangement, and I’m really psyched on it. It feels great to play live.”
LISTEN TO “YOU DID GOOD KID”
LISTEN TO “DENVER HAIRCUT”
PRE-ORDER THRASHING THRU THE PASSION
Thrashing Thru The Passion collects five new songs recorded this year alongside five acclaimed ones released digitally between November 2017 and March 2019. The album was recorded at The Isokon in Woodstock, NY with producer Josh Kaufman and engineer D. James Goodwin. Additional performers include Stuart Bogie, Dave Nelson, Jordan McLean and Michael Leonhart on horns and Annie Nero on backup vocals.
The Hold Steady will celebrate Thrashing Thru The Passion with “Constructive Summer 2019,” a series of live show weekends across the United States. These weekends take place in Seattle, WA’s The Crocodile (August 15-17), Chicago, IL’s Thalia Hall and Empty Bottle (August 22-24), Nashville, TN’s Basement East (September 5-7), Boston, MA’s The Sinclair (September 12-15), and the fourth annual “Massive Nights” event at NY’s Brooklyn Bowl (December 4-7). For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.theholdsteady.net/#shows.
The Hold Steady is: Bobby Drake (drums), Craig Finn (vocals), Tad Kubler (guitar, vocals), Franz Nicolay (keyboards), Galen Polivka (bass), and Steve Selvidge (guitar, vocals).
THE HOLD STEADY LIVE SHOWS 2019
AUGUST
15-17 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
22 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
23 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle – SOLD OUT
24 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall – SOLD OUT
SEPTEMBER
5-7 – Nashville, TN – Basement East
12-15 – Boston, VA – The Sinclair
DECEMBER
4-7 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl – (December 7 SOLD OUT)

You would have had to have been living under a pretty big rock these past five years or so not to have heard the name Pretty Vicious mentioned in music circles. The Merthyr four-piece were hailed as the “next Oasis” by many websites/magazines and inked a silly money major label deal after what was literally just a handful of gigs.
Whilst a few of my close mates experienced that early buzz first-hand and rejoiced in seeing a local band once again looking set to make it big I deliberately stayed away purely because with a band as young as Pretty Vicious (they were all in their mid-teens when signing their initial deal) it all felt a touch too voyeuristic, and you only have to look at what subsequently happened to The Strypes to see how badly it can all go for a young band if they don’t shift the units their label wants them to.
So here we are in 2019 and now devoid of that original record deal with Virgin /EMI Pretty Vicious currently find themselves doing low key interviews to promote ‘Beauty Of Youth’ minus their singer as he has had to step away from the spotlight due to a personal tragedy that almost cost him his sanity. Their long-awaited debut is now being released through Big Machine Records a label based in Nashville that normally specialises in Country music so with all this going on this just suddenly felt like the right point in time for me to fully experience what Pretty Vicious are all about.
Granted it’s not exactly my first time hearing the band as I did dip my toe in the water with some of their early singles and whilst they were okay they didn’t exactly blow me away either, so what ‘Beauty of Youth’ is is my first chance to sit down and fully immerse myself in the band’s sound, a sound that has now had 5 whole years to develop and mature.
Well, the “next Oasis” label afforded Pretty Vicious early doors I can certainly pick up on during opener ‘These Four Walls’ and there’s more than one occasion during the album’s dozen tracks that I get the sense that the pressure must have really been on the young lads to write arena-filling tunes at all costs. ‘No One Understands’ for example certainly has that early Stereophonics Valleys lad bowl (as in strut) about it, whilst album closer ‘Little Molly’ is the anthemic lighters (or should I say phones) in the air tune that all albums of this ilk see as mandatory. BUT and this is a huge BUT its when Pretty Vicious break out of musical trappings of what is expected of them that they truly shine, in particular, singer Brad Griffiths who sounds not unlike a curious hybrid of Axl Rose and 70s Ozzy Osbourne during tracks like ‘Are You Entertained?’ and the brilliant ‘Someone Like You’. Indie music this most definitely is not folks, and the production from Dan Austin (You Me At Six, Twin Atlantic, Pulled Apart By Horses) certainly helps the boys push the attitude (and guitars) to the fore.
Elsewhere ‘Something Worthwhile’ kind of reminds me of 90s rockers Cast albeit with a turbo booster shoved up their arses, ‘Move’ has an almost Gary Holton goes grunge feel to it and the back to back pairing of ‘Force Of Nature’ (Oasis drum fill in the intro aside) and ‘Lost In Lust’ could very easily be Smashing Pumpkins at their very peak.
With all that is going on musically in the dozen songs that make up ‘Beauty Of Youth’ the future should really be looking bright for Pretty Vicious, but with Brad side-lined and dealing with his personal demons I applaud his bandmates for sticking by him as there is no way success should come before a mate’s own wellbeing. “It’s just a game” after all, as Brad sings during ‘Playing With Guns’. I just hope he gets himself sorted and that the band can then fully capitalise on this absolute stonker of a debut album. In their own time though as they still have the real beauty of youth very much on their side.
Buy ‘Beauty Of Youth’ Here






The Official KISS Poster Book #2 and The Official KISS Poster Book #1 and the two issues of The Official KISS Magazine are available exclusively at Fantasm-Media.com. The next issue of The Official KISS Poster Book will be released later this year and will be accompanied by yet another original KISS card set.

With the new video in the can and doing the rounds, The Bar Stool Preachers are continuing their never-ending tour schedule for the brilliant ‘Grazie Governo’ and RPM highly recommends you catch them at one or more of these dates.
August 2019
1st BLACKPOOL, UK – Rebellion Festival, Winter Gardens
1st BLACKPOOL, UK – Rebellion Festival, Winter Gardens
4th COMPTON MARTIN, UK – Outcider Festival, Fernhill Farm
Bouncing Souls + The Bronx + THE BAR STOOL PREACHERS
August 2019
9th MONTREAL, QC, Canada – Foufounes Electriques
10th TORONTO, ON, Canada – Phoenix Concert Theatre
11th PITTSBURGH PA, USA – Mr. Smalls Theatre
13th CLEVELAND, OH, USA – Grog Shop
14th DETROIT, MI, USA – Saint Andrews Hall
17th CHICAGO, IL, USA – Metro
18th MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA – Varsity Theater
19th MILWAUKEE, WI – X-Ray Arcade
THE BAR STOOL PREACHERS + The Raging Nathans
20th DAYTON, OH – Blind Bob‘s
21st LANCASTER, PA – American Bar & Grill
22nd ASBURY PARK, NJ – Asbury Park Brewery
23rd ALLSTON, MA – O‘Brien‘s
24th DOVER, NH – Brickhouse
THE BAR STOOL PREACHERS
September 2019
13th KINGSTON, UK – Fighting Cocks
14th DERBY, UK – Hairy Dog
15th MANCHESTER, UK – Star ’N Garter
16th LEEDS, UK – Brudenell Club
17th NEWCASTLE, UK – Trillians
18th GLASGOW, UK – Stereo Cafe
19th CARLISLE, UK – Brickyard
20th BLACKPOOL, UK – Waterloo Bar
21st CARDIFF, UK – Club Ifor Bach
22nd ILSON, UK – Latch Lifter (ALL AGES)
Ticket details for all shows are Here

Brand new video released from the forthcoming brand new album. ‘From Here’
Pre-order Here
The track follows the release of recent single ‘End Of Days’, both of which feature on From Here. The album was recorded earlier this year on the tiny Norwegian island of Giske at the beautiful Ocean Sound Recordings studio and reflects the spectacular isolation of that environment, yet has profound messages for the world we all live in and the times we are experiencing. For a taste of the music and the environment in which it was recorded, click here. The album will be released on August 23rd via earMUSIC ahead of a major UK & European tour later this year. From Here will be available as a CD Hardcover Media Book, Double 180g-Vinyl Gatefold and Digital and can be pre-ordered here: https://earmusic.lnk.to/NewModelArmy_… A Strictly Limited 2LP Splattered Vinyl-Edition, a Limited 7” Vinyl Single and various bundles will be available via an exclusive direct to consumer web shop: https://newmodelarmy.tmstor.es

It’s without a doubt KISS has become something of a worldwide rock’n’roll phenomenon. Since their initial inception in ‘73, they’ve racked up a sizeable amount of miles on the road, albums, and tours, spanning the length of the globe. I’ve been raised listening to this band and had the pleasure of watching them perform on numerous other tours over the years. This, however, seems to be the end of the road for them, hence the name of the tour I suppose… (Well supposedly… I mean look at Ozzy and Priest for example)
The evening started out not with a warm-up band, but a performance by David Garibaldi, an American painter. I have to say, it was really refreshing and different to see an opening act performing something totally different, and out-of-the-box instead of the usual warm-up band line-up. Garibaldi painted three paintings in his half-hour time slot, one of Mick Jagger, and upside-down painting of Freddie Mercury (there was a big gasp when he flipped it around, although all the Queen songs playing while he was painting it sorta gave it away…) Ahem, where was I? Oh! And finally a painting of all the KISS members. The final painting would be ‘put up’ as a prize, where concert-goers could make a donation to a children’s cancer charity. The painting would then be given at random to one lucky donor.
KISS took the stage at 21:55 with a blistering two-hour setlist. Everyone was greeted by the usual:
“ALL RIGHT BIRMINGHAM. YOU WANTED THE BEST. YOU GOT THE BEST. THE HOTTEST BAND IN THE WORLD. KISS.”
No matter how many times I hear that opening it never gets old. Whether it be on record or in person.
Detroit Rock City was first on the setlist, with the band lowering themselves down from the ceiling rafters on platforms. Alas, you’ve gotta expect the usual theatrics when it comes to Kiss shows. I’ve got to say, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are getting on a bit but man they still sound good. Gene especially. Paul can’t really hit the highs he could back in the day but he can still put on a damn good performance. That being said, instrumentally, they were totally flawless. I guess that’s what you get for playing your music for this long, eh? Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer returning as the Spaceman and the Catman respectively also performed to the absolute top tier.
Kiss classics old and new were on the setlist. The likes of ‘Cold Gin’, ‘God of Thunder’, ‘Deuce’, ‘Lick it Up’, ‘I Was Made for Lovin’ You’ were all present at this show. (Unfortunately so was ‘Crazy Crazy Nights’, if you like that song, more power to you but I can’t say I’m a fan sorry.) all the usual theatrics were present too. Gene spat some fire, Flew up and played a bass solo while spitting blood, the usual good stuff. Plenty of pyros and fireworks too.
The real curveball for me was Eric Singer rising from below the stage sporting a grand piano for the encore. I didn’t expect to hear Beth on this farewell tour but goddamn, I sang my heart out. Of course Rock and Roll All Nite was the grand finalé, let’s be honest you wouldn’t expect to leave a Kiss show on any other song. Looking back, all in all, it was probably the best Kiss show I’ve been too. Knowing they went out on such a high note (maybe, we’ll see) really added to the experience.
Author: Adam Hathaway

I became aware of Liza Colby through the Sweet Things where she has provided backing vocals for them in the live setting at times. It became quickly apparent that she might be an artist to watch so I started picking up some past singles and EPs that were okay but never kept me coming back for a lot of listens. Still, there has always been something there that told me I would be rewarded in time as she continued to develop her sound. I would consider this her full-length debut at a compact 8 songs that recall the albums of the ’70s, and this is the best music she has released to my ears. Her approach here should also cross over several genres as the artists that come to mind are a diverse bunch. She brings in a lot of rock, a little psychedelic, soul, blues, and other elements to carve out an album that deserves to be heard and played many times. Every year, there are albums that kind of simmer beneath the surface, and, over the course of the next few years, I realize that they are still getting played regularly. I can see this album in that role.
‘Cool Hand’ powers out of the box to start the album with a distorted bass (Alec Morton) and drums (C.P. Roth) segueing into a restrained verse where Colby sings somewhat softly and flexes her vocals with the return of the distortion. The way the music is recorded I am at times reminded of the likes of Kyuss and other desert rock bands but with a more commercial touch. The chorus here is not my favorite on the album as it can feel too repetitive. A cool drum pattern introduces ‘Creep On’ where the bass and guitar (Jay Shepard) both creep into the song. The swirling distorted guitar and bass riff are phenomenal together. The hard bluesy groove brings in another simple chorus lyrically, but this one works much better form me as it slithers in and out of the music. The guitar solo provides an air guitar option but also the ability to just close your eyes and lose yourself in the sound.
With ‘Try Me,’ the band turn up the tempo with the groove leading to some great drum fills and a great chorus. The mix here allows the entire band to be heard and comes straight from the ’70s with a jolt of adrenalin added to pick up the pace. The first half of the album comes to a close with the rocking ‘Young Girl.’ It feels like it could go off on a 10-minute jam at any time; it doesn’t hit the heights of the two previous songs but does provide a satisfying close to the first half of the album. My favorite part of the song is where everything breaks down for the bridge which gets some time to truly lull the listener closer to the speaker before kicking it back up for the finish.
Side 2 begins with the sultry blues of ‘Shake You’ which is dominated by Colby’s vocals. The inflections of the guitar provide nice texture with the eventual peak releasing into a guitar solo that is spot on the money. The crescendo then falls back for another gradual build and satisfying close. The rumbling rock of ‘Eye On You’ gives the band an aggressive song that still maintains a lot of softer touches even when Colby tells us she has “always been an Alpha.” The chorus hits some commercial heights where its huge hook and backing vocals release a steel trap on you. This has been one that has battled to be my favorite from the album.
Heading to the finale, ‘Oh Baby’ continues the hot streak with some simmering blues-rock that might be the best performance Colby has put on a recording to this point in her career. This is the one that gets the hair on the arm to stand during the verses. I love the guitar riff that comes to the surface each time the song builds in intensity. With many of the songs here exceeding five minutes, this is a great album to just get lost in when it plays. I could see the Big Brother Holding Company coming up with something like this, especially when Colby holds that last note. ‘Zero to Freakout’ provides another platform for the bass to be the dominant musical hook during the verses and sets up the burning guitar riffs. The chorus carries the song to another level and is the best on the album for me. At six minutes, this epic has several passages that make it a masterpiece, and I would hope this is also the live closer for the current live shows.
At eight songs, this could have felt lean as an album but instead really hits like the quality albums we used to get back in the day before people decided that every inch of tape on a cassette or space on a CD needed to be filled. This album does something truly remarkable in today’s day and age in that it gets stronger as it goes. I would say the back half of the album sets an incredibly high standard, and, while I don’t think the first half is as good, it still has plenty of highlights. Colby and the band have assembled an album that can appeal to a variety of crowds and musical genres. You may not get it on your first listen but the music and hooks will infiltrate your soul and compel you to play this album for a long time to come.
‘Object to Impossible Destination’ is available now.
Author: Gerald Stansbury

The newie from the Southern US songwriter, storyteller and actor is a concept record broadly inspired by the horrors of the Vietnam war and its ongoing impact. Vintage rock’n’roll sound that nods to Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
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