The new favorites...

I think my Hold Steady listening spree is passing, at least until the next time I have access to PBR and Maker's Mark, or get high again with the tramps in the baptism camps on the banks of the Mississippi river. Or whatever. So I won't just burst onto this blog in a drunken, whiskered and whiskeyed state, proclaiming the Hold Steady party must go on. Nay...

I've determined that the content of my objective playlist is undeniably slanted toward dudes. Now, there are just plain more dude bands out there, and more dude singers and songwriters; my discrimination is not purposeful or personal. While I know an artificial balance would be... artificial, the ladies deserve some affirmative action here.

First in a series of ladysongs I've dug recently:

Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched
I go back and forth on Rilo Kiley. When I want to like them, I hear some strain in Jenny Lewis' voice, and think it's too contrived to work. But then, just when I'm ready to give up and put on Patsy Cline, I hear a song like this, with it's running-faster-than-you-should guitar rhythm, perfectly matched lyrics and vocals, and catching energy via handclaps and a sing-along finale. Does it ever quite get where it's going? No, but where's the harm in that?