The Hold Steady Announce New Album “Heaven Is Whenever”

DumpJack · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:07 pm

Quote:

The Hold Steady announced today that their fifth disc, Heaven Is Whenever, will be released on May 4th and boast a more guitar-oriented sound, with the piano and keyboards that featured on the group’s recent albums falling into the background. As Rolling Stone previously reported, keyboardist Franz Nicolay opted to leave the band last month. Heaven Is Whenever was produced by Dean Baltulonis, who previously helmed the group’s Separation Sunday.

Heaven Is Whenever is about “embracing suffering and understanding its place in a joyful life. The lyrics speak a lot about struggle and reward,” frontman Craig Finn says in a press release. Adds guitarist Tad Kubler, “I really believe the album exposes new elements of the band that we hinted at on other records but weren’t able to fully realize until this one. Rather than just concentrate on changes in the instrumentation, we made changes to the song writing process.”

The album was developed in a makeshift recording booth that the band set up in the back of their tour bus while on the road in support of 2008’s Stay Positive. The Hold Steady will also embark on a tour of the Northeast in April before heading out to the West Coast in May, culminating with a performance at this year’s Sasquatch! festival on Memorial Day weekend.

Check out the Heaven Is Whenever track list and the Hold Steady tour dates below:

Heaven Is Whenever
1. “The Sweet Part of the City”
2. “Soft in the Center”
3. “The Weekenders”
4. “The Smidge”
5. “Rock Problems”
6. “We Can Get Together”
7. “Hurricane J”
8. “Barely Breathing”
9. “Our Whole Lives”
10. “A Slight Discomfort”

The Hold Steady
Apr. 2 – Ardsley, NY @ LIFE
Apr. 3 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
Apr. 5 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Apr. 6 – Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
Apr. 7 – Albany, NY @ Linda Norris Auditorium
Apr. 8 – Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater
Apr. 9 – Jermyn, PA @ Eleanor Rigby’s
Apr. 10 – Syracuse, NY @ The Westcott Theater
Apr. 12 – Rochester, NY @ The Club at Water Street Music Hall
Apr. 13 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
Apr. 14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel Club Lounge
Apr. 15 – Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant St.
Apr. 16 – Harrisburg, PA @ Appalachian Brewing Company
May 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
May 6 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
May 29 – George, WA @ Sasquatch Festival

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:31 pm

Its kinda weird to see these guys playing semi-small establishments--see 123 in MoTown and ABC in Harrisburg.

edit--dern, Harrisburg is already sold out.

wenchlette · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:34 pm

Seeing them either 4/5 or 4/6 with a cousin. Pretty excited even though I don't listen to them often.

thisotherkingdom · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:42 pm

Saw this on twitter earlier tonight. Goddamn this is shaping up to be a great year!

MontyTheMongoose · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:14 am

Duncan Sheik cover? Really?

Stop Breathin' · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:39 am

I'm a little concerned over "this is a guitar heavy record, but not a heavy guitar record." Knowhatimean?

MontyTheMongoose · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:48 am

Stop Breathin' Wrote:

I'm a little concerned over "this is a guitar heavy record, but not a heavy guitar record." Knowhatimean?

OHG THIGS REAGLLYG GOING TO BEG REGROCK.

Sex, Drugs, and Dave · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:13 am

wasn't crazy about the last one, one of the few records where the poor production really hurts. Good for them for hitting markets that many bands skip over.

Yail Bloor · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:38 am

Sex, Drugs, and Dave Wrote:

Good for them for hitting markets that many bands skip over.

Agreed.

Now leak dammit.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:35 pm

DumpJack Wrote:

Quote:

Heaven Is Whenever was produced by Dean Baltulonis, who previously helmed the group’s Separation Sunday.

This will get some cotton/FT man love.

Machine - FIND THIS!

FT · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:50 pm

Senator GAR in 2010! Wrote:

DumpJack Wrote:

Quote:

Heaven Is Whenever was produced by Dean Baltulonis, who previously helmed the group’s Separation Sunday.

This will get some cotton/FT man love.

Machine - FIND THIS!

Yeah, for me...

Separation + Sunday = Natural Harvest

CAN'T WAIT!

DumpJack · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:12 pm

I just put this on, 'The Sweet Part of the City' sounds like it was from the Singles soundtrack. It really reminded me of that Chris Cornell track, or at least part of it did. Doesn't sound like them, but I kind of like it.

jsh · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:28 pm

i don't really have much of a reference point for this band, except occasional comparisons to springsteen. i tried this album today, and did not get far into it at all. will give it another chance another time.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:12 pm

I like this a whole lot more than Stay Positive. Fears alleviated.

nobody · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:26 pm

nobody · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:35 pm

I like this one better than the last, although I still consider Separation Sunday their masterpiece.

Yail Bloor · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:32 pm

On only one listen, all I got out of it was "this is a Hold Steady album"

DumpJack · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:35 pm

Yail Bloor Wrote:

On only one listen, all I got out of it was "this is a Hold Steady album"

I actually thought it was much better than that.

thisotherkingdom · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:47 pm

DumpJack Wrote:

Yail Bloor Wrote:

On only one listen, all I got out of it was "this is a Hold Steady album"

I actually thought it was much better than that.

Me too. I was afraid going in that it would be "just another Hold Steady album" but I think they managed to sound fresh on this one. Instantly better than Stay Positive, although I enjoy that album plenty. My biggest thought on this album is that my gf may actually like this one, and she pretty much hates this band. I'm anxious to see what she thinks of it, if I can ever convince her to give it a shot.

Yail Bloor · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:48 pm

DumpJack Wrote:

Yail Bloor Wrote:

On only one listen, all I got out of it was "this is a Hold Steady album"

I actually thought it was much better than that.

I didn't mean my comment to be disparaging in any way.

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:59 pm

nobody Wrote:

This is the same shitty rip that already exists in the TwentyTen thread.

DumpJack · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 10:16 pm

Yail Bloor Wrote:

DumpJack Wrote:

Yail Bloor Wrote:

On only one listen, all I got out of it was "this is a Hold Steady album"

I actually thought it was much better than that.

I didn't mean my comment to be disparaging in any way.

Gotcha. I interpreted it like if you were served a burger and after a couple of bites you remark "jesus that's a pretty damn good burger" or alternatively after a couple of bites you remark, "yep, it's a burger...pass the A1 Sauce will you?".

Lrr · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:50 am

Does Franz play on this or was it recorded after he left?

FT · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:59 pm

nobody Wrote:

I like this one better than the last, although I still consider Separation Sunday their masterpiece.

yes and yes

two guns holla · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 12:52 pm

Lrr Wrote:

Does Franz play on this or was it recorded after he left?

I believe they went back and re-recorded his parts with a new member after he left.

The Hold Steady Announce New Album “Heaven Is Whenever”

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