The Hold Steady

I want to like the first Hold Steady album I'm checking out, "Separation Sunday". All the bands I've ever really loved grew on me -- they weren't always love at first site. The singer reminds me uncannily of the older brother of one of my best friends from high school. The voice of Bob Mould, speaking the words Elvis Costello never wrote, with Soul Asylum and the Replacements filling in as the backing band. With that combo, how can I not want to love them? The talking thing doesn't really work all the time for me, but when it works, it's quite brilliant, as found on "Your Hoodrat Friend". Sample lyric from that great tune: "because it burns being broke and it hurts to be heartbroken but always being both must be a drag."