A Positive Rage

A Positive Rage
Live album by The Hold Steady
Released	April 7, 2009
Recorded	2006-2007
Genre	Rock
Label	Vagrant Records
The Hold Steady chronology
Stay Positive (2008) A Positive Rage (2009) Heaven Is Whenever (2010)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Gigwise.com	link
The Skinny	link
Drowned in Sound	link
PopMatters	link
Uncut	link
Rolling Stone	link
IGN	7.9/10 link
Pitchfork Media	link

A Positive Rage is a live album and documentary double-disc set by the Brooklyn-based rock band The Hold Steady, released on April 7, 2009 by Vagrant Records. The documentary DVD features backstage interviews, fan commentary and live footage, while the CD features a live set performed on Halloween 2007 at the Metro Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, made up of songs from the band's albums Almost Killed Me (2004), Separation Sunday (2005), Boys and Girls in America (2006), and the then-forthcoming Stay Positive (2008), as well as three tracks previously only released as bonus tracks on these albums. The enhanced CD also includes a link to download five bonus tracks.^[1][2][3][4]

Franz Nicolay stated in February 2009 that he has not yet seen the documentary, but notes that he "imagine[s] drinking will be involved. It was an exciting time. The live record is taken from the very end of two years of touring behind Boys and Girls in America, and I’m glad we recorded then, because it’s the real peak of the band as a performing unit."^[5]

CD track listing

1. "Intro" – 0:23
2. "Stuck Between Stations" – 4:00
3. "The Swish" – 4:09
4. "Chips Ahoy" – 3:21
5. "Massive Nights" – 2:55
6. "Ask Her for Adderall" – 2:58
7. "Barfruit Blues" – 3:37
8. "Same Kooks" – 3:02
9. "You Gotta Dance (With Who You Came With)" – 2:26
10. "Lord, I'm Discouraged" – 5:30
11. "You Can Make Him Like You" – 3:09
12. "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" – 5:26
13. "Southtown Girls" – 5:53
14. "Citrus" – 2:57
15. "First Night" – 5:25
16. "Girls Like Status" – 4:12
17. "Killer Parties" – 10:41

Bonus downloadable tracks

The enhanced CD includes a link to download five bonus tracks, the first three of which were available, as a single twelve-minute track, on the limited edition version of Stay Positive.

1. "Ask Her for Adderall" – 2:47
2. "Cheyenne Sunrise" – 4:15
3. "Two Handed Handshake" – 4:15
4. "40 Bucks" – 3:58
5. "Spectres" – 3:47

Personnel

• Bobby Drake – drums
• Craig Finn – guitar, vocals, art Direction, photography
• Tad Kubler – lead guitar
• Franz Nicolay – keyboards, accordion, harmonica
• Galen Polivka – bass guitar
• John Agnello – mixing
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Ben Goetting – design, layout design
• Craig McQuiston – photography

References

1. Starr, Mango (February 3, 2009). "The Hold Steady to Release DVD Documentary + Live Album in April". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
2. Kreps, Daniel (February 3, 2009). "The Hold Steady Ready Live Album, Documentary “A Positive Rage”". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
3. Breihan, Tom (February 3, 2009). "The Hold Steady Release Documentary / Live Album". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
4. "The Hold Steady for live DVD and documentary release". NME. February 3, 2009. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
5. Lindsay, Andrew (2009-02-16). "Interview: Franz Nicolay". Stereokill.net. Retrieved 2009-04-06.