The Hold Steady "The Swish" - music video

NYC's The Hold Steady in an animated video by director Moh Azima.
www.mohazima.com

[@knightm27]

The dirty love child of Springsteen, Costello and The Foo Fighters. Great stuff.

[@gluce]

Don't forget The Who. (Intro reminds me a little of Baba O'Reilly.)

[@jacoblott1617]

This might be the greatest description of this band ever. They're so good

[@paulbogas9407]

And he looks like a young Randy Newman, right? Let’s add RN to the love child calculus.

[@stessaboi]

gotta be honest, I as much as I like craig's vocals, it's the LYRICS that really get me. his storytelling is 10X more valuable than his voice

[@themats89]

Umm yeah.....The Hold Steady are amazing...and Craig...well....awesome. Channeling Bruce Springsteen , thru Paul Westerberg,,,,,thru punk rock music and rock...... I say genius! I'll listen all day!!!

[@jrdtiger1]

Want to make a correction though, not just NYC, this is Minneapolis' band too! I should say actually that this is our band and we're damned proud of em

[@55TeleMark]

Craig Finn just looks like somebody’s dad you’d pass in a grocery store. Haha. True rock and roll!

[@mjhackett]

I said my name's Mike Nesmith, but people call me Mark E. Smith.

[@FakeFlourescentSkies]

these guys are pretty inspiring. If that guy can make a band really good and sound good even if he can't sing, then why can't I? The lyrics are pretty amazing btw I just read them. He's got a lot to say for somebody that sings like a Bob Dylan with a different accent.

[@tsh4nby]

best song out of the whole album

[@spaceman68]

bought tickets for fibbers in york on the strength of this one track....dont think ill be dissapointed. intelligent lyrics with a shed load of fun yeeeeah!

[@joaobatistaalexandreferrei9573]

Because is very,very and very GOOD !!!

[@juliadeetruchsess]

F-in' AWESOME!!!!!!

[@hannaks310]

Finn worships Joe Strummer...you know the line in "Constructive Summer" that goes "raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer, i think he might have been our only decent teacher."

[@yojayy]

This is an old video..one of their first I think. That's their original drummer, Judd Counsell. Now they have 5 members. It just shows how bands evolve. I remember hearing Hurley mention them on an episode of LOST in a flashback episode (the one where he tells everyone he won the lottery using the cursed numbers).

[@richardthegingerbo909]

_It was a blockbuster summer!_

[@akernohan]

these guys were at the vital, and they were awesome

[@okrabay]

love the song!

[@Ranaldo20]

reminds me a lot of Blake Schwarzenbach (sic) of Jawbreaker/Jets to Brazil.

[@TheZbeast]

Such an accurate description

[@roderickhager8154]

These guys are so cool👂🍬

[@jansapp]

the best band in the world

[@BikiniDeathSquad]

I like this.

[@TheAnthronut]

@DreamingInReverse Me too!! It's going to be such a good concert! :D :D

[@fka.climate]

I don't know why. But I fucking love Craig Finn's voice. I don't feel like I should. Maybe that's why.

[@martianshoes]

Finn brings a lot of people to mind, early Elvis Costello... and Springsteen before the ice cream got to him. More please.. this is choice.

[@gordermusic]

If you like The Hold Steady you have to hear Lifter Puller (rawer and younger but the same guys)

[@tomata182]

Dude these guys rock! He reminds me of Henry Rolans a lot. Does anyone know if they are Christians or just dissin on Christianity?

[@ClownPoet]

These lyrics are fucking great

[@stessaboi]

Craig Finn= Genius. If you don't like this band, you have no respect for the significance of lyrics in songs.

[@mistahxdaniel]

this totally reminded me of weezer, especially when he said beverly hills

[@1991stacy]

What constitutes a bar band? Do you they actually have to play in a bar or does it have to do with the music?

[@anthonyuram4116]

thanks adam rank

[@BThaSmoovUno]

Andre Cymone!

[@bikesi]

great band- they should keep the siuts!

[@blancmage31]

@cambodiancunny No. actually they're an awesome band. You may not like all of their stuff, but you can't listen to Crawl or Black Thumbnail or McFearless and say they don't rock. Really, get up to that search bar and look up those songs. Do it now.

[@uvebeentagged]

@gordermusic eh there all right

[@jaredallenramos4715]

0:13 ANOTHER WHITE STRIPE REFERENCE

[@jacoblott1617]

Totally right, didn't make that connection til I read your comment. Nice nod!

[@retinarow]

A lot, especially in this case... The Hold Steady's second album had this overarching story about a girl choosing between religion and drug culture.

[@JonnyPoor]

saw them 2 weeks ago at MEN. the lead singer spat over everyone includidng the steward who didnt look happy. The keyboardist was cool though haha!

[@hammerjohnston]

@TheGameKat and

[@Scabrinastep]

beck! scientologists! run!!!!!!! lol

[@ROCKNROLLFAN]

It's OK, he name checked Andre Cymone.

[@sonomabud]

sounds like Jim Carrol............"Catholic Boy"..These Are People Who Died"...

[@unclepat6367]

Steven merchant on guitar

[@THECHEESEASD]

Good song, the lead singer's voice takes getting used to though.

[@Zytemis]

I don't think you understand what I'm saying. The hold steady aren't punk, but they're "punk as fuck". "Punk as fuck" being that thing you do when you aren't following trends like Punk and are instead making amazing music about whatever you feel like.

[@JohnTitorJohnTitor]

i really love their sound, but i always wonder how i would think of them if they had a different vocalist...

[@TheGameKat]

content

[@Joekickass3000]

awesome song... but what the hell does it mean! lol

[@reknowltoniii]

Is this video a Knack parody?

[@jennyb.3969]

I don't know if it's a parody as such but I can definitely see what you mean! Dubya's favourite song...but don't let that put you off

[@yurksemesh]

Personally I've never heard anyone say they're the 'most important band in america'. Although if I did I'd think they were a bit of an idiot. A pretty mediocre band.

[@jennyb.3969]

who do you like?

[@johnheckt5699]

this whole band is great, the music is so raw. and as for craigs voice, his voice is awesome!! plus the stuff he says its just perfect.

[@ziggy1415]

I know these guys are supposed to be a retro band, but doesn't anyone else kinda think that this is quite ahead of its times. the key change from verse to chorus are well daring, as are the lyrics.

[@curebdc]

sounds like the fall! Not a bad thing!

[@scottmcmahon8629]

Soooo good! Just discovered this song yesterday. Love it!

[@thegreatreverendx]

I don't understand. I think their music is great but I think it would be fantastic if the guy would just effing SING. Not everyone is a Chris Cornell, but at least try to sound like something other than Chris Farley trying to be heard over some music at a bar.

[@JFrit67]

Lawd, to be ssssssssssseventeen forever

[@richardthegingerbo909]

Lawd, to be thirtythree forever

[@kennethpounds4092]

Incredible band live...saw them 4-5 times..they are back at it

[@buttp0under420]

This singer sounds to me like the Cirlce Jerk's singer

[@historynut1987]

This guys voice is just as bad a Dave Matthews voice, no wonder they are touring together.

[@JFrit67]

Quick. Name a better song writer than Craig Finn.

[@spoinkchick93]

This and 'Stuck Between Stations' are my fave songs by them. Thanks for posting.

[@heidivanderlee]

the hold steady are my boyfriends. love, love, love this band.

[@TheWormsVideos]

You were an early adopter!

[@heidivanderlee]

@@TheWormsVideos i just saw this. how embarrassing.

[@Cynicor]

@@heidivanderlee This is SO great, after seeing you open for them in Cambridge last month.

[@jamesswisher1]

sounds a little like "finding out true love is blind" by Louis XIV. cool song

[@QuamCelerrime]

If you think this is punk then you don't understand The Hold Steady.

[@tomata182]

Is he really a practicing Catholic or were you just being funny?

[@martinnewtonholmes]

I like artists you either love or loathe

[@richardthegingerbo909]

and sometimes both in the same day!

[@ekiger]

not bad. but the singer is just copping Mark E Smith. lame

[@brandonjerome]

Been here a very long time

[@Buelligan88]

The song is great! The video however... sucks.

[@richardthegingerbo909]

_We used to shake it up in Shaker Heights_

[@NathanIsReallyBored]

As much as I like The Hold Steady and as much as I love Richard Manuel and The Band, I'm going to have to disagree about that. When it comes to singing Richard Manuel's voice is untouchable

[@allyn788]

I see some of the "hipper than thou" crowd passing through and leaving comments... I liked it...remember folks, it's just music! (-;

[@martianshoes]

I was up late watching THS and old Cult clips...it occured to me some bands can only translate attitude to performance...do enough blow to sweatshake a trance.. or be the Hold Steady and translate attitude into MUSIC. This rocks the rest are posers...

[@gregrmurphy]

“I did a couple favors for these guys who looked like Tusken Raiders” kills me every time

[@doctorgriffith]

@ZachWildSuxxx you don't need to have a great voice to be a great singer. Bob Dylan is IMO the greatest of all time yet his voice isn't conventionally great.

[@OakRidgePunk777]

I have a love/hate feel for these guys. Sometimes I get the meaning of a song, and sometimes I think a song like this was just made to make a filler song to make the album longer and that's it.. Someone explain if i'm wrong.

[@joevideo65]

@ned2350 if its the type of stuff people were doing 30 years ago its hardly progressive

[@ned2350]

@ziggy1415 It's progressive rock - the kind of stuff people were doing 30 years ago. For some reason everyone went back to simpler arrangements for a while. Glad to see people are breaking out of the box again.

[@joaobatistaalexandreferrei9573]

very,very and very GOOD !!

[@crimsonchief]

I know what you mean dude, just goes to show if you've got some heart then you can do it even if you can't sing for shit.

[@josephegrant]

It's the Bible Pimp!

[@FlickrFriedGizzard]

Because I survived the 80's, one time already! And I don't recall them all that fondly.

[@deadelectromix]

Haha, yeah, I know. He's just got the whole leg pump thing going on throughout the whole thing, and he's playing guitar just like Joe. Just an observation.

[@beergnome666]

I didn't care much for this band until I saw them live. They're amazing. Now I like the records.

[@stessaboi]

@OakRidgePunk777 idk man, not every song from a band can be great. sometimes that's just the record company's doing: no one is gonna buy an album from a band for $15 that has only 4 or 5 songs on it. even if those songs are amazing.

[@BikesAndBatallas]

What if I told you that, in the future, people don't buy albums...

[@gordermusic]

If you like The Hold Steady you have to hear Lifter Puller (rawer and younger but the same guys)

[@deadelectromix]

Any one else notice how Craig's got the whole Joe Strummer thing going on throughout this entire video?

[@thefeintinggoat]

THe Hold Steady are so tight, and so good--I saw them when they played with the Bouncing Souls and was floored.

[@WAAAAAAAAAAAY]

luv this song, bought 'Almost Killed Me' and 'Separation Sunday' recently and they're really good. gr8 live also

[@gordermusic]

If you like The Hold Steady check out Lifter Puller (same guys but rawer and younger)

[@hammerjohnston]

Congratulations, you just won the award for most contradictions in a KZbin comment.

[@sasserwazr]

wow, guess i wont be seeing these guys at langerado. good lyrics, delivery is terrifying

[@Mattmoo36]

what did Craig Finn do specifically? since u still seem to like The Hold Steady

[@atarahapril]

Wow...just discovered "The hold Steady" Well impressed will definately make them my new focus

[@deadpool901]

This song reminds me of Cheap Trick. It's so damn good! The Hold Steady ROCKS!!!

[@TheGameKat]

@spameister i guess i have low expectations of youtube accuracy

[@bremex]

@MrStupidcomputer Fuck yeaah!! mine too!!

[@deadpool901]

That's why they made a single out of it! Again, THE HOLD STEADY ROCKS!!!

[@themanickin]

This band is good. Listen to the lyrics...he's a good writer

[@WAAAAAAAAAAAY]

wat a cool track, i lyk this band and I gotta c them live