A Positive Jam
Shortman Studios
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Top 10 A Positive Jam Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best A Positive Jam episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to A Positive Jam for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite A Positive Jam episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
A Positive Jam Track 9: Sweet Payne
A Positive Jam
09/30/20 • 46 min
Sweet Payne starts off on an awkward step as it connects various threads in Almost Killed Me and in the Hold Steady mythology. But it rises from those beginnings to a glorious finish, revealing some of Craig Finn’s best lines and some of the album’s best ensemble playing. It also introduces the idea of the Unified Scene, a defining aspiration and mantra for The Hold Steady, and digs into the Twin Cities as much as anything in the Hold Steady’s discography.
To understand this, we have Shawn Westfall, writer and comedian and founder of The Unified Scene Theater, join us to explain how Sweet Payne fits in, how the dissonance between sunny harmonics and lyrical darkness plays out for the Hold Steady, what hardcore can teach us about the Cityscape Skins, the importance of community, and more. We also bust out a last Map Corner for this season to get deep into the Minneapolis roots.
Check out show notes here: https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-track-9-sweet-payne/
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A Positive Jam Season 1 Bonus: Bonus Tracks
A Positive Jam
10/14/20 • 47 min
Almost Killed Me has a deluxe edition that features five bonus tracks. Bonus tracks are a good thing, especially coming from a great band. So, we break down the five tracks one by one to see what makes them stand out and why they might have been left off the album. These are lesser known but there are plenty of gems here.
We cover:
- Milkcrate Mosh
- Hot Fries
- Curves & Nerves
- You Gotta Dance (With Who You Came To The Dance With)
- Modesto Is Not That Sweet
Two more episodes remain on Season 1 of Positive Jam after this, so stay tuned!
Season 2 Track 4: Banging Camp
A Positive Jam
01/27/21 • 44 min
Comes off crunchy but tastes like something deeper: Banging Camp, track 4 on The Hold Steady's Separation Sunday, may evoke tents and summer fun, but there's a more sinister undercurrent. Breaking bread and giving thanks may not mean what you think it means, in other words. We break it all down and figure out why this river trip is more Styxian than it seems on first appearance.
A Positive Jam Track 1: Positive Jam
A Positive Jam
08/05/20 • 36 min
We start it all off with a positive jam. Namely, "Positive Jam", the first track on Almost Killed Me.
Matt Brooks of the Washington Post joins us to break down the Hold Steady's thesis statement, their scene establisher, their introduction to their triumphant career.
We break down how the track works, including how it sets up the band's ethos as much as Craig Finn's lyrical interests. We talk about where it could have gone wrong and why it's not our generation's "We Didn't Start The Fire". And we discuss whether this track stands alone, and whether it works as the first track for someone new to The Hold Steady.
07/12/20 • 3 min
A Positive Jam is a podcast dedicated to breaking down great albums track by track. Our first season focuses on The Hold Steady’s classic debut album, Almost Killed Me.
The Hold Steady emerged in 2004 with Almost Killed Me, a record that took a throwback 70s’ rock sound and made it wholly new. In a time of 80s knock-offs, dance-punk bands, and the last gasps of nu-grunge and boy bands, The Hold Steady kicked the doors down with a bag of one-liners and guitar solos. They reminded the sniffling indie kids and critics of the early ‘00s that this was supposed to be a party. And, they changed our lives.
In our intro episode, co-hosts Mike Taylor and Daniel Shvartsman explain why this album matters and what we aim to do over the course of the 12 episodes that cover season 1. We will be breaking down the 10 tracks from Almost Killed Me, one episode at a time, as well as breaking down bonus tracks and the Minneapolis music scene.
A Positive Jam debuts with full episodes in the first week of August 2020 and will be available on Spotify, Apple, Stitcher, Google Play, and wherever you get podcasts. Subscribe to get episodes as soon as they come out, and hold steady for the season through one of the great rock albums of this millennium.
Season 1 of A Positive Jam is sponsored by Retro Gear Shop. Check out Retro Gear Shop at https://retrogearshop.com/
12/23/20 • 44 min
Separation Sunday is many things, but it's hard to listen to the Hold Steady's breakthrough and not think of Catholicism, nor of Rock and Roll.
As we lead into season 2 of A Positive Jam, covering Separation Sunday, we thought it would be fun to break down a highly subjective playlist of the best in Catholic (and catholic) Rock. Listen to this episode to hear how our three co-hosts - Shawn Westfall, Mike Taylor, and Daniel Shvartsman - view the canon of Catholic Rock.
Check out the full playlist here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4sibmfkeyp6fVxJPK2EJWO
And stay tuned for the first full episode of Season 2 on January 6th. Hold Steady, and happy holidays!
A Positive Jam Track 2: The Swish
A Positive Jam
08/12/20 • 44 min
"Positive Jam" set out what the Hold Steady cared about, but it was "The Swish" that showed who the Hold Steady were and what they were about.
Matt Brooks (Washington Post) joins us again to break down the first big rocker of the Hold Steady's album career, track two of their debut Almost Killed Me. We get into the musical elements, including the ringing guitars and the AC/DC tricks, as well as the lyrical elements - the name drops, the geography, the specificity. We explain why Joni Mitchell is an underrated but lyrically tied reference for the Hold Steady, argue over whether the song ends well, and debut our special feature section, Map Corner.
Pick out your favorite Shaker Heights' outfit, pull around to the window, and let's get rocking. Check out our favorite lines and more background on this episode in our show notes - https://shortmanstudios.com/a-positive-jam-season-one-track-2-the-swish
03/31/21 • 47 min
In our first of two bonus episodes for Season 2, we welcome Father Christian Raab, a Catholic Priest and scholar who also has a musical and Midwestern background, which gives him quite the perspective on Separation Sunday. We talk about beauty, man and God searching for each other, female mystics, the strings of baptism, other St. Theresas, and, somehow, Evelyn Waugh.
Stay turned for our second and final bonus episode of Season 2 next week.
Season 2 Bonus Episode 2: A Reading Of The Wasteland
A Positive Jam
04/07/21 • 27 min
As listeners will know, A Positive Jam Season 2 host Shawn Westfall has called Separation Sunday our generation's The Wasteland, and so our final bonus episode of the season puts that to the test. We read T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland in a Craig Finn-inspired voice. We think and hope you will enjoy it as another lens on the wisdom of The Hold Steady.
You can follow along here: https://poets.org/poem/waste-land
This wraps up season 2. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @shawnwestfall, @mbrookstaylor, or @danielshortman, or @shortmanstudios.
Email us at [email protected].
And hold steady.
Season 2 Track 6: Stevie Nix
A Positive Jam
02/10/21 • 57 min
There's maybe no better song to appreciate the Hold Steady than "Stevie Nix", track 6 on Separation Sunday. The song hits for the Hold Steady cycle, with hard rock, balladry, howling vocals, sharp lyrics, storytelling, shifting perspectives, and epic songwriting.
To break it all down, we have Shawn Westfall, Mike Taylor, and Daniel Shvartsman on the call, as well as Kyle Undem, a special guest making his second appearance on A Positive Jam and repping the Twin Cities to explain why Profane Existence matters so much. Lawwwwd, to be a Hold Steady listener forever.
We also have a special contest for this episode, with a chance to win a copy of either Separation Sunday or the Hold Steady's newest album, Open Door Policy. Listen to the intro or check out our twitter account, @shortmanstudios, for details!
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FAQ
How many episodes does A Positive Jam have?
A Positive Jam currently has 31 episodes available.
What topics does A Positive Jam cover?
The podcast is about Podcasts, Music Commentary and Music.
What is the most popular episode on A Positive Jam?
The episode title 'A Positive Jam Track 9: Sweet Payne' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on A Positive Jam?
The average episode length on A Positive Jam is 39 minutes.
How often are episodes of A Positive Jam released?
Episodes of A Positive Jam are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of A Positive Jam?
The first episode of A Positive Jam was released on Jul 12, 2020.
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