Franz Nicolay-Major General
Fistolo Records: 2009
Released 1/13/2009
SCORE: 7.5
Franz Nicolay must never sleep. Between playing keyboards in The Hold Steady, he's also in World/Inferno Friendship Society, doing collaborations with the likes of The Dresden Dolls and others, AND he plays some solo shows in there too. Not just a guy with a guitar....okay, a guy with a guitar, accordion, and a banjo. As he pointed out at a recent show "a survey was done by a college class that found that accordion and banjo are America's two least favorite instruments".
That may be true, but Franz' use of them is quite charming on this his first proper solo LP. The first song on the album might be the strong point, if only because it is the most rocking track. "Jeff Penalty" is a song about the new singer for the Dead Kennedy's after Jello Biafra left the band. The track is a rocking sing along type song, probably the only track of the like on the album.
The rest of the album goes between songs about being young with his father to drinking songs (of course...the Hold Steady know how to put them back) to songs about finding an apartment in Brooklyn with hardwood floors (it's harder than you might think, he says).
In all, for his first proper LP, Franz does not disappoint, though some might point out the obvious influence playing in the Hold Steady has had on his songs, I wouldn't go as far as to call it "watered down Hold Steady" as some critics have. I quite like Major General and I hope you will too.
That may be true, but Franz' use of them is quite charming on this his first proper solo LP. The first song on the album might be the strong point, if only because it is the most rocking track. "Jeff Penalty" is a song about the new singer for the Dead Kennedy's after Jello Biafra left the band. The track is a rocking sing along type song, probably the only track of the like on the album.
The rest of the album goes between songs about being young with his father to drinking songs (of course...the Hold Steady know how to put them back) to songs about finding an apartment in Brooklyn with hardwood floors (it's harder than you might think, he says).
In all, for his first proper LP, Franz does not disappoint, though some might point out the obvious influence playing in the Hold Steady has had on his songs, I wouldn't go as far as to call it "watered down Hold Steady" as some critics have. I quite like Major General and I hope you will too.
TOUR DATES:
THE HOLD STEADY w/ War on Drugs
Mar 29 - Baltimore, MD @ Reecher Theatre
Mar 30 - NYC @ Irving Plaza
Mar 31 - Albany, NY @ Valentine's
Apr 2 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Calvin College Fine Arts Center
Apr 3 - Urbana, IL @ Illini Courtyard Cafe
Apr 4 - Bloomington, IN @ Jake's Nightclub
Apr 6 - St. Louis, MO @ The Gargoyle
Apr 7 - Iowa City, IA @ Picador
Apr 8 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
Apr 10 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theater
Apr 11 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Apr 14 - Stateline, NV @ Harrah's Tahoe South Shore Room
Apr 15 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlow's Night Club
Apr 17 - Indio, CA - Coachella Festival
FRANZ NICOLAY WEST COAST
all shows w/ Moneybrother
Apr 20 - TBA
Apr 21 - Bottom Of The Hill, SF CA
Apr 23 - Ike Box, Salem, OR
Apr 24 - Sunset Tavern (late show), Seattle, WA
Apr 25 - East End, Portland, OR
Apr 27 - The Press Club, Sacramento, CA
Apr 28 - The Cellar Door, Visalia, CA
Apr 29 - Spaceland, LA CA
THE HOLD STEADY w/ War on Drugs
Mar 29 - Baltimore, MD @ Reecher Theatre
Mar 30 - NYC @ Irving Plaza
Mar 31 - Albany, NY @ Valentine's
APRIL 2009Apr 1 - Buffalo, NY @ The Tralf Music Hall
Apr 2 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Calvin College Fine Arts Center
Apr 3 - Urbana, IL @ Illini Courtyard Cafe
Apr 4 - Bloomington, IN @ Jake's Nightclub
Apr 6 - St. Louis, MO @ The Gargoyle
Apr 7 - Iowa City, IA @ Picador
Apr 8 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
Apr 10 - Boulder, CO @ Fox Theater
Apr 11 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Apr 14 - Stateline, NV @ Harrah's Tahoe South Shore Room
Apr 15 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlow's Night Club
Apr 17 - Indio, CA - Coachella Festival
FRANZ NICOLAY WEST COAST
all shows w/ Moneybrother
Apr 20 - TBA
Apr 21 - Bottom Of The Hill, SF CA
Apr 23 - Ike Box, Salem, OR
Apr 24 - Sunset Tavern (late show), Seattle, WA
Apr 25 - East End, Portland, OR
Apr 27 - The Press Club, Sacramento, CA
Apr 28 - The Cellar Door, Visalia, CA
Apr 29 - Spaceland, LA CA
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