Yesterday, I was chatting with my friend Wolfdogg about how much I really love Paul Westerberg’s “Folker” album. Even though the record came out some two years ago, it’s only now that I’ve realized how much I love the record. When it first came out I was a bit underwhelmed. We then went on to talk about how sometimes it takes awhile to really have a record get under your skin, and why it’s so amazing that people can review a record after listening to it for a few weeks.

So I’m feeling totally underwhelmed with The Hold Steady’s “Boys and Girls in America, which came out today. I iTunesed it this morning. I figured since I couldn’t sleep, I had nothing better to do at five this morning besides listen to new music.

I spent a good portion of the morning listening to the clips from the new Beck, Decemberists, and The Hold Steady albums. Since I’m a single homeowner and officially poor folk, I couldn’t buy all three at once like I could in my decadent apartment-living days.

And that sucks.

But I’m a little disappointed, upon first listening, in the album. I’m not sure what it is. It’s all so samey sounding, I think. All the songs sound like those off Separation Sunday. It’s tough, I think, because The Hold Steady have such a distinct, definite sound. And there’s just no way that you can go back to that utter delight at the newness, the uniqueness.

And that sucks too.

I’m a big brat today. I blame it on lack of sleep.