{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Heaven Is Whenever | type = studio | artist = the Hold Steady | cover = The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever cover.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|2010|5|4}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|Indie rock|heartland rock}} | length = 41:21 | label = {{hlist|Vagrant|Rough Trade}} | producer = * Dean Baltulonis * Tad Kubler | prev_title = Stay Positive | prev_year = 2008 | next_title = Teeth Dreams | next_year = 2014 }} {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/album/heaven-is-whenever-r1740625 |title=allmusic review|website=AllMusic }}</ref> | rev2 = AbsolutePunk | rev2Score = (91%)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1676472 |title=AbsolutePunk review|date=4 October 2023 }}</ref> | rev3 = BBC | rev3Score = (positive)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/p24z |title=BBC review}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Drowned in Sound'' | rev4Score = {{rating|6|10}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/15330/reviews/4139817 |title=Drowned in Sound review |access-date=2010-04-27 |archive-date=2018-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709064706/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/15330/reviews/4139817 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | rev5 = ''NME'' | rev5Score = {{rating|8|10}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/1757/Heaven-Is-Whenever.aspx |title=NME review}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev6Score = (6.2/10)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14196-heaven-is-whenever/ |title=Pitchfork review|website=Pitchfork }}</ref> | rev7 = ''Q'' | rev7Score = {{rating|6|10}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/1757/Heaven-Is-Whenever.aspx |title=Q review}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev8Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/2746/20598 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612093001/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/2746/20598 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |title=Rolling Stone review|magazine=Rolling Stone }}</ref> | rev9 = ''The Skinny'' | rev9Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/99196-the-hold-steady---heaven-is-whenever |title=The Skinny review}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Slant'' | rev10Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/the-hold-steady-heaven-is-whenever/2089 |title=Slant Magazine review|website=Slant Magazine |date=May 2010 }}</ref> | rev11 = ''Spin'' | rev11Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/hold-steady-heaven-whenever-vagrant |title=Spin review}}</ref> | rev12 = Sputnikmusic | rev12Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=36363 |title=Sputnikmusic review}}</ref> }}
'''''Heaven Is Whenever''''' is the fifth studio album by the Hold Steady. It was released May 4, 2010, on Vagrant Records in the U.S. and May 3, 2010, on Rough Trade in Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buzzgrinder.com/2010/hold-steady-heave-is-whenever-new-album-may-4/ |title=Hold Steady Releasing New Album May 4 |publisher=Buzzgrinder.com |date=2010-02-23 |accessdate=2012-02-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308120501/http://www.buzzgrinder.com/2010/hold-steady-heave-is-whenever-new-album-may-4/ |archivedate=2010-03-08 }}</ref> The album's first single, "Hurricane J", premiered on Pitchfork Media on March 22, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/38234-premiere-hold-steady-hurricane-j/ |title=Premiere: Hold Steady: "Hurricane J" | News |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2010-03-22 |accessdate=2012-02-20}}</ref> Regarding the album's lyrical content, vocalist and guitarist Craig Finn states that: "I kept saying ''Stay Positive'' was a record about trying to age gracefully. This record, I think actually ''was'' us aging gracefully. Some of the lyrics come from a place of a little more wisdom, being 38 and at this point having a lifetime in rock'n'roll."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/7800-the-hold-steady/ |title=Interviews: The Hold Steady | Features |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2010-05-17 |accessdate=2012-02-20 |archive-date=January 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129205638/http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/7800-the-hold-steady/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
''Heaven Is Whenever'' debuted at #26 on the ''Billboard'' 200 with 23,000 albums sold in its opening week <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1638975/20100512/godsmack.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513032320/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1638975/20100512/godsmack.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 13, 2010 |title=Godsmack Score Third #1 Billboard Debut With Oracle - Music, Celebrity, Artist News |publisher=MTV |date=2010-05-12 |accessdate=2012-02-20}}</ref> thus becoming the highest-charting album by The Hold Steady.
==Background and recording== In 2009, the Hold Steady began writing ''Heaven Is Whenever'' while touring in support of their previous album, ''Stay Positive''. According to guitarist Tad Kubler, the band "turned the back lounge of the [tour] bus into a makeshift vocal booth where we could also overdub guitars. These songs gradually became the demos for the new record, and we continued writing. It allowed us to work at a pace that was dictated almost solely by our creative output. We just hit record whenever we thought we had something worth putting down."<ref name="shorefire.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.shorefire.com/index.php?a=pressrelease&o=3699 |title=The Hold Steady |publisher=Shore Fire |date=2010-02-23 |accessdate=2012-02-20}}</ref>
The band subsequently entered the studio with Dean Baltulonis, producer of the band's debut album, ''Almost Killed Me'', and its follow-up ''Separation Sunday''. Vocalist and guitarist Craig Finn states that Baltulonis is "a real close friend, so it was kind of a more relaxed, less formal way of making a record. We kind of went in for shorter sessions over a longer period of time, and we recorded a lot. There's a fair amount of songs that didn't make the record, and that's always a heartbreaking thing, choosing between your favorite children."<ref name="mmix">{{cite web|last=Valby |first=Karen |url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/03/19/craig-finn-hold-steady-heaven-is-whenever-sxsw/ |title=Craig Finn of the Hold Steady talks new album, 'Heaven is Whenever,' at SXSW | The Music Mix | EW.com |publisher=Music-mix.ew.com |date=2010-03-19 |accessdate=2012-02-20}}</ref>
The album does not feature former keyboard player and multi-instrumentalist Franz Nicolay, who left the band in January 2010. Guitarist Tad Kubler and additional musician Dan Neustadt, however, both perform piano and keyboards on the album in a diminished role in comparison to the band's previous two releases. Craig Finn states that: "I think the biggest difference is that a lot of the songs were written with no piano or keys. So there's a sense of space in it that I don’t think we've had since ''Separation Sunday''."<ref name="mmix"/>
==Content and influences== Guitarist Tad Kubler has stated that "musical scores" and "cinematic soundscapes" were major influences when composing the album, listing Gustavo Santaolalla, Terence Blanchard, Jon Brion as key examples.<ref name="shorefire.com"/>
Vocalist and guitarist Craig Finn states that the album's lyrics "speak a lot about struggle and reward. It's about embracing suffering and understanding its place in a joyful life. I think that some of the characters from old records are there, but I don't name them by name. I think it continues to examine the highs and lows that we've looked at on previous records."<ref name="shorefire.com"/>
The title of the album comes from the lyric "Heaven is whenever we can get together", from the song ''We Can Get Together.''<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmg_toL4DXc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/bmg_toL4DXc |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Heaven is Whenever - The Hold Steady (9.6.09) |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2012-02-20}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
"We Can Get Together" references the British twee-pop band Heavenly, as well as hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü who, like The Hold Steady, had their roots in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
==Release== On February 23, 2010, ''Heaven Is Whenever'' was announced for release in three months' time; alongside this, the album's track listing was posted online.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/37216/the-hold-steady-detail-new-lp|title=The Hold Steady detail new LP|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=February 23, 2010|access-date=October 16, 2022}}</ref> On March 16, 2010, the artwork was revealed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/37500/the-hold-steady-reveal-heaven-is-whenever-cover-art|title=The Hold Steady reveal 'Heaven is Whenever' cover art|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Yancey, Bryne|date=March 16, 2010|access-date=October 17, 2022}}</ref> On April 2, 2010, "The Weekenders" was made available for streaming through MTV's website.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/37747/the-hold-steady-the-weekenders|title=The Hold Steady: 'The Weekenders'|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Yancey, Bryne|date=April 2, 2010|access-date=October 17, 2022}}</ref>
The band released four songs via the internet before the album release, "Hurricane J", "Rock Problems", "The Weekenders," and "Barely Breathing". All four songs contain the band's trademark anthemic choruses and nostalgic, hyper-literate lyrics, leading some critics to doubt Finn's claim that the album will be a departure from the previous three.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/38370-new-hold-steady-the-weekenders/ |title=New Hold Steady: "The Weekenders" | News |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2010-04-02 |accessdate=2012-02-20}}</ref> ''Heaven Is Whenever'' was made available for streaming through NPR on April 20, 2010, before it was released on May 4, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/37967/the-hold-steady-heaven-is-whenever|title=The Hold Steady: 'Heaven Is Whenever'|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Yancey, Bryne|date=April 20, 2010|access-date=October 17, 2022}}</ref> It was promoted with a handful of shows on the West and East Coasts, prior to various festivals across Europe through to July 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/37715/tours-the-hold-steady-southeast-west-coast-hawaii-europe|title=The Hold Steady (southeast, west coast, Hawaii, Europe)|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Yancey, Bryne|date=March 31, 2010|access-date=October 17, 2022}}</ref> Following this, they went on a North American tour with support from the Whigs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/37997/tours-the-hold-steady-the-whigs|title=The Hold Steady / The Whigs|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=April 21, 2010|access-date=October 17, 2022}}</ref>
The album was released one month early for Record Store Day 2010 on clear vinyl in a hand screen-printed sleeve, fewer than 600 copies were released globally. The album also included an online download code that became functional on the album's official release on May 4, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.recordstoreday.com/Page/836 |title=Page |publisher=Record Store Day |date=2009-12-15 |accessdate=2012-02-20}}</ref>
==Track listing== All songs written by Craig Finn and Tad Kubler, except where noted. # "The Sweet Part of the City" – 4:24 # "Soft in the Center" – 3:50 # "The Weekenders" – 3:48 # "The Smidge" – 3:22 # "Rock Problems" (Finn, Kubler, John Reis) – 3:31 # "We Can Get Together" – 4:29 # "Hurricane J" (Finn, Kubler, Franz Nicolay) – 3:02 # "Barely Breathing" – 3:37 # "Our Whole Lives" – 4:00 # "A Slight Discomfort" – 7:13
===iTunes bonus tracks=== #<li value=11>"Touchless" – 3:34 #"Ascension Blues" – 2:59
===2020 Super Deluxe Edition=== # "Separate Vacations" – 3:48 # "Criminal Fingers" – 4:39 # "Beer on the Bedstand" – 2:54 # "At Least Not Tonight" – 3:01 # "Wonderful Struggle" - 3:24 # "Going on a Hike" – 4:26 # "We Can Get Together (Alternate)" - 4:57
==Personnel== The following people contributed to ''Heaven Is Whenever'':<ref>''Heaven is Whenever'' – liner notes.</ref>
{{col-begin}} {{col-2}} '''The Hold Steady''' *Craig Finn – vocals, guitar *Tad Kubler – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals *Galen Polivka – bass guitar, backing vocals *Bobby Drake – drums, percussion, backing vocals
'''Additional musicians''' *Dan Neustadt – additional piano and keyboards *Corinne Caouette – additional vocals *Roman Kubler – additional vocals *John Reis – additional guitar *Peter Hess – horns, horn arrangements *Lloyd DeBonis – horns
{{col-2}} '''Recording personnel''' *Dean Baltulonis – producer, recording, mixing *Tad Kubler – additional production *Dustin Miller – additional engineering *Adam Armstrong – assistant engineer *Shawn Kimon – assistant engineer *Dave Gardner – mastering
'''Artwork''' *Christian Helms – art direction, design *Erick Montes – design *Andrew Yates – photography {{col-end}}
==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ {{sro|Chart performance}} ! scope="col"| Chart (2010) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Hitseekers Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue1055.pdf|title=ARIA Hitseekers – Week Commencing 17th May 2010|magazine=The ARIA Report|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|issue=1055|page=21|date=May 17, 2010|access-date=February 16, 2026|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20100616053445/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20100611-0000/Issue1055.pdf|archive-date=June 16, 2010}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | 5 |- ! scope="row"| Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Charts/ALBUMS.html|title=Albums : Top 100|website=Jam!|date=May 13, 2010|access-date=February 16, 2026|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5pnhYbqg0?url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Charts/ALBUMS.html|archive-date=May 17, 2010}}</ref> | 59 |- {{Album chart|Greece|19|M|url=http://greekcharts.com/weekchart.asp?cat=a&year=2010&date=201018|title=Greekcharts.com – Album Top 50 – 18/2010|publisher=Hung Medien|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920073100/http://greekcharts.com/weekchart.asp?cat=a&year=2010&date=201018|archive-date=September 20, 2012|url-status=dead|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|Ireland|71|year=2010|week=18|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|Norway|20|artist=The Hold Steady|album=Heaven Is Whenever|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|Scotland|38|date=20100509|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|UK2|45|date=20100509|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|UKIndependent|1|date=20100509|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|Billboard200|26|artist=The Hold Steady|rowheader=true|access-date=October 15, 2018}} |- {{Album chart|BillboardIndependent|4|artist=The Hold Steady|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|BillboardTastemaker|5|artist=The Hold Steady|rowheader=true|access-date=February 16, 2026}} |- {{Album chart|BillboardAlternative|5|artist=The Hold Steady|rowheader=true|access-date=October 15, 2018}} |- {{Album chart|BillboardRock|8|artist=The Hold Steady|rowheader=true|access-date=October 15, 2018}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{The Hold Steady}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2010 albums Category:The Hold Steady albums Category:Vagrant Records albums Category:Record Store Day releases