The Hold Steady is known, perhaps unfairly, as "the world's best bar band." True or not, that title does hint at the band's real strength: playing shows. Most Hold Steady songs deal with partying, going to shows, drinking or some combination of those things. It was only a matter of time before there was a Hold Steady live album.

A Positive Rage, released on April 7, was recorded on Halloween 2007 at the Metro in Chicago. The band had not yet finished recording 2008's Stay Positive, so only one track from that album was included in the set list: the somber "Lord, I'm Discouraged." "Ask Her For Adderall," a bonus track from Stay Positive, is also there.

The set list is a strong mix of songs from all the albums and B-sides, fan favorites and deep cuts. Though Separation Sunday gets the short end of the stick, with only one song, A Positive Rage was recorded on the Boys and Girls in America tour.

There are plenty of highlights on A Positive Rage. The band breaks out "Same Kooks," an under-appreciated song from Boys and Girls in America, and makes it rock even harder than the studio version. "The Swish" also sounds even better live than it did on the studio album.

Unfortunately, for a unit so experienced at playing live, the energy from the show doesn't quite translate to the record. A lot of factors contribute to the experience that is a Hold Steady show, and A Positive Rage only covers a small portion of those. Even so, the renditions of the songs presented here are energetic and fun.

A Positive Rage closes with a 10-minute version of "Killer Parties" that features an extended monologue by Finn, in which he talks about the joy he gets from performing. A little bit of that joy is translated into the record.

This is hardly the quintessential live album, seeing as some bands' best albums were recorded live. But, in conjunction with the DVD that comes with it, A Positive Rage will satisfy anyone who was waiting for a Hold Steady live album.

Download: "Stuck Between Stations,"

Grade: B-