On 2021’s Open Door Policy The Hold Steady tried to merge their classic sound with frontman Craig Finn’s more restrained solo work, resulting in a mixed-bag effort. Now on The Price of Progress the band is fully locked in as they deliver an evolved, cinematic offering of their barroom tales of relationship hardships around broken hearts calcified by more than recreational drug use.
Working with producer Josh Kaufman for the fourth album in a row, the sonics are pristine and enhanced, while the core remains. The Hold Steady (Bobby Drake, Craig Finn, Tad Kubler, Franz Nicolay, Galen Polivka, Steve Selvidge) still rock, while adding layers of horns (Stuart Bogie & Jordan McLean), strings (Violins: Ellen Riccio, Stacy Matthews, Quinn Price, Treesa Gold, Anna Bishop, Delaney Turner Violas: Molly Sharp, HyoJoo Uh, Kimberly Ryan Cello: Peter Greydanus) and supporting vocals (Cassandra Jenkins & Annie Nero).
The crunching riffs and synths blend on the spacious opening, Western road trip tale, “Grand Junction” as Finn places the listener in the passenger seat for the emotionally taxing journey around snaking guitar lines. “Sideways Skull” is where the evolution of the group is clearly noticeable. Finn’s lyrical environment is standard fare for the band, but the instrumentation is flushed out and rich as layers of both laser-like and chugging guitars pile up around harmonies, piano, and congas; The Hold Steady are veterans of modern American emotional wars, now, almost recovered, they expertly describe them.
Each of these songs plays as musical flushed-out tales of joy, hope, and bleakness swirl together. Finn’s lyrics and spoken-word/overflowing approach can sometimes choke songs (“Carlos Is Crying” in particular could use some room to breathe) but he also paints some of the clearest and most moving offerings of his career. “Sixers” is stunning, a full range of emotions run through a tale so vivid it feels alive, it is Finn’s best lyrical work since “God In Chicago” and an excellent all-around song, enhanced by nuanced playing from the group.
The slow swinging piano ballad “Distortions of Faith” moves straight ahead, “Perdido” captures a tense sense of isolation/despair while “City At Eleven” is pushed along by an easy groove and huge drum hits, while also being the first indie rock song devoted to sports gambling on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. Big rock closer “Flyover Halftime” takes to the field again with hijinks, shakey percussion, and dexterously gorgeous, arena-ready guitar flairs from Kubler and Selvidge.
Even when things don’t totally coalesce, such as on the multi-faceted “Understudies” (which goes for the overly dramatic and doesn’t quite get there), the group still deploys excellent touches, such as a beautifully loose groove midway through. “Birdwatchers” never completely syncs behind Finn’s deadpan approach, but the bass work, vibraphones, and horn lines are all top-notch.
These efforts, and The Price of Progress as a whole, prove The Hold Steady is in a great space, shifting, experimenting, and willing to try almost anything while still delivering their brand of well-worn, classic rock-influenced sound.
