![]() ![]() The story isn’t one of Finn’s most distinctive, but it’s always good to hear him open up and use his voice as a singer and not just a narrator. Finn sings about a couple traveling through the American West and struggling with money issues. The guitars steadily chug along while Nicolay provides simple but effective synth stabs. The record starts with one of those swerves, as “Grand Junction” has a relaxed tempo but a surprisingly wide-open, sweeping feel. Repeated listens are rewarded, allowing listeners to suss out the small details in his often-complex tales. Out in front, there are lyrical stories from vocalist Craig Finn. A horn section is on hand to punctuate about 50% of these songs, which is consistent with this stretch of music from the Hold Steady. There are big guitar riffs courtesy of Tad Kubler and Steve Selvidge, occasional keyboard flourishes from Franz Nicolay, and rock-solid rhythm section work from bassist Gavin Polivka and drummer Bobby Drake. This album has all the hallmarks of the Hold Steady but with just enough swerves to keep it interesting. That doesn’t make The Price of Progress any less worthwhile. The Price of Progress, the Hold Steady’s third album since 2019, feels like a natural follow-up to Thrashing Thru the Passionand Open Door Policy rather than a surprising left turn. ![]() Their latest incarnation, though, as an older and wiser six-piece band, has proven nearly as productive. They burst onto the scene in the mid-2000s, releasing four albums in five years and touring hard, like the 1970s road dogs that inspired their sound. T he Hold Steady will likely never again match the intensity of their original run.
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