The genius of the Hold Steady has long been the balance of frontman Craig Finn’s streetwise colloquial poetry and the band’s party-rock hooks. Finn’s recent solo debut,
Clear Heart Full Eyes, is a less beery affair, with alt-country tones providing the backdrop to the lyrics. Things get a little too spare and spoken-word at points, but it’s still a must-own for any self-respecting Hold Steady fan. I’ve listened to “Rented Room” —
I bathe in the dark, it feels like a womb/I know I should be getting over you/Certain things get really hard to do/When you’re living in a rented room — probably 75 times since it landed on the Web a month ago.
— David Hudnall
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