2012, Vagrant Records
8.5 / 10
by Justin Bautista
Diet Cola. Light Beer. Decaf roast. Not exactly a Mississippi riverbank kind of party. But a de-imbibed and subjugated version of Craig Finn is pretty much what everyone expected from Clear Heart, Full Eyes. And the anticipation for the record had been mostly that—sobering.
Those most disappointed with the last Hold Steady output, 2010’s Heaven is Whenever, understandably questioned whether Finn’s creative flask was running dry, or if it had just plain evaporated. The sing-along songs were triumphant yet sparse, the felon beat-evangelists were hush and faithless, and the lovable underdog characters were non-existent, save our favorite "pretty good waitress."
With the lead singer’s solo effort, one should beware the absence of other Hold Steady staples: be it the fiery jolt of Tad Kubler’s guitar, the comforting buzz of Finn shouting rock novels into your ear, or the tavern-counter choruses that rupture vocal cords in bars and cars across America. But when standouts like “When No One’s Watching” and “New Friend Jesus” come on for the first time, the missing pieces become an afterthought. Our saucy, pseudo-melodic savior is putting doubters to rest.
Craig’s got some hypnotizing new parables to tell his thinking-man congregation. He replaces stories of hard drugs, murder, and sorority girls with songs of deceitful admiration, hopelessness, and — yes — love. We reunite with some old friends such as Gideon and Jesus Christ himself, and we’re introduced to some new buddies who all make a great first impression, such as the heartbreaking “Jackson” and the unstable Stephanie. Even ‘Maria’ makes a cameo—perhaps harkening to the same lover that tore up fellow sleeve-hearted frontmen Adam Duritz and Brian Fallon.
Finn’s most hardcore apostles may find themselves touching upon a sensation that a Hold Steady album has never made them feel—that is, surprised. As we can immediately tell from the opener “Apollo Bay”, this backing band isn’t quite from the same part of the city. From the southern Whiskeytown twangville of “Terrified Eyes” and “Balcony”, to the gritty British pop grooves of “Honolulu Blues” and “No Future”, it sounds like they have flown in from everywhere. Fans may be divided on whether or not it works.
As exotic as they sound, the sugary refrains are just as sweet. But the unfamiliar violins and slide guitars take us on a different journey—one that must be musically liberating for Finn. So when you go see him on tour this winter, trade in your 40’s for something more forgiving. Don’t ever stop singing along, though. Perhaps through Craig’s newly inspired lyrics maybe you, too, can find out how a resurrection kind of feels.
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