The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn Tries to Make Good on New Song ‘People of Substance’

The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn is back with a new song, “People of Substance,” from his next solo album, Always Been, out April 4 on Tarmac Recordings/Thirty Tigers.
The new track is vintage Finn in many ways, especially when it comes to the musician’s distinct vocal delivery and lyrics as he sings from the perspective of a flailing guy trying to make good, while also looking for excuses: “I decided I’m gonna push forward/I’m committed to making the change/But you got to remember I never go out in the rain/And it’s been raining all day.”
Musically, though, the track bears the sprawling, shimmering sonic hallmarks of Always Been producer, Adam Granduciel of the War on Drugs (though not without a little bit of old punk grit).
Finn and Granduciel recorded the album at the latter’s studio in Burbank, California, working with Grammy-winning engineer Jonathan Low. Granduciel plays on the album, as do other members of the War on Drugs, while featured vocalists include Kathleen Edwards and Sam Fender.
“I believe this to be the most narrative record I have made,” Finn said of Always Been in a statement. “Most songs concern a protagonist who pursued a career as a clergyman despite a lack of faith. The record tells the story of his rise and fall and redemption, while also filling out the details of his travels and the world in which he lives. I am very proud of what we made, I hope you enjoy.”
Always Been marks Finn’s sixth solo album and follows 2022’s A Legacy of Rentals. The Hold Steady released their most recent album, The Price of Progress, in 2023.
Finn is set to hit the road this spring, offering support to Bob Mould on a North American tour that kicks off April 1 in San Diego and wraps April 18 in Milwaukee. Full information is available on Finn’s website.
Always Been Track List
1. “Bethany”
2. “People of Substance”
3. “Crumbs”
4. “Luke & Leanna”
5. “The Man I’ve Always Been”
6. “Fletcher’s”
7. “A Man Needs a Vocation”
8. “I Walk With a Cane”
9. “Clayton”
10. “Postcards”
11. “Shamrock” (digital only)