The Hold Steady is Craig Finn, and Craig Finn is really damn good at what he does. The guys in the band holding instruments are great at what they’re doing, but what they’re doing is playing classic rock, and when it comes down to it, who cares about classic rock? Thirty-five year-old roofers and sarcastic indie kids, sure, but then why the hell are The Hold Steady getting so much hype? It’s not the riffs, stupid, it’s Craig Finn.
Finn is an unlikely rock band front-man. With a biting voice that’s more punk than rock n roll, Finn’s words spill out like that guy next to you at the bar who won’t stop talking but you don’t really mind. Would-be classic rock fans may jump out and accuse him of not being able to sing, and this would be mostly true. Finn is a lyricist and not a singer. When he sings: “She was a really cool kisser/ And she wasn’t all that strict of a Christian”, it’s the way “kisser”, “strict” and “Christian” sound together. It’s phrases like “when they kiss/ they spit white noise” and “there are guys with wild eyes/ when they ask to get you high” that the songs are built on, not vocal prowess.
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