Craig Finn – Faith In The Future

Craig Finn is synonymous with the notion of relatable American rock n’ roll thanks to the hallmark contributions of The Hold Steady.  Not the type of riff-roaring, made for radio format typical of America, but rather the gritty, casual bar-rock that revels in life’s real characters and scenarios.  The band hit their deepest stride about a decade ago, but Finn remains busier than ever, even if the departure of multi instrumentalist Franz Nicolay continues to haunt them in disappointing recent output like Heaven Is Whenever.  

Having launched his solo career a few years back in supplement of The Hold Steady’s output, Finn now seems to be blurring the lines between the two in the shared continuity of his lyrical travels.  His sophomore full length, Faith In The Future, revisits many of the same venues and characters first introduced in his earlier career.  The primary difference when Finn steps away from his typical band setting presents as a instrumentally tamer experience.  Finn seems to be exploring his more subtle side even if the aging characters driving the tunes remain as vibrant and demanding as ever.  

In his washed up, prose-born spoken style, Finn saunters along as he describes a fictional world metaphorically coated in a mostly grey pallet.  While nothing new for returning fans, the subtle embrace of mostly acoustic strums, horns and piano notes mirrors the ensuing scenarios of characters having since moved beyond the throes of a wasted youth and into the thick of a lost middle age.  An air of familiar disappointment comes to dominate song like “Roman Guitars” and “St. Peter Upside Down” as characters like “doubting Thomas” and “St. Peter” make appearances with cynical and and tragic consequence.  Not only does the lyrical content hold attention, but these songs embrace their role in hosting one of Faith In The Future’s most melody entrenched and endearing choruses.

Perhaps the most striking revisitation though comes in the chance phone call from the title character in “Sarah, Calling From A Hotel.”  “The last thing she said to me, before she hung up the phone was here he comes, oh god I’ve gotta go, here he comes I’ve gotta go,” Finn narrates against the lone plucking of somber guitar strings.  While some may feel that the absence of the full band at such moments may make for a less captivating performance, Finn’s always engaging way with words trumps expectations.  When Finn is at his most instrumentally exposed, he still presents as that guy that would be a pleasure to sit down with and have hijack the conversation at a downtown coffee shop on the wrong side of town.

Faith In The Future bares Craig Finn’s unmistakable lyrical stamp.  While not as remarkable as some of The Hold Steady’s most crowning achievements, Faith In The Future is a suitable reassurance after last year’s middling Heaven Is Whenever.  While a handful of filler tracks (i.e. “Trapper Avenue” and “Christine”) perhaps prevent Finn from mirroring past consistency, the album’s many vibrant highlights reinforce Finn’s knack for rich character driven storytelling.