Much of Hold Steady vocalist Craig Finn's second solo album was written after the passing of his mother. Although the wordy story songs do not directly address that loss, what he calls the feeling of "flailing around spiritually" in the opening song, Maggie I’ve Been Searching for Our Son, reflects the general sense of a man seeking answers or enlightenment.
In explaining what sets the tunes apart from those he writes for the full band, Finn says "Some of these songs are more mundane, with minor slices of life that wouldn’t best be supported by the hugeness of a rock group".
Despite this, material inspired by the collapse of the Twin Towers (Newmyer’s Roof) or the crucifixion of St. Peter (St. Peter Upside Down) are not exactly trivial subjects.
Examples of more 'mundane' topics are ones of the experience of attending concerts as a 43-year-old (Going to a Show) or having "a good day in a not so great place" (Trapper Avenue).
Then there are the inevitable songs about women Sarah, Calling from a Hotel, Sandra from Scranton and Christine none of which appear to come from a particularly idyllic place.
Despite the ominous title, I Was Doing Fine (Then a Few People Died), actually ends the record in an upbeat fashion - a short song about keeping on keeping on rather than giving up. An idea also reflected in the album title, I guess.
As a forty-something, these are mature reflections on time passing and trying to make connections. Finn's soulful, and slightly slurred, vocals could be mistaken for a more ravaged Bruce Springsteen, yet none of his songs strive to be in any way anthemic and are all the better for this.
The strength of this record is that the songs are both personal and inclusive so you feel you are hearing about a guy's life without being preached at.
