The Hold Steady are one of those bands that seem to have been around forever, a bonafide part of the fabric of American music. But despite their reliable, dependable name, and penchant for telling Springsteen-esque tales of life in the USA, they’re also not afraid of mixing things up. From the concept album debut of Almost Killed Me right up to their latest and eighth studio album Open Door Policy, which they’re sprinkled with a healthy dose of brass.

Recent single Family Farm is where it hits you first, a careful, slow-build of a track that suddenly erupts into an unwinding finale of horns and pounding drums, and which is an absolute joy. Those horns come courtesy of Stuart Bogie and Jordan McLean, of Antibalas fame, and Ray Mason, who’ve teamed up with The Hold Steady to bring this extra dimension to various stages of Open Door Policy.

And In truth, it’s these moments that stand out here. Not that there’s anything else wrong at all with the rest of the album, it’s just that when you’re as dependable a band as The Hold Steady are, it’s these little elements of innovation that really draw you back in. 

The strength of their songwriting and storytelling, and of frontman Craig Finn’s distinctive, narrative vocal style, remain as captivating as ever. Spices is one of the best examples here, on which he weaves a wonderful story, with lyrics like: “She makes it really clear that she's a way different person / Than the person that I knew in the past / But once she starts rolling it's wild like the ocean / And the ocean is violent and vast”. 

Taking to their official Facebook page, the band explained that Spices “speaks of technology - the way texts, social media, DMs, etc. allow acquaintances to pop up into our lives and potentially disappear again just as quickly.” And these are themes that you feel through the album, such as on the enjoyably freeform and riff-heavy The Prior Procedure and the easy groove of Riptown. Unpleasant Breakfast meanwhile is as good as anything they’ve ever done. 

Ultimately there’s enough of the familiar and enough of the new here for Open Door Policy to be a big hit both with The Hold Steady’s existing fans and for any newcomers, still yet to get acquainted with one of America’s most dependable bands. 

Open Door Policy tracklist:

1. The Feelers
2. Spices
3. Lanyards
4. Family Farm
5. Unpleasant Breakfast
6. Heavy Covenant 
7. The Prior Procedure
8. Riptown
9. Me & Magdalena
10. Hannover Camera
11. Parade Days

Listen to Family Farm here.

Author: Joe Sharratt

Joe Sharratt is a writer and journalist based in the UK covering music, literature, sport, and travel.