If there’s one thing Craig Finn has always been, it’s a storyteller. Whether fronting the Hold Steady or in his solo work, he’s spent decades writing tales of lost souls, dreamers, and down-and-outers with an eye for detail that feels almost literary. On Always Been, his sixth solo album and first since 2022’s A Legacy Of Rentals, Finn delivers his most ambitious narrative yet with the kind of honest heart and soul that’s become his signature.

Produced by longtime friend Adam Granduciel of the War On Drugs, Always Been is both direct and far-reaching. As Finn himself puts it, “I’ve always been Craig Finn.” And this record is exactly that: sharp storytelling set against a sonic backdrop that feels both familiar and foreign. Recorded throughout 2024 at One Cue Studio in Burbank, California, the album features an all-star cast, including Granduciel’s War On Drugs bandmates, as well as guest vocalists Kathleen Edwards and Sam Fender. The result is a batch of songs that feel purposeful, commanding, and undeniably Finn.

From the opening notes of “Bethany,” a brooding, piano-driven reflection punctuated by a signature Granduciel guitar solo, to the propulsive energy of “People Of Substance,” the album carries a sense of weight that mirrors its central narrative. Finn’s protagonist - a man who enters the clergy despite a fundamental lack of faith - moves through a journey of rise, fall, and eventual redemption. It’s a very human story, filled with the sharply drawn characters and finely etched details that have defined Finn’s songwriting since the Hold Steady's Separation Sunday.

While Always Been stands on its own, it also fits neatly within Finn’s discography as a whole. There’s the same world-weary wisdom that made A Legacy Of Rentals a critical favorite, the same wry humor that fuels the Hold Steady’s singalong barroom tales. But here, the music feels even more assured. Producer Granduciel’s influence is evident, with lush guitar textures and shimmering production adding to Finn’s lyrical storytelling. With five solo albums and nine Hold Steady records under his belt, Finn could easily coast on his reputation as one of indie rock’s most compelling lyricists. Instead, Always Been snows he’s still pushing the limits and telling tales that resonate.