With their previous record nearly succumbing to the weight of crowded compositions and Franz Nicolay jumping ship, The Hold Steady take a step back only to stumble into a damn fine sweet spot. It was less than two years ago Craig Finn declared that Joe Strummer may have been our only decent teacher and that we are our only saviors. 
Words of wisdom to live by, they seemed like the drunken ramblings of an older brother who meant well but ended up selling himself short through exaggerated claims and hyperbole-ridden remarks. All of that changes on “Soft In The Center,” a rhythmically driven and guitar-heavy tune where Finn drops a line so simple and perfect that it is hard to imagine nobody had written it before him: “I know what you’re going through/I had to go through that too.” It goes without saying that these words are immediately followed by an immense guitar solo that hits almost as hard. In the blink of an eye, Craig Finn nonchalantly transforms from older brother to Elder Statesman, and his straightforward glibness carries far more weight in one sentence than can be found in most paragraphs. Read full review at inyourspeakers.com
The Hold Steady – Soft in the center
