The Hold Steady: Heaven Is Whenever | CD review

(Rough Trade)The fifth Hold Steady album loses departing flamboyant keyboardist Franz Nicolay and replaces anthemic, fist-pumping choruses with a more reflective, thoughtful sound. Craig Finn is storytelling less and waxing nostalgic more, often casting himself as an elder statesman: "I know what you're going through, I went through it, too." While they can still pull off a stupendous rocker like the brass-tinged Our Whole Lives, Hurricane J and The Smidge suggest the band's well of chugging rif...

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