The Hold Steady
Thrashing Thru The Passion
(Frenchkiss Records)
★★★★

HAILED as the saviours of rock ‘n’ roll when they broke through in the mid-2000s, Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady arguably lost their way a little in the 2010s: charismatic keyboardist Franz Nicolay left and lead singer and genius lyricist Craig Finn built an impressive solo career.

However, performing weekend residences in various cities since 2016 seems to have revitalised the band (with Nicolay back on board). The outcome is an exhilarating collection of songs recorded over the past year, once again expertly mining the musical landscape somewhere between Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band (checkout the exuberant horns on Traditional Village) and Midwest punk rock outfits like The Replacements and Husker Du.

Though it never quite reaches the glorious emotional highs of their Separation Sunday and Boys and Girls in America records it’s nevertheless a welcome return to form.