Open Door Policy - The Hold Steady: Review

The Hold Steady

are a long running New York indie rock outfit fronted by charismatic frontman and narrative heavy lyricist Craig Finn. After a prolific run of records in the 2000's the band slowed down in the 2010's before releasing a long list of singles leading up to their 7th album, Thrashing Thru The Passion in 2019. This follow-up came relatively soon after and featured only a trio of singles in its lead up. 

Review By Lav:

I've always considered myself a Hold Steady fan, even if most of what's considered there best work came before I was really old enough to be an active listener of the band. That's why I felt so justified when the band released Thrashing Thru The Passion a few years ago and it was the best thing they'd done in a long time. Overflowing with memorable storytelling and instantaneous hooks it was exactly what I could have hoped for from a late stage Hold Steady project. That's why I was so excited for this project even though the singles weren't quite as exciting. Unfortunately on Open Door Policy the band is sound instrumentally plainer than ever before and some of these tracks feel like they belong more in the groups early 2010's dark ages. 

While the era got off to a rough start there were still two singles I enjoyed. Spices starts off with a sort of desert rock style riff before transitioning into something a little more accessible. I like the songs wordy pseudo hook and the characters that Craig encounters are as unique as ever making for a fun and rousing narrative rock experience. Heavy Covenant brings more charming lyricism this time related to traveling as well as some simple but incredibly effective percussion that stands out in a good way. It's bar rock by all means but in a fun polished way that I'm capable of appreciating. 

There are also a handful of other highlights within the tracklist starting with the killer track Lanyards. It's Phoebe Bridgers as fuck some some reason with the eruption of instrumentation on the hook plus the melody its all built around sounding straight off a Punisher single. The song is also pretty funny with a number of memorable lyrics and I just enjoy everything it has to offer. The Prior Procedure is the song that most reminds me of the bands last record, obviously in a good way. The instrumental isn't quite as charming but the lyricism absolutely is the the wandering vocal refrains show off exactly what makes Craig such a unique frontman. Finally Me & Magdalena is the song that almost every Hold Steady record has where Craig channels James Murphy and packs the songs story full of sharp references to musical history. Thankfully on this track he manages to do that with a fun snarky delivery over some wandering guitar leads that make for a generally well written and fun song. 

Family Farm was the lead single and it doesn't really do much for me. It opens up with a pop punk guitar riff and if not for the horns that fly in I would assume Gerard Way was about to start singing. The instrumental settles down into something extremely tame and none of the lyricism is as kooky and unique as I've come to expect from the band. The Feelers is the opening track and it's truly an intro in every sense of the word. It starts off slow and a little vague on details before the instrumentation start to rumble and Craig gets more specific in his story of an already married woman. Ultimately the song is a bit of sloppy piano rock with a few lyrical moments being worthwhile but not particularly enough to keep me engaged. 

Unpleasant Breakfast is just a bit too annoying for me, I don't really know how else to say it. Not only are the lyrics on the sappy side but the distant cheering vocal samples in the background are incredibly grating. Riptown has a sugary sweet bouncy instrumental that is way too biting for the subject matter Craig is delivering. Lyrically the song doesn't do a whole lot for me either compared to some of the more outlandish and hilarious moments. it just sort of falls short. Finally there's Hanover Camera which features some lounge style piano that I like. I wish I enjoyed the more reserved vocals and lyrical content though, given that the song seems to be drawing focus specifically to what Craig is saying I just think it should be a lot stronger. 

Open Door Policy isn't the record that its predecessor was. While it isn't a total disaster and there are a number of moments on here that remind me why I enjoy The Hold Steady's music so much in the first place, there are also plenty of moments that seem to call back to a time when not many were particularly enjoying what the band put out. I'm definitely still interested in where they go next, but I think Open Door Policy will go down as more of a misstep than a pivotal moment. 5.5/10

Album Cover Review By Tyler Judson:

When I first looked at this cover I had no clue what was going on and it took a second for it all to click. I like the concept and I think it's effective at evoking nostalgia. You have multiple layers each balancing out the others and type that fits the aesthetic. I would want the type at the top to help fill some of the dead space and keep you eyes moving through the piece but it still works as is. The warm faded colors give it an easy going feel as well. 7/10

For more Hold Steady check out my review of Thrashing Thru The Passion here