Like Graham Greene, Craig Finn takes you to the precipice of dark places. Sure you want to go there? Well I do

Craig Finn – Clear Heart Full Eyes        9/10

THEY SAID The Hold Steady wouldn’t survive the departure of talented instrumentalist Franz Nicolay, and as suspected that was right: Craig Finn doesn’t need a band.
He’s the Graham Greene of pop, disarmingly mixing ‘entertainments’ with serious work. Both use storytelling and titillation to lure you to the precipice of a theological dark place and pause so you can make a choice.
He’s also Springsteen minus writing in the hamming opportunities, if you prefer that route: