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Mar 01, 2025 By Mark Redfern

The Hold Steady’s frontman Craig Finn is releasing a new album, Always Been, on April 4 via Tamarac Recordings/Thirty Tigers. Now he has shared another single from it, “Bethany.” On this album Finn is backed by members of The War on Drugs. Listen to the song below.

Previously Finn shared the album’s first single, “People of Substance.”

Always Been was produced by The War on Drugs’ frontman, Adam Granduciel. Finn recorded the album at Granduciel’s studio in Burbank, CA. Jonathan Low (Taylor Swift, The National, Hurray For The Riff Raff) mixed the album. As well as the members of The War on Drugs, the album also features guest vocals by Kathleen Edwards and Sam Fender.

Finn had this to say about “Bethany” in a press release: “This was the first song I wrote that brought me into the world of this album. It’s the first song I showed producer Adam Granduciel when we talked about making a record. It’s the first song we recorded. It’s the first song on the album, which feels right spiritually. It introduces the record’s main character, a guy who became a clergy person without having actual faith, and the aftermath of his fall from grace. When we got the take of this song, I knew we were on track to make something really cool. Adam’s guitar solo still gives me chills.”

Finn had this to say about Always Been in a previous press release: “I believe this to be the most narrative record I have made. Most songs concern a protagonist who pursued a career as a clergyman despite a lack of faith. The record tells the story of his rise and fall and redemption, while also filling out the details of his travels and the world in which he lives. I am very proud of what we made, I hope you enjoy.”

This is Finn’s sixth solo album. His last solo LP was 2022’s A Legacy of Rentals.

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