The first time I saw Craig Finn and The Hold Steady was back in 2005. I remember it vividly. They opened up the Saturday afternoon Spin Party at SXSW with Positive Jam, and I was pretty much hooked instantly. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them since then, but I’ve never seen a bad gig. Be it in a bar, a theatre or an arena, they always bring it. And today, they bring it on a new track called The Last Time That She Talked To Me. It’s a low-key little number, but it sports an intriguing blend of retro elements — jangling paisley guitar lines, a laid-back R&B groove, gently funky horns, soulful backup vocals, and a classic E Street piano breakdown to go with Finn’s latest tale of party houses, moving to the city and trying to find an ATM that won’t hit you with a service fee. On paper, it really shouldn’t hang together, but in typical Hold Steady fashion, it somehow does. Check it out below or get it on their Bandcamp page. It’s only a buck, and at least of the proceeds go to a good cause. It’s a good way to start your Monday.
