New Music Reviews: Craig Finn and Ex-Vöid

Two rock records this week. The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn teams up with The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel for his sixth solo album. Meanwhile, Ex-Vöid layer harmonies onto their punk roots.

Craig Finn

Always Been

2025, 8/10
As much as I love The Hold Steady, Always Been is my first venture into Craig Finn’s solo catalogue. On his sixth album, Finn’s produced by The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel. It’s a natural pairing – both can trace their musical DNA through Bruce Springsteen, and Granduciel’s atmospheric 1980s arrangements recalls Springsteen’s Tunnel of Love.

Meanwhile, Finn’s weaving his densest narrative since 2005’s Separation Sunday. He tells of a preacher in a crisis of faith, worried about “pissing off a vengeful, petty God”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL5DM3QuVag

The most distinctive track is ‘Fletcher’s’, with Finn’s instantly recognisable spoken voice. But often he’s in singer-songwriter mode – tracks like ‘Shamrock’ are little more than Finn with a guitar. Finn describes ‘Luke and Leanna’ as the “story of an urbane couple that are holding on for dear life. “

Finn and War on Drugs work beautifully together, and Always Been is excellent.

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Ex-Vöid

In Love Again

2025, 8.5/10
It’s my second expedition this year into the work of the Gob Nation music collective – I’ve already discussed The Tubs’ sophomore album. Gob Nation are a South London-based group of musicians who live in an old care home and play in different band configurations. The bands trace their origins back to Joanna Gruesome, a 2010s indie band. Gruesome leaders Lan McArdle and Owen Williams are back together as Ex-Vöid. This time they emphasise their harmonies, in a band influenced by Teenage Fanclub, Big Star, and The Lemonheads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkOacE0F0dE

I think just because we came from, like, a slightly punk, DIY background. There were pop sounding bands, it wasn’t like all hardcore bands or whatever, but we felt a bit self-conscious about being too poppy I guess. That was always the tension in Joanna Gruesome. Sometimes that’s an interesting tension, but I think we just wanted to finally do an album where we like, let that stuff, let it rip.

Owen Williams, Northern Exposure

Williams and McArdle both endured breakups before recording In Love Again, informing their writing. It’s often punk-infused – my favourite song ‘Sara’ sounds like a punk version of The New Pornographers. But there’s an Americana influence too – they cover Lucinda Williams ‘Lonely Girl’, while closer ‘Outline’ starts gently, a little like Gram and Emmylou. Most of these songs are terrific on this tight ten-track record – ‘Pinhead’ and ‘Swansea’ are other highlights.

The Tubs’ recent album was excellent, but In Love Again might be even stronger.

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