Craig Finn is one of the most eloquent storytellers in music. The people at the heart of his songs are filled with emotions and often flaws. As he says, he's interested in the high and the hangover. On his third solo album, 'I Need a New War', the people at the heart of these songs have seen a lot, and unlike some of the characters in his band, The Hold Steady, who embrace the bad decisions, they're trying to do the right thing. How that works out for them? Debatable. But that's the thing about Craig. These songs are nuanced. You'll find yourself laughing with a character in the first verse and on the verge of tears by the last chorus. Craig's got a knack for geography as well, and he'll tell some great stories about touring the country, including one about the most unfriendly bar in Montana.