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Open Door Policy (album)

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Open Door Policy
Studio album by
The Hold Steady
ReleasedFebruary 19, 2021 (2021-02-19)
RecordedDecember 2019
Studio
GenreRock[1]
Length40:30
LabelPositive Jams
ProducerJosh Kaufman
The Hold Steady chronology
Thrashing Thru the Passion
(2019) 		Open Door Policy
(2021) 		The Price of Progress
(2023)

Open Door Policy is the eighth studio album by the American rock band The Hold Steady, released on February 19, 2021, through the band's own label Positive Jams.[2] The album was produced by Josh Kaufman, who has previously worked with the band on their seventh studio album, Thrashing Thru the Passion (2019), and was preceded by the singles "Family Farm", "Heavy Covenant" and "Spices".

Released to critical acclaim, the album debuted at number 6 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart and number 48 on their Top Rock Albums chart.[3] At the end of 2021, the album received accolades from AllMusic, Uncut, Double J and God is in the TV, appearing on their end-of-year lists.

Background

The album was recorded in December 2019 at the Clubhouse Studio and The Isokon Studio in New York, with producer Josh Kaufman.[4][5][6] Lead vocalist Craig Finn said in a press release: "Open Door Policy was very much approached as an album vs. a collection of individual songs, and it feels like our most musically expansive record. This album was written and almost entirely recorded before the pandemic started, but the songs and stories explore power, wealth, mental health, technology, capitalism, consumerism, and survival – issues which have compounded in 2020."[7]

Musicians Stuart Bogie, Jordan McLean, Cassandra Jenkins, Annie Nero and The Walkmen's Matt Barrick appear on the album.[8]

Release

On December 1, 2020, the Hold Steady announced they were releasing their eighth studio album.[4] The album's first single, "Family Farm" was released that same day.

On January 8, 2021, the Hold Steady release the second single "Heavy Covenant".[9] The band explained the single "is a song about travel, technology, and human connection. The song came out of two different music pieces that THS piano/keyboardist Franz Nicolay brought in, and with the help of producer Josh Kaufman, we combined them. It came together quickly, and when our friends Stuart and Jordan came in and added the horns to the chorus it really seemed to bring it together. To us, this song is a great indication of where the band’s sound is at in 2021."[10][6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.6/10[11]
Metacritic78/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
American Songwriter[14]
Beats Per Minute76%[15]
Clash8/10[16]
DIY[17]
Exclaim!8/10[18]
MusicOMH[19]
Paste8.1/10[20]
Pitchfork7.6/10[1]
PopMatters6/10[21]

Open Door Policy was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 78 based on 20 reviews.[12] AnyDecentMusic? gave the release a 7.6 out of 10 based on a critical consensus of 20 reviews.[11]

In a review for Pitchfork, Daniel Felsenthal wrote: "Their rejuvenated second act continues with Open Door Policy, an ornate record that incorporates Nicolay’s ambitious compositions as an integral part of the band’s songwriting. Passion had them recognizing, to quote a lyric, 'It doesn’t have to be perfect/Just sort of has to be worth it.' On Open Door Policy, they reach for something larger: if not perfection, then music with a baroqueness we haven’t quite heard from them before....Big moments appear in surprising places on Open Door Policy." In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Written and recorded as a cohesive album, Open Door Policy feels like the Cinemascope cousin to Thrashing Thru the Passion: the Hold Steady take full advantage of their larger canvass. Finn's words deserve concentration, but the key to Open Door Policy is how it plays as an operatic rock & roll record, where the emphasis lies more on the melodrama than the grit. Perhaps this slowing pace is the inevitable side effect of middle age."[13] Lee Zimmerman of American Songwriter wrote: "Expressed from a first person point of view, the music comes across with a sense of unease, urgency and uncertainty, which, in turn, boosts both interest and intrigue. Clearly, The Hold Steady are intent on burrowing below the surface in their pursuit of principle and propriety."[14] Tim Sentz of Beats Per Minute praised lead vocalist Craig Finn's vocals, noting: "Finn’s vocals are less nasally slurred, and lyrically he’s telling a slightly grander story instead of just writing individual songs."[15] Jamie Wilde of Clash explained: "The album’s upbeat energy is feverish. It allows space for comical and witty intervention among its deeper subjects. This record exposes a band who, after almost two decades in the game, are still enjoying what they’re doing and their close-knit chemistry befits their band name. Finn's lyrical observations once more take centre stage in Open Door Policy. Producer Josh Kauffman's vocal mix is throat grabbing as Finn’s Beat style delivery flows like Kerouac or Ginsberg."[16]

Writing for Exclaim!, Oliver Crook gave the album an eight out of 10, explaining "Open Door Policy carries all the trademarks of a Hold Steady record: Craig Finn's distinctive vocals are supported by an effortlessly distorted sound that is equally as complex. Finn's lyrics are scattered with shady characters and messed-up souls, but there's more of an edge on Open Door Policy. Recorded in 2019, its themes of mental health, income inequality and isolation feels all the more relevant today."[18]

Accolades

Open Door Policy on year-end lists
Publication List Rank Ref.
AllMusic AllMusic's Best of 2021
N/A
[22]
Double J The 50 Best albums of 2021
25
[23]
God is in the TV Albums of the Year 2021
9
[24]
Uncut Uncut's 75 Best Albums of 2021
32
[25]

Track listing

Open Door Policy track listing
No.TitleMusicLength
1."The Feelers"
4:45
2."Spices"
3:45
3."Lanyards"
  • Finn
  • Kubler
3:54
4."Family Farm"
  • Finn
  • Nicolay
  • Kubler
3:42
5."Unpleasant Breakfast"
  • Finn
  • Kubler
4:59
6."Heavy Covenant"
  • Finn
  • Nicolay
4:39
7."The Prior Procedure"
3:38
8."Riptown"
  • Finn
  • Selvidge
  • Kubler
3:22
9."Me & Magdalena"
  • Finn
  • Nicolay
3:48
10."Hanover Camera"
  • Finn
  • Nicolay
3:58
11."Parade Days" (Bonus track)
  • Finn
  • Selvidge
3:16

Charts

Chart performance for Open Door Policy
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[26] 9
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[27] 7
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[3] 48
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[28] 6
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[29] 5

References

  1. ^ a b Felsenthal, Daniel (February 23, 2021). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Yeske Taylor, Katherine (February 22, 2021). "The Hold Steady Tap Into Emotions with 'Open Door Policy'". American Songwriter. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "The Hold Steady Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "The Hold Steady Announce New Album". DIY. December 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  5. ^ "The Hold Steady - Bandcamp". Bandcamp. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Martoccio, Angie (January 11, 2021). "The Hold Steady Drop Fiery 'Heavy Covenant'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  7. ^ Neale, Matthew (January 10, 2021). "The Hold Steady share new track 'Heavy Covenant'". NME. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  8. ^ Skinner, Tom (December 1, 2020). "The Hold Steady announce new album 'Open Door Policy' and share first track 'Family Farm'". NME. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  9. ^ Hughes, Kosiah (January 8, 2021). "The Hold Steady Share New Track "Heavy Covenant"". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  10. ^ H, Rob (January 8, 2021). "The Hold Steady Deliver a Shining Chronicle of Human Connection in "Heavy Covenant"". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "AnyDecentMusic? Review". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Zimmerman, Lee (February 12, 2021). "The Hold Steady's New Album Offers a Steady Push Forward". American Songwriter. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Sentz, Tim (February 22, 2021). "Beats Per Minute Review". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Wilde, Jamie (February 19, 2021). "Clash Magazine Review". Clash. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  17. ^ Goggins, Joe (18 February 2021). "DIY Magazine Review". DIY. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  18. ^ a b Crook, Oliver (February 16, 2021). "The Hold Steady Make Room to Experiment on 'Open Door Policy'". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  19. ^ Murphy, John (February 17, 2021). "MusicOMH Review". MusicOMH. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  20. ^ Danton, Eric (February 18, 2021). "The Hold Steady Play to Their Strengths on Open Door Policy". Paste. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  21. ^ Kearney, Kevin (February 18, 2021). "PopMatters review". PopMatters. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  22. ^ "AllMusic Best of 2021". AllMusic. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  23. ^ Condon, Dan (6 December 2021). "Double J's 50 Best Albums of 2021". Double J. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  24. ^ Etheridge, Loz (9 December 2021). "God is in the TV - Albums of the Year 2021". God is in the TV. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Uncut's 75 Best Albums of 2021". Uncut. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  26. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  27. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  28. ^ "The Hold Steady Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  29. ^ "The Hold Steady Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
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