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The Price of Progress Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews What's this?

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Mar 30, 2023
    80
    The Price of Progress as a whole prove The Hold Steady is in a great space, shifting, experimenting, and willing to try almost anything while still delivering their brand of well-worn, classic rock-influenced sound.
  2. Mar 31, 2023
    80
    If the Hold Steady sound a lot more polished and accomplished in 2023 than on 2004's Almost Killed Me, they're gained far more than they've lost in the course of their evolution, and The Price of Progress finds them writing and performing at the top of their game.
  3. 80
    The ten deft and devastating songs soundtracking this latest instalment flash by in a blur. It’s around the third play that things start falling into place.
  4. Apr 3, 2023
    78
    From the slowed tempo of the cinematic opener “Grand Junction” to the animated “Sixers”, they’ve crafted some of the most unpredictable and sweeping arrangements yet. This is an odd one, folks. And like much of Finn’s work, I’ll be racking my brain on its many idiosyncrasies for the foreseeable future.
  5. Apr 3, 2023
    76
    Despite some murky production by Josh Kaufman of the Fruit Bats and Bonny Light Horseman, the Hold Steady turn these songs into weird, vivid snapshots.
  6. Mar 31, 2023
    75
    The track [Understudies] underscores how, after 20 years, The Hold Steady is hardly a restrictive creative framework, while The Price of Progress reminds longtime fans why they continue to look forward to each album.
  7. Mar 29, 2023
    60
    ‘The Price Of Progress’ is a perfectly functional Hold Steady record, no more and no less.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. May 16, 2023
    7
    I have to say, I'm not against this verbal rave or musical oratory, but, in a way, the songs sound a little better when the band lets theI have to say, I'm not against this verbal rave or musical oratory, but, in a way, the songs sound a little better when the band lets the music speak for itself too. In any way, this might be the best of the lat three projects, simply because it does seem that they are slowly improving their musical narrative without letting go their lyrical fervor. Hopefully they keep it up, so they don't become a band heavy to admire or remember. Expand