Craig Finn – The SoCal Sound Session
Ahead of the songwriter’s newest release Always Been
3 song performance + Interview with Mookie
Craig Finn Brings Depth Storytelling, and New Songs to The SoCal Sound
Craig Finn is now the newest member of the exclusive 5 times a guest at The SoCal Sound (and 88.5FM, and KCSN… and any way we are branded), joining the club with fellow songwriters like Courtney Barnett, Dawes, & Brett Dennen. This visit, he joins Mookie to discuss what has been considered his most narrative-driven work to date – Always Been and performs 3 songs live in studio.
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A Songwriter’s Songwriter
Craig Finn has always been a storyteller, and in the Always Been, that story telling takes center stage, in what Finn describes as more of a “song cycle” than a concept album. It all starts from the first song written for the record, “Bethany, which introduces the character, who is a former priest/reverend/pastor who took the job without having faith, without believing in God.”
Finn goes on to explain further to Mookie “He's allowed to stay there. He's trying to figure out where it all went wrong. When I wrote that song, I was like, this guy's a rich character. I can write more. So, the next song I wrote, I wrote about him again. And then the third one and just kind of coming at it from different angles and building out his world.”
Performing Live – stripped back
Craig Finn’s live session featured select songs from Always Been, performed in a stripped back setting accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Nelson Devereaux on clarinet, flute, sax, and keyboard.
Longtime friend of Craig’s and War on Drugs front man Adam Granduciel produced this album, and he brought in fellow bandmates Dave Hartley, Robbie Bennett, Anthony Lamarca, and John Natchez to play on the record. Also Katheen Edwards lent some vocals onto this album.
Touring
At the time of this interview, Craig was currently on tour with Bob Mould, they would go on to play the following night at the Teragram Ballroom on the same day Always Been released (April 4, 2025). Mookie, dealing with a bit of dry throat during the interview asks to advise on keeping his vocal chords in top shape while on tour, which Finn provides these tips “just being very mindful of it” and suggesting good hydration and moderate exercise!
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Craig Finn is looking forward to being joined again by Adam Granduciel & Kathleen Edwards, as well as Dave Harley and Robbie Bennet in a special band called The People of Substance for a special show May 30th at the Bowery Ballroom in New York
As the conversation wrapped up, Finn and Mookie reflected on radio’s power to bring people together—through music, stories, and shared experience He also expressed gratitude for independent radio, shouting out both The Current in Minneapolis and The SoCal Sound for fostering true musical communities.
All SoCal Sound Session, interviews, and performances are filmed and edited by Matt Blake, recorded and mixed by Tristan Dolce.
Always Been is available now on all platforms, and available of vinyl LP
