“A lazy man and a stingy man walk the same road twice,” sings Franz Nicolay before giving away his new single’s title, “This world is full of bad advice.” But for the Hold Steady and Against Me! member’s upcoming solo LP, Do the Struggle, someone clearly gave him good advice. For this record, Nicolay breaks from the usual singer-songwriter fare to team up with producer Oktopus from New Jersey industrial rap duo Dälek. “Bad Advice” is a B-side from those sessions, and it opens with some telltale noise before transitioning into a low-lit but upbeat mix of bright chimes, errant percussion, guitar stabs, strange strings and gallumping bass. Meanwhile, Nicolay gets earnest atop his effective poetic soapbox to sing about snake oil and idle hands. Do the Struggle is out October 9.
