After positive reactions from critics and audiences to his 2022 album "A Legacy Of Rental", Craig Finn released "Always Been" in 2025. Produced by his longtime friend Adam Granduciel (founder, along with Kurt Vile, of The War On Drugs), the album was recorded at One Cue studio in Burbank, California, and features guests such as Kathleen Edwards, Sam Fender, and members of The War On Drugs (including Granduciel), confirming Finn's ability to tell stories through incisive and deeply evocative songs.