Send "Crooked Fingers " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 Maybe it's his former band's recent return that's got Eric Bachmann ruminating so hard, but the past, and what to do with it, seems of of particular concern to ex-Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann on Breaks in the Armor, his sixth LP at the helm of Crooked Fingers. From the start, Bachmann's longstanding, personnel-shifting, Americana-imbued second act's traded in a kind of weary reflection, but Breaks in the Armor's brooding gaze mostly seems to be directed backward; at times, Bachmann almost seems to be addressing his younger self. The album finds him channeling hard-fought lessons into 11 remorse-tinged tunes with the weight of the world on their shoulders, the years caught in his battle-scarred throat.Laid down with Pixies' live sound engineer Matt Yelton-- with little other outside assistance beyond backing vocals from frequent Crooked Fingers collaborator Liz Durrett-- Breaks' homespun sound is solemn and spacious, opting for subtle coloring and economy of gesture. Breaks places the spotlight squarely on Bachmann's voice as it wearily recounts a series of past indignities; "the ghosts," as he puts it on opener "Typhoon", "of all your old forgotten lows." Bachmann's feeling more than a little low on Breaks in the Armor, and he wants you to know it. On lines like, "I draw the same bad blood out of you," from the piercing "Bad Blood", he seems to want you to share in it, too. Easy enough. You don't need to hear Bachmann sigh his way through highlight "Heavy Hours" to know he's been through plenty of them himself; his rich, roughshod voice suggests as much on every line. With a master's restraint, he imparts an almost apocalyptic dread to the ominous refrain of "Black Candles", a dead-serious desperation on the searching "Went to the City", a real finality to fare-thee-well "The Hatchet". Breaks' lyrical thumbnails of lost opportunities and forgotten friends can seem a touch too pathos-addled on paper, but drawn through Bachmann's lungs, they leave their mark....full text |
| Thesilvertongueonline |
| Over the past three years, not much has been heard from singer/songwriter Eric Bachmann, who typically works under the name Crooked Fingers. The Archers of Loaf (1991-1998, 2011) frontman who had a solo career just as expansive and successful (if not more) as his prior engagement was beginning to hint towards a musical hiatus. After moving to Taipei to teach English as a second language, fans worldwide began to suspect that Bachmann’s intention to retire from music was actually true. This, however, was not the case, and Breaks In the Armor is the counter example. Prior to the new album, Crooked Fingers released five full-length albums and two EPs. Outside of the Crooked Fingers moniker, Bachmann also released a solo record in 2006 under his legal name via Saddle Creek (Bright Eyes, Two Gallants, etc.). All this history was necessary to explain for this reason alone: Bachmann has put out a shit load of music. Such a behemoth of a catalog, however, does not always hint towards consistent quality. Usually after so many releases, even the most lukewarm of fans can notice token declines in seasoned songwriters. Although not always critically acclaimed, up until this point all of Crooked Fingers‘ releases have been given commendable reviews. After becoming closely acquainted with Breaks in the Armor, it is certain that both recognition and applause are in order....full text |
| Avclub |
| With all the (justified) excitement over the Archers Of Loaf reunion tour, it’d be a shame to forget that Archers frontman Eric Bachmann has been making outstanding music since that band broke up, primarily with his makeshift outfit Crooked Fingers. Breaks In The Armor, Crooked Fingers’ sixth LP, even contains a song that sounds a little Archers-y: “Bad Blood” kicks off with a discordant guitar run that could easily be a leftover from Vee Vee before settling into what’s been Bachmann’s preferred musical mode for the past decade, mixing gruff, saloon-ready rock with a few dollops of artful beauty. Overall, Breaks In The Armor goes in more for the beauty than the gruff. These are some of the most melodious songs Bachmann has recorded, verging on the poppy with the bouncy “The Counterfeiter” and angling toward the aspirational with the pounding, rising “Went To The City.” Only the recording holds them back a little. Though Breaks In The Armor features a range of instrumentation—primarily piano and softly twangy electric guitar, along with background vocals from Liz Durrett—the songs still have a demo-ish quality, almost like they’re waiting for one or two more layers to be finished. But that sketchy approach works in Crooked Fingers’ favor too, as on “Heavy Hours,” which has the hushed, handmade sound of The Velvet Underground’s third album. Surfaces aside, the songs on Breaks In The Armor are impassioned and crafty—right in line with what Bachmann has been up to for decades now....full text |
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