Search - Crooked Fingers :: Red Devil Dawn

Junkmedia Review - Who would've guessed?

junkmedia | Los Angeles, CA | 02/21/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On Red Devil Dawn, Eric Bachmann sings that he has 30 years of hopes and fears breathing down his neck. Despite such an emotionally harried existence, Bachmann has turned out his most focused effort of his post-Archers of Loaf career. It seems that his songs benefit from a mellowness that comes with age.Bachmann's transformation from leader of the aforementioned ragtag bunch of Carolina indie rock messiahs to proprietor of Crooked Fingers has always seemed sort of odd. As recently as last week, fans debated which act they prefer on the Crooked Fingers message board ("I wish time froze with Vee Vee," moans one), despite the fact that Bachmann is four releases deep into his latest project, a marriage of bluegrass pub stompers and jaded eloquence.Not that the evolution isn't remarkable. The Archers employed uncomfortable fistfuls of guitar and belted lyrics that fomented audiences into frothing masses. The first time I saw the band, kids literally hung from the rafters of the club. Upside-down. Crooked Fingers, on the other hand, offers a quieter, more introspective experience structured around an off-center amalgamation of guitars, strings, keyboards and canned beats (as did Bachmann's erstwhile AoL side-project Barry Black, for that matter). Reports indicate that the band can kill a crowd playing acoustic instruments on the floor of a nightclub, as they did during a tour last year.The first two Crooked Fingers records catalog Bachmann's continued evolution. His vocals, once delivered in gruff, chesty bellows (as in the Archers' "Audiowhore"), have mellowed into a flowing baritone akin to Neil Diamond's. Crooked Fingers' debut and Bring on the Snakes exhibit wider and more cluttered instrumentations, as Bachmann toyed with complex arrangements of more traditional styles of music.Listening to Red Devil Dawn, Crooked Finger's first release on Merge, suggests that some figurative clouds may have receded for Bachmann. A renewed concentration on electric guitars smoothens the compositions' edges, complementing the steady use of bowed double bass to anchor the bottom end of the songs. Atmospheric keyboards and a dry drum machine continue to color the latest record, as they did on previous records. While Bachmann's fixation with decay persists (the album's opening line is "Dead in the sun and covered with glue" and the closing number is titled "Carrion Doves"), his new songs are imbued with a greater sense of optimism than ever due to the use of more pop-oriented chord arrangements than previously employed. And while those earlier records sounded more folksy, with Red Devil Dawn Bachmann edges tentatively back in the direction of rock music, albeit with a more mature, softer touch.That softer touch leaves the door open for Bachmann to explore some new territory: love songs. Two tunes on the record bearing women's names ("Sweet Marie" and "Angelina") approach the realm of ballads, something of a stretch for a guy who half-hollered his way through his singing duties with the Archers. Additionally, the chorus of "Disappear" features the plea "Cary don't cry, I'm going to disappear," which we assume is sung to a person and not the suburb of Raleigh, NC. Not surprisingly, Bachmann pulls off the overtly romantic material, relying on restrained, world-weary singing and smooth string arrangements. Classical fans will note that "Disappear" heavily references Pachelbel's Canon in the chorus.Interestingly, Red Devil Dawn has an even lower gear. Lightly pulsing bass and plinky mandolin give "Boy With (100) Hands" a downright tender, lullaby-ish feel. Of course lullabies in Bachmann's world are just as sinister as those of Robert Smith's, as evidenced by the lyrics to the downbeat "Don't Say a Word": Those tears in the wine/have burrowed down in her spine/here they come again falling like a driving rain/to take a little piece of her and wash away/so nothing left can be saved. Though there is no shortage of beautiful, pensive downers on Red Devil Dawn, there are some pointedly upbeat moments too, including the horn-heavy rocker "You Threw a Spark." Built around the same chord progression as that awful James song "Laid," Bachmann salvages the melody with his dry vocals and the almost-over-the-top horns. Horns also open "Sweet Marie," an upbeat number in which Bachmann boasts he is going to go kick the ass of his romantic rival.Fans will eat up this new record, as the songwriting rivals, and often exceeds, the best of Crooked Fingers' prior curious work. Those who never got on board with the Crooked Fingers sound may find reason to reconsider, as Red Devil Dawn touts Bachmann's most focused work of his post-Archers career. ..."

It's a damn shame more people don't know about this...

King Dorkie | Louisville, KY | 02/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must admit that I am a late bloomer in the Archers of Loaf/Eric Bachman circuit, however, it's better late than never. I have the first two albums by "Crooked Fingers" and indeed they are superb. But this new outing takes on a whole new sound. While the great flare and sounds that showed up on the first two albums show up on this new one as well, there is another dymanic. It sounds more like a band. There is a much fuller sound on RDD than on the previous albums. This is much welcomed too! There isn't one bad cut on this album and when listened to in it's entirety, it truly is one of the most beautiful albums of the year, if not the last five years. Stand outs are: Don't Say a Word, Boy with (100) Hands, Sweet Marie, and Carrion Doves. The album's closer (Carrion Doves) has to one of the finest most elegant songs in musical history. That's a bold statement, but I'm sure many people will concur. If you're a newcomer to the world of Bachman and his "crooked fingers," this (or the debut album) would be excellent starters. Come to think of it, all three of his albums would be great starters. In closing, this is one of the more memorable and perfect albums of 2003."

Tears in the wine have burrowed down in my spine

J. mikitson | chicago, illinois | 07/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"not quite as somber and dark as the first 2 crooked fingers albums, this third album from eric bachmann's post-archers of loaf band is my favourite of their releases (by a very small margin, as i admit to loving the first 2 as well) and the songwriting is breathtakingly achy, just as it should be. bachmann's characteristic growly voice is invariably (and justifiably) compared to tom waits or neil diamond but his lyrics remind me a lot more of robert smith - lots of decay and death and drunkeness with tiny illuminating rays of light surprising you every now and then. the incredible "you threw a spark" rocks and can actually be called upbeat, both musically with its trumpet riffs and also with lyrics that cover a break-up with positivity and directness instead of pining away for lost love and better days.



which is something that crooked fingers does very well, of course, and if that is what you are looking for, you will not be disappointed - there is plenty of lost love and longing on this album. as usual, many of the songs contrast dark and light and desperation, and loss and redemption are frequent themes. the string arrangements add a fuller and more lush and layered sound than previously and unless i am insane and/or living in a dream world, there are also very strong references to "pachelbel's canon" running through the whole album.



if you are already a crooked fingers fan, you will lap up this record like a kitten lapping up milk. and if you are not, then there is something wrong with you and you should seek immediate help by listening to "red devil dawn" right this minute"