In 2009, Eric Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, would have scoffed at the idea that he'd be releasing a new record in a few years. Or, it's unlikely he'd have scoffed at anything, really, because he's not the kind of guy who flounces about with words like "scoff"-"you're full of shit" seems entirely more likely a response. Lucky for us, however he'd have described it, he would have been wrong. All of which is maybe the long way around to saying that Bachmann did what he could to prevent this new Crooked Fingers record, the first since the 2008 release of Forfeit/Fortune, from ever coming out. And again, lucky for us, he failed.
Before all that, though, from about 1991 to 1998, Bachmann, along with Eric Johnson, Matt Gentling, and Mark Price, was in the band Archers of Loaf. Sometime in 1998, right around the time Archers of Loaf decided to hang it up, The Village Voice's Robert Christgau, in reviewing the band's last studio album White Trash Heroes, suggested that "...other indie bands should just retire." It's possible they misunderstood.
In the more recent past and since about the year 2000, Eric Bachmann has focused primarily on Crooked Fingers. Under that name, he's released five full-lengths and a couple of EPs. Two of the full-lengths were on Warm Records, two others and both of the EPs were on Merge, and the last full-length was, essentially, self-released. In 2006, between a pair of Crooked Fingers records (Dignity and Shame in 2005 and Forfeit/Fortune in 2008) and for reasons which, presumably, amount to some combination of obstinacy and caprice, he released an album under his own name called To the Races on the Saddle Creek label. About these records people have said such things as: "…he’s sharing the intimacy of a small room, a couple of instruments, and a man telling secrets" (The Onion AV Club); "…as intricate and bewitching as the work of Tom Waits or the Tindersticks" (Rolling Stone); "…a welcome masterpiece of emotional subtleties…" (All Music Guide).
In the still more recent past, in August of 2009, Bachmann moved to Taipei to teach English, an earlier aspiration, intending to quit writing songs and playing music. This was a move he now describes as "…kind of like when Michael Jordan went to play baseball for a few years, except I'm not nearly as good at anything as Michael Jordan was at basketball. Or baseball." And, before we make too big a thing of this and more accurately recognize it as a clumsy narrative device, it's worth pointing out that relatively quickly he discovered his inspiration restored and began writing new songs within the first few months of arriving in Taipei. He was back in the US, and working, six months later.
Eric Bachmann lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded Breaks in the Armor at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It's a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.
"You come and go alone / You don’t stand a chance"
That's from the track "Went to the City" from Breaks in the Armor, and though, short of directly asking him (which, in narrowing the possibilities, would sort of ruin the fun), there's really, and happily, no telling what the precise, intended meaning of that line is, it does get at what Bachmann found missing and has rediscovered. There's an undeniable sense of community he’s regained in returning to writing and performing as Crooked Fingers, working with Archers of Loaf and Merge Records again, and moving back to the southeast. In 2011, Archers of Loaf reunited, toured the US, and played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and with the August 2011 reissue of their debut album Icky Mettle, Merge will begin a series of expanded re-mastered reissues of the band's four studio albums. Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
You come and go alone, and it's in between these things where you find the people and experiences and art that matter, that make the difference. You don't stand a chance, but that’s exactly why you should try, right?
Eric Bachmann enjoys walks on the beach, movies (though he's not a big horror fan), art, good food, and stimulating conversation. He can currently bench press about 240, and his personal best was somewhere in the 275–285 range. Breaks in the Armor is his sixth full-length record as Crooked Fingers (seventh if you count the Eric Bachmann one).
www.crookedfingers.com/flash/index.htm
Before all that, though, from about 1991 to 1998, Bachmann, along with Eric Johnson, Matt Gentling, and Mark Price, was in the band Archers of Loaf. Sometime in 1998, right around the time Archers of Loaf decided to hang it up, The Village Voice's Robert Christgau, in reviewing the band's last studio album White Trash Heroes, suggested that "...other indie bands should just retire." It's possible they misunderstood.
In the more recent past and since about the year 2000, Eric Bachmann has focused primarily on Crooked Fingers. Under that name, he's released five full-lengths and a couple of EPs. Two of the full-lengths were on Warm Records, two others and both of the EPs were on Merge, and the last full-length was, essentially, self-released. In 2006, between a pair of Crooked Fingers records (Dignity and Shame in 2005 and Forfeit/Fortune in 2008) and for reasons which, presumably, amount to some combination of obstinacy and caprice, he released an album under his own name called To the Races on the Saddle Creek label. About these records people have said such things as: "…he’s sharing the intimacy of a small room, a couple of instruments, and a man telling secrets" (The Onion AV Club); "…as intricate and bewitching as the work of Tom Waits or the Tindersticks" (Rolling Stone); "…a welcome masterpiece of emotional subtleties…" (All Music Guide).
In the still more recent past, in August of 2009, Bachmann moved to Taipei to teach English, an earlier aspiration, intending to quit writing songs and playing music. This was a move he now describes as "…kind of like when Michael Jordan went to play baseball for a few years, except I'm not nearly as good at anything as Michael Jordan was at basketball. Or baseball." And, before we make too big a thing of this and more accurately recognize it as a clumsy narrative device, it's worth pointing out that relatively quickly he discovered his inspiration restored and began writing new songs within the first few months of arriving in Taipei. He was back in the US, and working, six months later.
Eric Bachmann lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded Breaks in the Armor at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It's a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.
"You come and go alone / You don’t stand a chance"
That's from the track "Went to the City" from Breaks in the Armor, and though, short of directly asking him (which, in narrowing the possibilities, would sort of ruin the fun), there's really, and happily, no telling what the precise, intended meaning of that line is, it does get at what Bachmann found missing and has rediscovered. There's an undeniable sense of community he’s regained in returning to writing and performing as Crooked Fingers, working with Archers of Loaf and Merge Records again, and moving back to the southeast. In 2011, Archers of Loaf reunited, toured the US, and played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and with the August 2011 reissue of their debut album Icky Mettle, Merge will begin a series of expanded re-mastered reissues of the band's four studio albums. Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
You come and go alone, and it's in between these things where you find the people and experiences and art that matter, that make the difference. You don't stand a chance, but that’s exactly why you should try, right?
Eric Bachmann enjoys walks on the beach, movies (though he's not a big horror fan), art, good food, and stimulating conversation. He can currently bench press about 240, and his personal best was somewhere in the 275–285 range. Breaks in the Armor is his sixth full-length record as Crooked Fingers (seventh if you count the Eric Bachmann one).
www.crookedfingers.com/flash/index.htm
01/18/12
Eric Bachmann & Liz Durrett began the new year by taking a trip up the east coast and visiting WXPN World Cafe in Philadelphia, Sirius XM’s The Loft, and down to KUT Austin to perform songs from 2011′s stellar Breaks in the Armor. These sessions air this week, so tune in!
Sirius XM’s The Loft session will air multiple times this week, including Wednesday 1/18 at 2pm, Saturday 1/21 at noon, and Sunday 1/22 at midnight, all times EST.
World Cafe airs on Wednesday, January 18. Visit NPR.org for local airtimes, or you can listen live on WXPN’s live stream at 2PM EST.
KUT Austin’s performance aired on Tuesday, January 17. The session is now archived at KUT.org.
Order Breaks in the Armor on CD, LP or digital download in the Merge store now.
Sirius XM’s The Loft session will air multiple times this week, including Wednesday 1/18 at 2pm, Saturday 1/21 at noon, and Sunday 1/22 at midnight, all times EST.
World Cafe airs on Wednesday, January 18. Visit NPR.org for local airtimes, or you can listen live on WXPN’s live stream at 2PM EST.
KUT Austin’s performance aired on Tuesday, January 17. The session is now archived at KUT.org.
Order Breaks in the Armor on CD, LP or digital download in the Merge store now.
10/11/11
We’re happy to welcome Crooked Fingers back to the Merge family with the release of Breaks in the Armor, available today on CD, LP, and digital download.
To celebrate the release, The AV Club has posted live video of Eric Bachmann and Liz Durrett playing “Bad Blood” and “Your Apocalypse” on the top of the Chicago Tribune building.
SPIN writes:
Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
Order your copy of Crooked Fingers’ Breaks in the Armor on CD, LP, and digital download in the Merge store today.
Crooked Fingers on tour:
Oct 15 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle – OCSC 10-Year Anniversary
Oct 27 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Oct 28 Knoxville TN – Pilot Light
Oct 29 Charlotte NC – The Evening Muse
Oct 30 Richmond VA – The Camel
Nov 01 Washington DC – IOTA
Nov 02 Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 03 Hoboken NJ – Maxwells
Nov 04 New York NY – Mercury Lounge
Nov 05 Brooklyn NY – Cameo Gallery
Nov 06 Boston MA – TT the Bear’s
Nov 07 Montreal QC – Casa Del Popolo
Nov 08 Toronto ON – Drake
Nov 09 Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Nov 10 Cincinnati OH – MOTR Pub
Nov 11 Chicago IL – Schubas
Nov 12 Milwaukee WI – Cactus Club
Nov 13 Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Nov 14 Omaha NE – Waiting Room
Nov 15 Denver CO – Larimer Lounge
Nov 19 Portland OR – Mississippi studios
Nov 20 Seattle WA – The Crocodile
Nov 22 Santa Cruz CA – The Crepe Place
Nov 23 San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill
Nov 25 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Nov 26 San Diego CA – Casbah
Nov 28 Tempe AZ – Club Red
Dec 01 Austin TX – Mohawk
Dec 02 Houston TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
Dec 03 New Orleans LA – One Eyed Jacks
Dec 04 Atlanta GA – The Earl
To celebrate the release, The AV Club has posted live video of Eric Bachmann and Liz Durrett playing “Bad Blood” and “Your Apocalypse” on the top of the Chicago Tribune building.
SPIN writes:
Crooked Fingers has been Eric Bachmann’s primary band for the past decade, but before that, he fronted Archers of Loaf, the seminal college rock act that sprung from Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s vaunted ’90s indie rock scene. And while Bachmann made news this year by reuniting Archers in January, then taking them out on the road at festivals like Sasquatch, he was holding an ace the whole time: Breaks in the Armor, a new, superb Crooked Fingers album.Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It’s a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.
Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
Order your copy of Crooked Fingers’ Breaks in the Armor on CD, LP, and digital download in the Merge store today.
Crooked Fingers on tour:
Oct 15 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle – OCSC 10-Year Anniversary
Oct 27 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Oct 28 Knoxville TN – Pilot Light
Oct 29 Charlotte NC – The Evening Muse
Oct 30 Richmond VA – The Camel
Nov 01 Washington DC – IOTA
Nov 02 Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 03 Hoboken NJ – Maxwells
Nov 04 New York NY – Mercury Lounge
Nov 05 Brooklyn NY – Cameo Gallery
Nov 06 Boston MA – TT the Bear’s
Nov 07 Montreal QC – Casa Del Popolo
Nov 08 Toronto ON – Drake
Nov 09 Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Nov 10 Cincinnati OH – MOTR Pub
Nov 11 Chicago IL – Schubas
Nov 12 Milwaukee WI – Cactus Club
Nov 13 Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Nov 14 Omaha NE – Waiting Room
Nov 15 Denver CO – Larimer Lounge
Nov 19 Portland OR – Mississippi studios
Nov 20 Seattle WA – The Crocodile
Nov 22 Santa Cruz CA – The Crepe Place
Nov 23 San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill
Nov 25 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Nov 26 San Diego CA – Casbah
Nov 28 Tempe AZ – Club Red
Dec 01 Austin TX – Mohawk
Dec 02 Houston TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
Dec 03 New Orleans LA – One Eyed Jacks
Dec 04 Atlanta GA – The Earl
10/07/11
This month marks the 10-year anniversary of Orange County Social Club, a neighborhood bar in Carrboro, North Carolina, founded by our dear friend and former Merge-intern-turned-employee Tricia Mesigian.
OCSC marks its first decade with a week-long celebration that begins this Sunday, October 9, at 4 p.m. in the bar’s parking lot. There will be free music by several local bands and food for purchase from Neal’s Deli, the proceeds from which will benefit MusiCares.
Then Monday through Thursday from 6–8 p.m., OCSC will host indoor semi-acoustic shows, with an additional solo set at 9 p.m. on Tuesday by Mac McCaughan. On Thursday evening, Shark Quest, who put out three lovely albums on Merge, will play an instrumental set. While all of these evening shows are free, donations will be collected and put towards a scholarship fund that Tricia has established with the Town of Carrboro to help send local aspiring entrepreneurs to a small-business training course.
And as if all that weren’t enough, there will be two shows at the Cat’s Cradle, both starting at 8 p.m., to cap off the week’s festivities. The show on Friday, October 14, includes an appearance by The Ghost of Rock, which features members of Pipe. On Saturday the 15th, Crooked Fingers will play some songs off of their soon-to-be-released album, Breaks in the Armor. Saturday also sees the return of Seven Brides for the Meatwagon, a covers supergroup that includes Jim Wilbur and Jon Wurster (on guitar!) of Superchunk. Jon reveals, “We will deliver unto you the best and worst of the ’90s, the 2000s, and the OCSC jukebox. We haven’t played in ten years, so cut us some slack.”
Tickets for Friday and Saturday are on sale now at Cat’s Cradle, OCSC, CD Alley, and Schoolkids Records. Proceeds from the Cradle shows will also go to MusiCares. Visit and “like” OCSC on Facebook for full details and updates on next week’s events.
Congratulations, Trish, on your much-deserved success!
OCSC marks its first decade with a week-long celebration that begins this Sunday, October 9, at 4 p.m. in the bar’s parking lot. There will be free music by several local bands and food for purchase from Neal’s Deli, the proceeds from which will benefit MusiCares.
Then Monday through Thursday from 6–8 p.m., OCSC will host indoor semi-acoustic shows, with an additional solo set at 9 p.m. on Tuesday by Mac McCaughan. On Thursday evening, Shark Quest, who put out three lovely albums on Merge, will play an instrumental set. While all of these evening shows are free, donations will be collected and put towards a scholarship fund that Tricia has established with the Town of Carrboro to help send local aspiring entrepreneurs to a small-business training course.
And as if all that weren’t enough, there will be two shows at the Cat’s Cradle, both starting at 8 p.m., to cap off the week’s festivities. The show on Friday, October 14, includes an appearance by The Ghost of Rock, which features members of Pipe. On Saturday the 15th, Crooked Fingers will play some songs off of their soon-to-be-released album, Breaks in the Armor. Saturday also sees the return of Seven Brides for the Meatwagon, a covers supergroup that includes Jim Wilbur and Jon Wurster (on guitar!) of Superchunk. Jon reveals, “We will deliver unto you the best and worst of the ’90s, the 2000s, and the OCSC jukebox. We haven’t played in ten years, so cut us some slack.”
Tickets for Friday and Saturday are on sale now at Cat’s Cradle, OCSC, CD Alley, and Schoolkids Records. Proceeds from the Cradle shows will also go to MusiCares. Visit and “like” OCSC on Facebook for full details and updates on next week’s events.
Congratulations, Trish, on your much-deserved success!
08/23/11
Eric Bachmann’s sixth full-length album as Crooked Fingers, Breaks in the Armor, will be in stores on October 11, 2011. Pre-orders of Breaks in the Armor through the Merge website will include acoustic demo versions of all eleven album tracks. The bonus material will be available for download on the day of release.
Download “Typhoon” from the Merge SoundCloud page now!
Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It’s a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.
Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
Pre-order Breaks in the Armor through the Merge website now on CD or LP, and receive the bonus acoustic album download on the October 11th release day!
Crooked Fingers on tour:
Sep 07 Portland OR – Music Fest NW
Oct 15 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle
Oct 27 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Oct 28 Knoxville TN – Pilot Light
Oct 29 Charlotte NC – The Evening Muse
Nov 01 Washington DC – IOTA
Nov 02 Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 03 Hoboken NJ – Maxwells
Nov 04 New York NY – Mercury Lounge
Nov 05 Brooklyn NY – Cameo Gallery
Nov 06 Boston MA – TT the Bear’s
Nov 07 Montreal QC – Casa Del Popolo
Nov 08 Toronto ON – Drake
Nov 09 Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Nov 10 Cincinnati OH – MOTR Pub
Nov 11 Chicago IL – Schubas
Nov 12 Milwaukee WI – Cactus Club
Nov 13 Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Nov 14 Omaha NE – Waiting Room
Nov 15 Denver CO – Larimer Lounge
Nov 23 San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill
Nov 25 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Nov 26 San Diego CA – Casbah
Dec 01 Austin TX – Mohawk
Dec 02 Houston TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
Dec 03 New Orleans LA – One Eyed Jacks
Dec 04 Atlanta GA – The Earl
Download “Typhoon” from the Merge SoundCloud page now!
Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It’s a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.
Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
Pre-order Breaks in the Armor through the Merge website now on CD or LP, and receive the bonus acoustic album download on the October 11th release day!
Crooked Fingers on tour:
Sep 07 Portland OR – Music Fest NW
Oct 15 Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle
Oct 27 Asheville NC – Grey Eagle
Oct 28 Knoxville TN – Pilot Light
Oct 29 Charlotte NC – The Evening Muse
Nov 01 Washington DC – IOTA
Nov 02 Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 03 Hoboken NJ – Maxwells
Nov 04 New York NY – Mercury Lounge
Nov 05 Brooklyn NY – Cameo Gallery
Nov 06 Boston MA – TT the Bear’s
Nov 07 Montreal QC – Casa Del Popolo
Nov 08 Toronto ON – Drake
Nov 09 Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Nov 10 Cincinnati OH – MOTR Pub
Nov 11 Chicago IL – Schubas
Nov 12 Milwaukee WI – Cactus Club
Nov 13 Minneapolis MN – Triple Rock Social Club
Nov 14 Omaha NE – Waiting Room
Nov 15 Denver CO – Larimer Lounge
Nov 23 San Francisco CA – Bottom of the Hill
Nov 25 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Nov 26 San Diego CA – Casbah
Dec 01 Austin TX – Mohawk
Dec 02 Houston TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
Dec 03 New Orleans LA – One Eyed Jacks
Dec 04 Atlanta GA – The Earl
07/11/11
On October 11, 2011, Crooked Fingers will return to Merge with the release of Breaks in the Armor, available for preorder now on CD and LP in the Merge store. Preorders will ship to arrive on or around the release date. Each preorder will ship with a Breaks in the Armor poster while supplies last, and the first 100 posters will be signed!
Click here to view the embedded video.
Eric Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded Breaks in the Armor at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It’s a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.
There’s an undeniable sense of community Bachmann has regained in returning to writing and performing as Crooked Fingers, working with Archers of Loaf and Merge Records again, and moving back to the southeast. In 2011, Archers of Loaf reunited, toured the US, and played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and with the August 2011 reissue of their debut album Icky Mettle, Merge began a series of expanded re-mastered reissues of the band’s four studio albums. Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
Preorder Breaks in the Armor on CD or LP in the Merge Store now.
Track Listing:
1. Typhoon
2. Bad Blood
3. The Hatchet
4. The Counterfeiter
5. Heavy Hours
6. Black Candles
7. Went to the City
8. Your Apocalypse
9. War Horses
10. She Tows the Line
11. Our New Favorite
Click here to view the embedded video.
Eric Bachmann, who writes, records, and performs songs mainly under the name Crooked Fingers, lives in Athens, Georgia, these days, where he recorded Breaks in the Armor at The Bakery with Matt Yelton (live sound engineer for the Pixies) throughout the winter of 2010/2011, enlisting the help of Liz Durrett on backing vocals. It’s a cohesive and diverse set of songs with less adorned and more direct and affecting arrangements. Beautifully understated, artfully phrased, and ultimately a paean to perseverance, the album seems to suggest that the breaks in the armor are more important than the armor itself.
There’s an undeniable sense of community Bachmann has regained in returning to writing and performing as Crooked Fingers, working with Archers of Loaf and Merge Records again, and moving back to the southeast. In 2011, Archers of Loaf reunited, toured the US, and played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and with the August 2011 reissue of their debut album Icky Mettle, Merge began a series of expanded re-mastered reissues of the band’s four studio albums. Over the course of the coming year, Bachmann will alternate between touring as Crooked Fingers and with Archers of Loaf, making the most of two distinct and rewarding modes of expression and performance. All of which seems to be exactly where he should be again.
Preorder Breaks in the Armor on CD or LP in the Merge Store now.
Track Listing:
1. Typhoon
2. Bad Blood
3. The Hatchet
4. The Counterfeiter
5. Heavy Hours
6. Black Candles
7. Went to the City
8. Your Apocalypse
9. War Horses
10. She Tows the Line
11. Our New Favorite
| 02.29.2012 | Los Angeles, CA | Hotel Cafe |
"Atchafalayan Death Waltz" b/w "Juliette" :: 7" (Sub Pop) 1999
"Broken Man" b/w "Red Devil Dawn" :: 7" (Red Pig) 1999
Crooked Fingers :: CD (Warm) 2000
Bring on the Snakes :: CD/LP (Warm) 2001
Resevoir Songs :: CD/EP (Merge) 2002
Red Devil Dawn :: CD/LP (Merge) 2003
Dignity and Shame :: CD/LP (Merge) 2005
Forfeit/Fortune :: CD (Red Pig) 2008
Reservoir Songs II :: EP (Foreign Leisure) 2010
Breaks in the Armor :: CD/LP (Merge) 2011
"Broken Man" b/w "Red Devil Dawn" :: 7" (Red Pig) 1999
Crooked Fingers :: CD (Warm) 2000
Bring on the Snakes :: CD/LP (Warm) 2001
Resevoir Songs :: CD/EP (Merge) 2002
Red Devil Dawn :: CD/LP (Merge) 2003
Dignity and Shame :: CD/LP (Merge) 2005
Forfeit/Fortune :: CD (Red Pig) 2008
Reservoir Songs II :: EP (Foreign Leisure) 2010
Breaks in the Armor :: CD/LP (Merge) 2011
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Archers of Loaf [+]
| February | ||
| 25 | San Francisco, CA | Great American Music Hall |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | Troubadour |
| April | ||
| 26 | New York, NY | Bowery Ballroom |
| 27 | Cambridge, MA | Middle East - Downstairs |
| 28 | Cambridge, MA | Middle East - Downstairs |
| [see all] | ||
Richard Buckner [+]
| February | ||
| 22 | New Haven, CT | BAR |
| 24 | Lexington, KY | Cosmic Charlie's |
| 25 | Atlanta, GA | Highland Inn Ballroom |
| 27 | Easton, MD | The NightCat |
| March | ||
| 02 | Bayport, NY | The Grey Horse Tavern |
| [see all] | ||
Caribou [+]
| April | ||
| 17 | Mexico City | Foro Sol |
| 18 | Mexico City | Foro Sol |
Crooked Fingers [+]
| February | ||
| 29 | Los Angeles, CA | Hotel Cafe |
Destroyer [+]
Eleanor Friedberger [+]
| February | ||
| 09 | Seattle, WA | The Crocodile |
Hospitality [+]
| February | ||
| 25 | San Francisco, CA | Great American Music Hall |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | Troubadour |
| 29 | Toronto, ON | Horseshoe Tavern |
| March | ||
| 02 | Boston, MA | Brighton Music Hall |
| 03 | New York, NY | Bowery Ballroom |
| [see all] | ||
Imperial Teen [+]
| February | ||
| 24 | San Francisco, CA | Cafe Du Nord |
| 25 | San Francisco, CA | Amoeba Records |
Lambchop [+]
| February | ||
| 23 | Berlin | Babylon |
| 24 | Berlin | Babylon |
| 25 | Dresden | Beatpol |
| 26 | Leipzig | Werk II |
| 27 | Vienna | Konzerthaus |
| [see all] | ||
The Love Language [+]
| March | ||
| 09 | Charlotte, NC | Visulite Theatre |
| 10 | Savannah, GA | Savannah Stopover at Ships of the Sea Museum |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse |
| 12 | Baton Rouge, LA | Red Star Bar |
| 20 | Birmingham, AL | The Bottletree |
| [see all] | ||
The Magnetic Fields [+]
| March | ||
| 06 | Hudson, NY | Helsinki Hudson |
| 07 | Philadelphia, PA | Union Transfer |
| 10 | Minehead | All Tomorrow's Parties curated by Jeff Mangum |
| 18 | Vancouver | The Vogue |
| 19 | Seattle, WA | Neptune Theatre |
| [see all] | ||
Jeff Mangum [+]
| February | ||
| 08 | Milwaukee, WI | Pabst Theater |
| 10 | Athens, GA | 40 Watt |
| 11 | Athens, GA | 40 Watt |
| March | ||
| 07 | Dublin | Vicar Street |
| 09 | Minehead | ATP curated by Jeff Mangum |
| [see all] | ||
the Mountain Goats [+]
| March | ||
| 09 | Denton, TX | 35 Denton |
| 13 | New York, NY | Carnegie Hall |
| 24 | New York, NY | Merkin Hall |
Portastatic [+]
| February | ||
| 11 | Chapel Hill, NC | The Cave |
| 18 | Durham, NC | Duke Coffeehouse |
| 23 | San Francisco, CA | Swedish American Hall |
Superchunk [+]
| February | ||
| 11 | Chapel Hill, NC | The Cave |
| 18 | Durham, NC | Duke Coffeehouse |
| 23 | San Francisco, CA | Swedish American Hall |
Versus [+]
| March | ||
| 09 | London | The Lexington |
| April | ||
| 10 | Brooklyn, NY | The Bell House |
M. Ward [+]
| March | ||
| 20 | London | Leicester Square Theatre |
| 21 | Paris | Le Zenith |
| 22 | Lyon | Transbordeur |
| 23 | Lille | Theatre Sebastopol |
| 25 | London | Royal Albert Hall |
| [see all] | ||
Wild Flag [+]
| February | ||
| 08 | Berlin | Lido |
| March | ||
| 07 | Perth | The Bakery |
| 09 | Melbourne | Corner Hotel |
| 10 | Victoria | Golden Plains Festival |
| 11 | Brisbane | The Zoo |
| [see all] | ||
Wye Oak [+]
| February | ||
| 23 | Los Angeles, CA | Troubadour |
| 24 | San Francisco, CA | The Independent |
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