From All Ways: A Quick Review Of The New Album From Crooked Fingers (Eric Bachmann Of Archers Of Loaf)

It's been more than a decade since Eric Bachmann (Archers of Loaf) released a record as Crooked Fingers. Thankfully, the wait was worth it as the new one is quite good. Sweet Deth, out on Friday from Merge Records, is easily one of the most listenable new releases in a week positively overstuffed with them.

Opener "Cold Waves" soars thanks to support from Mac McCaughan (Superchunk, Portastatic), while "From All Ways" is a moody mid-tempo ramble made richer still thanks to vocals from Matt Berninger (The National). That one-two punch gets Sweet Deth off to a very strong star. "Insomnia" is fine, radio-ready American indie, while the energetic "Haunted" succeeds in a big way thanks to assistance from guest vocalist Sharon Van Etten. Still, the personal "Hospital" with a vocal lift from musician Liz Durrett might be my favorite cut on this record. It's a very deft mix of personal lyrics and a superbly realized keyboard line.

Sweet Deth is a nice, tight record. Eric Bachmann knows how to find a hook and create an emotive song around it. The tunes on this Crooked Fingers album are punchy in the right kind of way, and fans of any of the many, many bands who've taken inspiration from Bachmann in the past will find this a really winning offering.

Sweet Deth by Crooked Fingers is out on Friday from Merge Records.

[Photo: Jason Thrasher]