Crooked Fingers - Dignity and Shame

Comparisons to previous work from an artist is always ideal for any kind of critique, though I can't say that Crooked Fingers' past is an area I'm deeply familiar with, nor can I say that I ever enjoyed Archers of Loaf all that much, but Eric Bachmann and company's latest, Dignity and Shame, has only piqued my interest in what other greatness the North Carolina native has been responsible for over the years. "Islero" is the obligatory instrumental opening track, opting for a brass-accompanied Spanish guitar styling, a theme found throughout the record. "Call to Love" takes the cake as the album's most infectious lo-fi offering, while "Twilight Creeps" is a brilliant piece of indie pop that would fit comfortably into Paul Simon's 1980's repertoire. As far as I can tell, "Destroyer" isn't an ode to Merge labelmate Dan Bejar but yet another tune tending to matters of the heart. "You Must Build a Fire" recalls a lonesome, pining Bob Dylan to an extent; "Valerie" takes a different path with vibrant alt-country. The remainder of the disc goes slightly downhill and flatlines--it's above average but not worth going into detail. In summary, Dignity and Shame has some spectacular songs, some that are decent at worst, and the disc covers a lot of different styles. While some might say that this interrupts the cohesion of the album, Bachmann pulls it off, and while I can't tell you that it's better or worse than the Crooked Fingers of old, I can comfortably say that it's a nice addition to the Merge Records catalog and to my music collection as well. [www.mergerecords.com]