Eric Bachmann - No Recover (Merge, 2018)

Eric Bachmann
No Recover
Merge
2018

Rating: 8 starry eyed clerks out of 10

The latest release by former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann, “No Recover,” feels like a natural continuation of his excellent self-titled record from 2016.  That was my favorite album to come out that year and I still listen to it all the time, if we’re keeping score at home.  “No Recover” is missing the strong “doo wop-esque” female backing vocals that were heavily featured in 2016, instead opting this time for more subtle collaboration via his former bandmate/frequent collaborator/current wife Liz Durrett (backing vocals) and for the first time since Archers of Loaf ended, Eric Johnson (guitar). 

(That reminds me, I could really go for another Archers of Loaf reunion tour right about now…maybe they will get back together for Merge 30 next year.  While we’re making a wish list, lets also get reunions from Polvo and Breadwinner and Erectus Monotone and get Matt Suggs to come out of retirement or wherever the hell it is he's hiding.)

Anyways, back to “No Recover” – it’s just goddamn fantastic.  Bachmann’s output is stripped down and simple without being simplistic, catchy without being cloying.  Sure, I’m coming at this as a fanboy who loves every goddamn thing this man touches, but even within that framework I’m telling you this is an exceptional collection of Bachmann’s work.  Opener “Jaded Lover, Shady Drifter” sounds like a long lost Kris Kristofferson song.  “Daylight” is a masterclass in layered fingerpicking and Bachmann’s not-used-nearly-enough falsetto (or at least what I think is meant to be a falsetto, from a man with a voice as deep as his).  “Murmuration Song” is the highlight of the album, probably the most upbeat number and one that sounds like it would fit in nicely on the first “Crooked Fingers” album (that's a huge compliment in my book, that record is perfection).  And that’s just the first three songs - I could do this for every track on “No Recover” if pressed, but I think you get the idea. 

This won’t be my favorite record of 2018, but that has more to do with the quality of this year than anything negative about “No Recover.”  It will most definitely finish high on my list though, another excellent addition to the musical landscape from Eric Bachmann.  

Eric Bachmann - Eric Bachmann (Merge, 2016)

Eric Bachmann
Eric Bachmann
Merge
2016

Rating: 8.5 pink highlighters out of 10

I'm sure the "why" has been explained somewhere, but Crooked Fingers is no more, and now Eric Bachmann is just recording under his own name.  He's released recordings under his name before, and everyone knows Crooked Fingers was really just Bachmann solo anyways, but if he felt the need to jump through this hoop to keep going as an artist, who am I to argue.  I'm just glad he's still making music and I've got a new record to listen to...and a really, really damn good new record at that.  The second track "Mercy" is one of the best songs he's ever written, and certainly the closest he's ever come to producing music that would be confused with a sixties girl group.  there's actually quite a bit of backing female vocals ("Dreaming" and "Seperation Fright" are a couple of other outstanding examples, and there are more), which adds a nice extra layer you don't usually get with his sound.  I could see some (stupid) people being turned off of this slight turn, but Bachmann's deep voice still dominates - there is no changing that.  I feel pretty good saying this will be one of my favorite records of the year...then again, I can often say that about any music Eric Bachmann releases. 

Archers of Loaf - The Results After the Loaf's Revenge 7'' (Merge, 1994)

Archers of Loaf
The Results After the Loaf's Revenge 7''
Merge
1994

Rating: 9 carpenter fathers out of 10

Two great songs by one of the godfathers of nineties indie rock (and one of my all-time favorite bands), Archers of Loaf.  Neither "What Did You Expect?" or "Ethel Merman" are album tracks, but both are featured on their compilation "The Speed of Cattle."  "What Did You Expect?" is one of their best songs and was a live show staple, not sure why it never got put on one of their regular records.  

Note: basically this exact same seven inch with a different cover was also released by Alias, who put out all of their full-lengths.  Not sure which one came first, not going to research it, don't really care.  

Crooked Fingers - Sleep All Summer 7'' (Eastern Fiction, 2005)

Crooked Fingers
Sleep All Summer 7''
Eastern Fiction
2005

Rating: 6 broken electricians out of 10

This Crooked Fingers record was "recorded live to minidisc" at "the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, PA" on 11/15/2004.  Both the title track and the B-side "You Must Build a Fire" feature the backing vocals of Emma Pollack from the Delgados.  And despite my love of this band, the Delgados, and particularly these two songs, the whole thing is a big pile of "meh."  The recording sounds tinny and thin, and if it's not a good recording of a live show what's the point of releasing it?  It does make want to go listen to the great Crooked Fingers' record "Dignity and Shame" though.  I can't give it a terrible rating because I love everything about this on paper, but it could have been so much better. 

Small 23 & Pipe - Split 7'' (Matt Label, 1992)

Small 23 & Pipe
Split 7''
Matt Label
1992

Rating: 10 free love out of 10

Musically I'm not sure the combination of Small 23 and Pipe makes much sense, but knowing they shared members certainly clears things up.  This record was from very early in the careers of both bands, and both tracks are among the best the band ever released.  Small perform "Chuck's Buzz" here, also available on the "Cakes" EP.  Note - lead vocals on this track are by Eric Bachmann, just before he left the band to form Archers of Loaf.  The Pipe track "Submariner" was also on their "Ball Peen" EP.  Ripping fuckin' song, like everything else they ever released. 

Crooked Fingers - Broken Man 7'' (Red Pig, 1999)

Crooked Fingers
Broken Man 7''
Red Pig
1999

Rating: 9.5 Italian greyhounds out of 10

This was the first release by Eric Bachmann under the name Crooked Fingers that was released after the break-up of Archers of Loaf.  That was an incredibly sad time for me, but I soon came to love Crooked Fingers almost as much as the Archers. It was sorta tough at the time to see Bachmann take this rootsier route after the indie punk fervor of his past, but now these tunes feel like second nature to me.  "Broken Man," also found on the first Crooked Fingers record, is still one of the best songs Bachmann has ever recorded.  The other side, "Red Devil Dawn," is only found here despite him also putting out a full-length record by the same name.  Kind of odd, good song though.

Archers of Loaf - Vocal Shrapnel 7'' (Alias, 1996)

Archers of Loaf
Vocal Shrapnel 7''
Alias
1996

Rating: 9 hatched eggs out of 10

Archers of Loaf are damn near perfection...I'm not sure what more I can say about them really.  I definitely remember buying this one when it came out as I tried to buy anything the Archers released in any format.  Side a is the fantastic title track, also found on "All the Nation's Airports."  The other side is "Density," which unlike most of their non-album tracks is not also on the "Speed of Cattle" compilation. It's a great, catchy song and a real shame it was never made more easily listenable. 

Small 23 - Noodles 7'' (Matt / Landspeed, 1993)

Small 23
Noodles 7''
Matt / Landspeed
1993

Rating: 9.5 Spanish flies out of 10

Another lost local classic from Small 23 - the title track is one of the band's all-time best songs, this version sounding just a hair different from the version also available on their full-length "True Zero Hook."  The flip, "Wet Cement," is a track that is only available here as far as I know and features Eric Bachmann on guitar - I can only assume the band recorded this before he left Small and started Archers of Loaf.   On burgundy red vinyl! 

Small - Makes Me High 7'' (Matt Label, 1991)

Small
Makes Me High 7''
Matt Label
1991

Rating: 7 pink petals out of 10

Small (or Small 23 as they would later be known) were a staple of the Triangle music scene but never got the acclaim the big three did - Archers of Loaf, Polvo, and Superchunk.  It always felt they were just outside that group in both listenership and press.  It also doesn't help their legacy that the label they were on, Alias, has gone under.  This was their first release I believe, back when Eric Bachmann of Archers of Loaf was one of the guitarists and vocalists.  He only occasionally took lead though, and the music was a little janglier in a Replacements sort of way so you'd really never confuse the two bands.  The title track is an early staple of the band and well regarded by me, and the b-side tracks "Nasty Little Chick" and "Somebody Owes Me Money" are a little rough as the group is still finding their sound, but still worth checking out if you're a fan.  I've got a few more of their singles so you'll be hearing more from these guys. 

Archers of Loaf - Icky Mettle (Reissue) (Merge, 2011)

Archers of Loaf 

Icky Mettle (Reissue)

Merge

2011

Rating: 10 poop euphemisms out of 10

Wait, so Merge reissued one of the greatest indie rock albums of all time (Icky Mettle) by one of my very very favorite bands of all time (Archers of Loaf)...um, I think we knew what this rating was going to be before I even typed the first letter, so let's not waste each others time.  

The download also comes with an album of bonus material, also remastered - their "Vs. the Greatest of All Time" EP, the best material they ever released, and a bunch of their singles (aka a large chunk of their "Speed of Cattle" compilation).  So not only is this re-release awesome, it's a LOT of awesome. 

Eric Bachmann - To The Races (Saddle Creek, 2006)

Eric Bachmann
To The Races
Saddle Creek
2006

Rating: 8 thoroughbred fillies out of 10

This is an album of changes…an album where Eric Bachmann dropped the Crooked Fingers band name and elected to record under his own moniker. Actually, he has actually done this one other time, recording the film score for “Ball of Wax” - but that material was much closer to his mid-90s side project Barry Black than what he has been putting out as Crooked Fingers over the last few years. It was also a change in record labels, moving his outfit from Merge Records over to the “Connor Oberst & family” stable of Saddle Creek. But musically…the changes are minimal at best. This album is a little sparser than the last few – many of the tracks here are just the man himself strumming and singing, and then occasionally a cello or violin or some backing female vocals will get inserted into the tracks. And these changes are perfectly fine with me – the major selling points of anything Bachmann is involved with is his strong songwriting and his Neil Diamond-like vocals – everything else is just a bonus. The songs contained in “To the Races” are as strong as anything he has put out to date: “Carrboro Woman” and “So Long Savannah” will be instant favorites to most anyone who gives this a listen. If I had to lodge a complaint at all, it would be that the album is just too damn short - at around 35 minutes long, it feels like it is over before it really gets going. Still, any fan of Bachmann’s output these last few years under the name Crooked Fingers would be a fool not to rush out and get this album, a high contender for one of my favorites of the year.

Eric Bachmann - Short Careers (Merge, 2001)

Eric Bachmann
Short Careers: Original Score for the Film "Ball of Wax"
Merge
2001

Rating: 7 innings of stretch out of 10

Eric Bachmann can do no wrong in my book. Small 23, Archers of Loaf, Barry Black, Crooked Fingers...every release by every one of these groups holds a near and dear spot in my record collection. This is Bachmann’s first soundtrack, but he comes off sounding like a seasoned professional. A lot of people seem to know him for his gruff and scraggly Neil Diamond-meets-Bruce Springsteen voice, but the musicianship displayed on this album is phenomenal. It most closely resembles his Barry Black work (a mostly instrumental solo side-project he undertook while still in the Archers, where he played 90% of the instruments), but you can see the influence from all of his other bands creep in from time to time. Odd marching time signatures, strings galore, ambient noises, deft guitar finger picking - this and even more make up this entertaining score. There’s a reason that the Archers of Loaf are considered one of the greatest bands of the nineties, and in my book, probably one of the greatest ever.