Crooked Fingers
Red Devil Dawn

'Red Devil Dawn', released in 2003 by the Merge/Wide label, is undoubtedly the maturity work for Eric Bachman, who was already a protagonist in the 1990s indie scene in North Carolina with the Archers of Loaf: in fact, the leader finds his perfect singer-songwriter dimension through ten episodes masterfully interpreted thanks to a voice that perfectly suits the depth and sensitivity that permeate the entire album.

A diverse instrumentation based on acoustic guitars, a truly valid string section (cello and violin), and the presence of Roger V. Ruzow's trumpet in two tracks like "You Threw A Spark" and "Sweet Marie" enhances the whole, offering the right mix between melancholic moments and times when the tension is eased without ever falling into banality.

The most interesting tracks of the lot, in terms of emotion and impact, are undoubtedly the fantastic and intoxicating "Big Darkness" and the reflective "Don't Say A Word", which together with the ascending "You Can Never Leave" form a sort of chamber folk-rock triptych. Other tracks worthy of mention include "Bad Man Coming", evocative and intentionally strong with a sinister background noise, the sweet and somewhat Waitsian "Boy With (100) Hands", a lively piece like "Angelina", the enchanting "Disappear", and especially "Carrion Doves", which shows echoes of the most inspired Leonard Cohen.

This album fully demonstrates how the tradition of American singer-songwriting should never be sidelined in favor of what it represents and has always represented, namely, a kaleidoscope of sounds that still convey so much emotion and vitality to those who allow themselves to be carried away by these notes, ignoring the sad conclusions that many people have been accustomed to making about this genre for about thirty years.