Crooked Fingers

Crooked Fingers is the solo project of singer/guitarist Eric Bachmann, best known as the longtime frontman for North Carolina indie rock institution Archers of Loaf. Bachmann frames his rich storytelling, rooted in heartland struggle and romantic outlaw imagery, with immersive Americana-laced alt rock, as heard on notable efforts such as Red Devil Dawn (2003) and Breaks in the Armor (2011). After a long hiatus, Bachmann returned to the project in 2026 and released Swet Deth. A onetime saxophone major at Appalachian State University, Bachmann co-founded the Archers in Chapel Hill in late 1991; quickly emerging as a major local favorite, the band's off-kilter noise pop broke through on national college radio two years later with the release of the single "Web in Front," followed by a series of acclaimed LPs including 1994's Icky Mettle and 1996's All the Nation's Airports. In 1995, Bachmann also teamed with producer Caleb Southern to form the instrumental project Barry Black, debuting with a self-titled LP on Alias; Tragic Animal Stories followed two years later. In the wake of Archers of Loaf's 1998 dissolution, Bachmann founded Crooked Fingers, debuting in early 2000 with a self-titled album issued on the WARM label. A collection of original songs, Bring on the Snakes, followed in 2001, but only one year later, a cover EP featuring songs by Neil Diamond and Queen came out on Merge Records. Entitled Reservoir Songs, this was his debut for the label. The next year, Red Devil Dawn furthered his vision, allowing elements like horns and strings to creep into his melancholy indie pop. In 2005, Bachmann penned Dignity and Shame, a loosely tied conceptual piece based on the life of legendary bullfighter Manolete and his lover, Spanish actress Lope Sino. In 2006, going by his surname, Bachmann joined Saddle Creek and released To the Races, a minimal acoustic-based record. After reverting back to the pseudonym Crooked Fingers in 2008, Forfeit/Fortune was released for Red Pig/Constant Artists, Inc. and distributed exclusively at 20 North American independent record stores, handpicked by Bachmann himself. Bachmann spent some of 2011 playing reunion shows with Archers of Loaf, but found the time to work on new material for Crooked Fingers, releasing Breaks in the Armor through Merge Records later that year. In 2016, Merge reissued Crooked Fingers' early albums, coinciding with Bachmann's retirement of the moniker. During this time, he toured with Neko Case's band and released his self‑titled solo LP. After a 15‑year hiatus, Bachmann revived Crooked Fingers and issued Swet Deth (2026), featuring guest spots from Mac McCaughan, Matt Berninger, Sharon Van Etten, Jeremy Wheatley, and Jon Rauhouse. ~ Jason Ankeny & James Christopher Monger, Rovi