Eric Bachmann Ditches His Crooked Fingers For New Album

Former Archers Of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann has completed a new album that he plans to release under his own name for the first time.

Bachmann has been recording under the name Crooked Fingers since 2000, but decided to shed the moniker for his latest release. The name change might have something to do with the introspective environment he found himself in while creating To The Races, which is scheduled for an Aug. 22 delivery via Saddle Creek.

Bachmann made the most of a hospitable northwestern U.S. summer by writing the album while voluntarily living in the back of his van. He later went on to record it himself in a hotel room in Buxton, N.C.

Whereas Bachmann's last release — 2005's Crooked Fingers' Dignity And Shame — was perhaps his most poppy and accessible, To The Races is described as his most sparse and reflective. It features guest appearances by Devotchka's Tom Hagerman on violin and Miranda Brown on backing vocals.

Bachmann is currently opening at a handful of shows for Neko Case and Calexico, including a June 20 stop with Calexico at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom. He plans to co-headline a full tour with Richard Buckner in the fall.

Here are the songs on To The Races:

"Man O' War"
"Home"
"Carrboro Woman"
"Genivieve"
"Genie, Genie"
"Lonesome Warrior"
"To The Races"
"Liars And Thieves"
"Little Bird"
"So Long, Savannah"