Breaks in the Armor is Eric Bachmann’s sixth full-length as Crooked Fingers. The former Archers of Loaf singer/guitarist’s latest project comes off as more reflective than his previous efforts. This sentimentality in Bachmann’s bruised singing and songwriting occasionally lapsing into heavy-handedness. Many of the songs feel stripped down, but Pixies engineer Matt Yelton and vocalist Liz Durrett offer some masterful touches that keep Breaks in the Armor engrossing. Durret’s soft accompaniment and the distant guitar in “War Horses” help Bachmann communicate the album’s appealing vulnerability. “War Horses” is one of the best songs on the album; its slow burn and titular lyrics are epic without losing any intimacy.
The latter half of the album is stronger than the first. The first six songs’ risks paid fewer dividends for Bachmann, but even there the tracks are impressive. Breaks in the Armor easily moves from bare in the third track, “The Hatchet,” to the focused bounce of fourth track “The Counterfeiter.” The first two tracks offer less of a contrast. “Bad Blood” goes after a harder sound and ends up sounding fried. The lush opener “Typhoon” gives Bachmann’s voice and guitar a lot more room. The rolls and waves in “Typhoon” build without ever becoming overbearing, which could be said for Breaks in the Armor in general. Crooked Fingers is currently touring and hits Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis on November 11-13.