Eric Bachmann - To The Races (Saddle Creek)

by Suzanne Baran
16 November 2006

Here’s a name you may not have heard since the halcyon days of angry rockers, ARCHERS OF LOAF in the ‘90s: ERIC BACHMANN. More recently known as the frontman of CROOKED FINGERS, Bachmann has achieved moderate success. However, his current solo LP, To The Races truly marks his growth and talent as one of the best singer/songwriters in indie rock.

Bachmann is to indie folk rock what MADONNA is to pop. He skillfully reinvents himself every few years. Created while he was living in the back of his van during a Northwestern summer, this album is an audio journal (of sorts) by a modern musical transcendentalist. His style can easily be quantified among brilliant authors of yore – RALPH WALDO EMERSON and HENRY DAVID THOREAU.

The listener is an invited guest on this narrative journey: “I travel lean / And I will try my best to be / To you no burden, weight, or beast,” he sings in “Carrboro Woman.” Bachmann not only travels lean, but culls sheer lyrical simplicity without sounding terse or heavy. His words express an unparalleled solemnity. It seems his brand of emotive solitude enhances his songwriting abilities.

The opening track, “Man ‘O War”, is resplendent. It requires multiple plays to catch all the subtle nuances of Bachmann’s voice and epic lyrics. This six-and-a-half minute song isn’t long enough. My entire being wishes it was unending. An acoustic guitar, Bachmann’s NEIL DIAMOND meets-a-softer TOM WAITScommingled with a hint ofBRUCE SPRINGSTEENvocals, and backup female vocals (supplied by MIRANDA BROWN) have a deeply moving effect. Sung to these lyrics, how can one not be mystified: “And like a lion don’t mind/if a lamb takes her time/the beast doesn’t care if you surrender tonight/because the beast knows she’ll get what she wants in good time.”

Each track delves deeper into Bachmann’s psyche. It seems that “Lonesome Warrior” is an autobiographical account. There he is, in his van writing, championing bold artistic efforts much like a warrior—but with muted, stripped down, bare-bones prowess. It conspicuously sets Bachmann’s solo act apart from previous collaborative efforts.

“Genie, Genie” is a thoughtful, blues-y song riddled with yearning, as our “Lonesome Warrior” beseeches a “cure all for that pain.” He begs this inanimate bottle for “one more loss [he] can throw behind [him].” He croons, “Give me something, I’m not dying for nothing.”

His career certainly is not dying, it’s thriving. Bachmann revives the indie folk/Americana genre by infusing his alienation into lyrical poetry with complimentary instrumentation and harmonies. This is by far his most brilliant work to date. If you believe this to be in error, I want to hear about it.

Filed under folk-rock indie-rock