[03.03] Anyone who knows me knows what a rabid Archers of Loaf fan I am; in fact, anything Eric Bachman has done I consider golden. Some might consider me a little biased on this topic—but the bottom line is that good music is good music, and Red Devil Dawn fits that mold.

So you can get a feel for my take on the different Crooked Finger's records: the first self-titled release was a 10 out of 10; his sophomore effort, Bring on the Snakes, an 8 out of 10; and the EP of covers, Reservoir Songs, also an 8 out of 10. So when I give this record a 9 out of 10, that is to say I don't like it as much as his first release, but more so than his others. But I think everyone of them is pretty damn great.

Most of Red Devil Dawn sounds more upbeat than previous efforts, due not only to an increased tempo but the addition of mariachi-style horns on a handful of songs that really challenge what you might think the stereotypical Crooked Finger's song should sound like; particularly the seventh song, "Sweet Marie," which almost sounds like Blondie's "The Tide is High." There are still the occasional sad ballads, but they don't pervade the album like in previous releases. Not that I dislike the ballad, rather the opposite. But it is nice to hear the status quo of a Crooked Finger's release mucked about with some.

If you already know and love the Crooked Fingers sound, you won't be disappointed here; and if you're looking for somewhere to start listening, this release will work for that as well. As long as Eric keeps putting out music of this caliber, I'll keep listening and giving it good reviews. This will certainly be one of my favorite records of the year. (By the way, for those interested, the song "Red Devil Dawn" is not actually on this album, but it is on the Merge compilation Survive and Advance Vol. 2. Check it out, yo.) —Jake