<p><img width="300" height="220" align="right" alt="" class="right-img" title="Eric Bachmann's Crooked Fingers play the Doug Fir tonight." src="/uploads/crookedfingers.jpg" /><a href="http://www.crookedfingers.com/">Crooked Fingers</a> return to Portland's Doug Fir tonight with openers <a href="http://www.portobrien.com">Port O'Brien</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sjaffe">Sarah Jaffe</a>. Eric Bachmann's now Denver-based act released <em>Forfeit/Fortune </em>last month marking his fifth full-length under the name but first without a label. He's taking the truly independent route, in other words, even going so far as to handpick a few indie record stores as the sole proprieters of the physical product save himself. He's no Radiohead, but it seems being <a href="http://www.myspace.com/archersofloaf">Archers of Loaf</a>'s frontman still carries enough clout to go label-less nearly a decade since their demise. The new collection is a typically dense one from Crooked Fingers, with Gypsy rhythms and Americana dust-ups in the mix alongside new wave synths and <a href="http://www.nekocase.com">Neko Case</a>. <a href="http://www.devotchka.net">DeVotchKa</a>'s Tom Hagerman lends his considerable skills to the outstanding <a href="http://stereogum.com/archives/video/new-crooked-fingers-video-lets-not-pretend-to-be-n_025791.html">"Let's Not Pretend (To Be New Men),"</a> while Elin Palmer takes the lead vocal for "Luisa's Bones."</p>
<p><strong>MP3</strong>: Crooked Fingers, from <em>Forfeit/Fortune</em>- <a href="http://www.toolshed-media.com/ts/crooked-fingers-phony-revolutions.mp3">"Phony Revolutions"</a></p>
<p><img width="285" height="288" align="left" alt="" src="/uploads/ocms2.jpg" title="Critter, Ketch, and the rest of the Old Crow Medicine Show play two in the region this week." class="left-img" />As for the rest of the week, the highlight might just be two performances in the region from the <a href="http://www.crowmedicine.com">Old Crow Medicine Show</a>. The Nashville-based band has always made the kind of music one might expect from a lineup featuring members with names like Critter and Ketch, albeit through a 21st-century filter. Their latest, <em>Tennessee Pusher</em>, is also their first in a while not produced by David Rawlings (he of the duo generally known as <a href="http://www.gillianwelch.com">"Gillian Welch"</a>), and there are some definite differences this time out with Don Was working the knobs. A decidedly darker, more somber tone pervades most of the new songs, with subject matter determining the direction on songs like "Methamphetamine," and "Motel in Memphis," the latter of which concerns the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The Old Crow Medicine Show plays Tuesday at Eugene's McDonald Theater and Wednesday at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland.</p>
<p><img width="216" height="289" align="right" src="/uploads/greyanne.jpg" title="Grey Anne celebrates her debut Friday at The Artistery." class="right-img" alt="" />On the local front, three of the first of many local CD release shows to take place before the end of the month include performances this week from <a href="http://www.stephanieschneiderman.com/">Stephanie Schneiderman</a> (Thursday, Doug Fir), <a href="http://www.myspace.com/deadbeetles">The Dead Beetles</a> (Thursday, Fez Ballroom), and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/perse">Grey Anne</a> (Friday, The Artistery). Anne Adams, the musician behind the last of that trio, releases her first album under her new name after formerly performing and recording as/with Per Se. <em>Facts n Figurines</em> is the new album out on <a href="http://www.greydayrecords.com/">Greyday Records</a>, and it's been a while coming with some of the songs originally seeing the light of day as long as four years back. Still, her debut has been anticipated, and based on what we've heard so far, it doesn't disappoint. Songs like "Flapjack Devilfish" and "Adelaide" are undeniably charming and inventive efforts, fed by Adams' idiosyncracies without being overcome by them.</p>
<p><strong>MP3</strong>s: Grey Anne, from <em>facts n figurines</em>- <a href="http://www.persemusic.com/music/music_mp3s/per%20se_flapjack%20devilfish.mp3">"Flapjack Devilfish Rides Again"</a> and <a href="http://www.songaweek.greydayrecords.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/greyanne_adelaide.mp3">"Adelaide"</a></p>
<p>Also performing this week: The Broken West and The Heartless Bastards (Monday, Doug Fir); The Little Ones and What Made Milwaukee Famous (Tuesday, Doug Fir); The Breeders (Wednesday, Wonder Ballroom); David Dondero (Thursday, The Space in Salem); Vic Chesnutt and Elf Power (Thursday, Sam Bond's Garage in Eugene and Saturday, Doug Fir); Medeski Martin & Wood (Friday, Aladdin Theater); and the Hotel Cafe Tour featuring Rachael Yamagata, Thao Nguyen, and Meiko, among others (Friday, Doug Fir).</p>
<p>More to come here throughout the week, including some exciting changes. Questions? Comments? Requests? Let's hear 'em...</p>
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2008-11-23T12:45:00-08:00
2008-11-09T12:45:38-08:00
false
336
true
2008-11-09T12:45:38-08:00
Crooked Fingers return to Portland, and the week includes performances from the Old Crow Medicine Show, The Breeders, and Medeski Martin & Wood, as well as a handful of local CD release shows.
The Week Ahead...
2008-11-12T17:32:13-08:00
2