“Car Keys”, A. G. Cook

This way: Car Keys

This may be the best song ever written about Car Keys.

A. G. Cook (born 23 August 1990) is an English music producer and the head of the UK record label PC Music. Cook released his first solo singles in 2014. He has also collaborated with PC Music artists such as Hannah Diamond, GFOTY, EASYFUN, Danny L Harle and felicita. He formed the one-off project QT with musician Sophie and performance artist Hayden Dunham, producing the 2014 single "Hey QT".

Cook came into the public eye as Charli XCX's creative director and has executively produced her projects: Number 1 Angel, Pop 2, Charli and How I'm Feeling Now. Cook was named #12 in the Dazed 100 for "redefining style and youth culture in 2015 and beyond".[4] Cook released his two debut albums, 7G and Apple, and received the Variety Hitmakers Innovator of The Year Award in 2020.[5] In 2022, he produced the song "All Up in Your Mind" from Beyoncé's album Renaissance, which earned him a nomination for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.[6]

Since founding PC Music in August 2013, Cook's label has represented over 20 artists releasing music within a similar style, in which tropes from mainstream 1990s and 2000s pop music are amplified. This style of exaggerated pop tropes grew to serve as the foundation of the genre hyperpop, which Cook is credited for developing and popularising.

[Spotify] Car Keys

“MZ”, Sascha Funke

This way: MZ

Sascha Funke (born 1977 in Berlin ) is a German DJ and producer in the electronic music scene.

In the 1990s, Funke organized parties; his mentors back then were Paul Kalkbrenner and Ellen Allien, with whom he still has an intense friendship today. While he was initially more focused on trance as an organizer, he later switched to other electronic music styles such as techno, house and minimal.

From 1997, Sascha Funke worked as a DJ in various Berlin clubs. At the same time, he moved his first studio into the adjacent rooms of the Casino Club and began producing his own tracks. He released his first record on the Cologne label Kompakt. In 2000, he released his next maxi on Ellen Allien's label BPitch Control. Pop influences can be heard in his tracks.

His international breakthrough came in 2001 with a cover version of the Bros ' song When Will I Be Famous . His debut album Bravo was released in 2003. His second album Mango followed in February 2008, the track of the same name is included in the soundtrack of the film Berlin Calling. In this film, Funke appears briefly as a DJ.

Since 2012, Funke has also been releasing together with his wife, the singer Julienne Dessagne, under the project name Saschienne. In 2012, the project Unknown 's debut album was released by Kompakt. 

[Spotify] MZ

“Say it like You Mean it”, Sleater-Kinney

This way: Say it like You Mean it

Little Rope is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Sleater-Kinney, released on January 19, 2024, on Loma Vista. Produced by John Congleton, the album was preceded by the singles: "Hell", "Say It Like You Mean It", and "Untidy Creature". 

Background and recording

The idea of another Sleater-Kinney album was initially "up in the air", as an introduction video of their previous album Path of Wellness (2021) resulted in a vague answer as to whether the duo would ever record another album.[1] However, after the release of their tenth studio album they turned to John Congleton to produce their next record. They had planned to work with Congleton "for a long time" but had to wait for "the stars" to align. Recording took place at Flora Recording & Playback in Portland, Oregon.

[Spotify] Say it like You Mean it

“Loves Vain Reach”, Sport of Kings

This way: Loves Vain Reach

Special Interest is a punk band from New Orleans, Louisiana that consists of Alli Logout on vocals, Maria Elena on guitar, Nathan Cassiani on bass, and Ruth Mascelli on synthesizer and drum machine. In interviews, they have described themselves as "genre non-conforming," drawing inspiration from various kinds of music, such as noise rock, no wave, dance-punk, and industrial rock; critics have described their music as mixing pop, disco, house, and glam punk. The band has grown a cult following and is notorious for its high-intensity live performances.   

They have released three full-length albums, an album of demos, and one remix album on independent labels. In 2021 they announced they have signed to Rough Trade Records.

Their third album, Endure, received significant critical notice, including a "Best New Music" review from Pitchfork, "Album of the Week" designation from BrooklynVegan, and four stars from The Guardian. It received a Metacritic score of 84, indicating "univeral acclaim." 

[Spotify] Loves Vain Reach

“Faithless”, Operators

This way: Faithless

Dan Boeckner (born 5 February 1978) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist and podcaster. He is best known as one of the frontmen of Wolf Parade, which he helped found in 2003. Since 2013, he has also been a member of the Montreal-based band Operators. Boeckner began his career in the Victoria, Canada music scene, playing in multiple bands including Atlas Strategic. Since that time, he has been part of projects including Handsome Furs and Divine Fits with Spoon frontman Britt Daniel. 

In 2022, Boeckner joined Arcade Fire in a session capacity, touring and performing with the band in support of their sixth studio album, WE. Making his live debut at the Toulouse Theatre in New Orleans, Boeckner subsequently appeared in the video to the band's first single, "The Lightning I, II".

In May 2014, Boeckner debuted his new band, Operators, during Canadian Music Week in Toronto. In January 2016, the Operators announced that their debut album, "Blue Wave", would be released on 1 April 2016. 

[Spotify] Faithless

“When I Laugh”, The Glands

This way: When I Laugh

The Glands were an American indie rock band from Athens, Georgia, United States. Their first CD, Double Thriller, was self-released in 1996 and reissued on Bar/None Records in 1998. Their self-titled album was first released in 2000 on Capricorn Records and reissued on Velocette Records in August 2001. Their third and final studio album Double Coda was released on New West Records in November 2018.

The Glands' unique sounds recalled a variety of influences, including the Kinks, the Who, and The Rolling Stones. The song "Livin' Was Easy" was featured in the DVD Let America Laugh by comedian David Cross. The band reunited for a brief east coast tour in late 2011, playing several dates with Yo La Tengo. Ross Shapiro, singer, guitarist, and founding member of The Glands, died in March 2016 aged 53 of lung cancer.  

[Spotify] When I Laugh

“Adolescent”, Los Plugz

This way: Adolescent

The Plugz (also known as "Los Plugz") were a Latino punk band from Los Angeles that formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1984. They and The Zeros were among the first Latino punk bands, although several garage rock bands, such as Thee Midniters and Question Mark & the Mysterians, predated them. The Plugz melded the spirit of punk and Latino music. 

The band was formed in 1977 and was a contemporary of the bands featured in the film The Decline of Western Civilization. Their songs reflected the anger and angst of growing up Chicano, and this was reflected in their sardonic hi-speed version of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba". The Plugz are generally acknowledged as being the first D.I.Y. punk band in L.A., having started their own PLUGZ RECORDS and later Fatima records.

The band was initially composed of: 

Tito Larriva (lead vocals/guitar)

Charlie Quintana (drums) (d. 2018)

Barry McBride (bass/backing vocals)

This lineup recorded the band's first album, Electrify Me, produced and engineered by Alan Kutner, and released in 1979. The Plugz melded the spirit of punk and Latino music.

[Spotify] NO!

“Also Sprach Zarathustra”, Deodato

This way: Also Sprach Zarathustra

"Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)" is an instrumental by Brazilian musician Eumir Deodato, from his 1973 album Prelude. It is a heavily jazz-funk styled rendition of the introduction from the Richard Strauss composition Also sprach Zarathustra. The "(2001)" mentioned is a reference to the soundtrack for the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. 

Released as the album's first single in early 1973, his rendition peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on 31 March 1973 (behind Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly with His Song"), number 3 in Canada, and number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. It won the 16th Annual Grammy Awards Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Eumir Deodato de Almeida, born 22 June 1942) is a Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger and record producer, primarily in jazz but who has been known for his eclectic melding of genres, such as pop, rock, disco, rhythm and blues, classical, Latin and bossa nova. Deodato has arranged and produced more than 500 records for acts such as Frank Sinatra, Roberta Flack, Björk and Christophe, as well as produced Kool & the Gang's hits "Celebration", "Ladies' Night" and "Too Hot".

[Spotify] Also Sprach Zarathustra

“Sophia So Far”, Goodnight Radio

This way: Sophia So Far

This Track was composed for the short film Curfew by Shawn Christensen. I highly recommend the film, a great use of 20 minutes. Apparently the song they were planning on using in the film was not available so Shawn (also a musician see Stellastar) wrote a new song to use and here it is. 

[Curfew] Cerfew Film

[Spotify] Sophia So Far

“I Will Love You”, Populuxe

This way: I Will Love You

Ye Olde friend Rob Shapiro of Populuxe fame has imassed a great collection of music over the years. Here is a fave from there 3rd. A lot of great music to mine there . . .  

[Spotify] I Will Love You

“Literary Mind”, SPRINTS

This way: Literary Mind

Sprints are an Irish garage punk band, formed in Dublin in 2019. Their debut album, Letter to Self, was released in January 2024 to critical acclaim. Members: Karla Chubb, Colm O’Reilly, Sam McCann, Jack Callan. Angry Music You Can Dance To. 

[Spotify] Literary Mind

“Big Black Heart”, Better Oblivian Community Center

This way: Big Black Heart

Better Oblivion Community Center was an American indie rock superduo consisting of musicians Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers. They released their self-titled debut album on January 24, 2019, through Dead Oceans.

Oberst and Bridgers first met in July 2016, when she performed at a secret showcase he was hosting at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles. A mutual friend of theirs was helping organize the event and told Oberst that he was Bridgers' favorite songwriter in LA at the time, so he invited her to play and was so impressed that he immediately asked her to send him the record she was working on. She then opened for him on his European Ruminations tour in January 2017, and they continued to collaborate consistently over the following two years. He brought her onstage to sing the Bright Eyes song "Lua" at WXPN's Xponential Music Festival that July, he sang on the duet "Would You Rather" from her debut Stranger in the Alps in September, they covered Sheryl Crow with Soccer Mommy at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in February 2018, and they worked together on a new version of his song "LAX" for Amazon Music in October, among numerous other joint appearances at each other's shows across the U.S.

The initial idea of forming the band apparently stemmed from Bridgers complimenting a cover Oberst had done of a Replacements song one night, and him replying that they should start a band and sound like the Replacements. When they first started writing together, they hadn't planned on putting out a record, and they thought they might be writing for one of each other's solo efforts or for a third party. Bridgers has said that it's common for Oberst to dream up "fake bands", so she didn't know that he was being serious until they had written "like, five songs". They mentioned that they wanted to create a separate project with its own name so that they could feel free to create a sound different than their individual solo act.

[Spotify] Big Black Heart

“Eternal Connection”, Act Tragic

This way: Eternal Connection

Act Tragic is an indie/alternative band that . . . .  yeah, no idea really. 

[Spotify] Eternal Connection

“Crush”, Ethel Cain

This way: Crush-oh its live

Hayden Silas Anhedönia (born March 24, 1998), known professionally as Ethel Cain, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and model. Inspired by Christian music and Gregorian chants, with lyrics focused on nostalgic and Southern Gothic themes, her music has been associated with the ambient, indie rock, and folk genres. She has released multiple extended plays (EPs) on streaming platforms under various aliases, before officially starting her main project in mid-2019.

In 2022, Cain released her debut studio album titled Preacher's Daughter, to widespread acclaim from music critics—many of whom called it one of the best albums of the year. Following its release, she garnered a cult following online. 

2017–2021: Career beginnings and EPs

Anhedönia officially started making music in 2017, releasing "dreamy bedroom pop" demos with different monikers, such as White Silas and Atlas (stylized as ΛTLΛS). She began experimenting with "reverb-heavy choral inspired music". As White Silas, she released five extended plays (EPs) on streaming plataforms: Colossus (2017), Arcane Vessels (2018), Sad Music for Sad People (2018) Nightmares (2018) and Mourning After (2019), the latter two being in collaboration with musician Little Triste.

[Spotify] Crush

“Wires and Waves”, Rilo Kiley

This way: Wires and Waves

Rilo Kiley was an American indie rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1998, the band consisted of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Dave Rock.

The group released their debut album Take-Offs and Landings under Seattle-based independent label Barsuk Records in 2001. After that, they released three additional studio albums and several EPs. In 2007, they were signed with Warner Bros., and subsequently made their major-label debut with the album Under the Blacklight.

Rilo Kiley performed their first concert at Spaceland in Los Angeles in January 1998. Their debut EP, Rilo Kiley (later reissued as The Initial Friend EP), was released in 1999. The band signed with independent label Barsuk Records for its first full-length album, Take-Offs and Landings, in 2001. The band later signed with Omaha's Saddle Creek Records and released The Execution of All Things in 2002. In 2004, they released More Adventurous on its own imprint, Brute/Beaute Records, which was distributed by major label Warner Bros. Records. The band later signed directly with Warner Bros.  

[Spotify] Wires and Waves

“Sunny”, Club 8

This way: Sunny

Club 8 is a Swedish musical group consisting of Karolina Komstedt (from the band Poprace) and Johan Angergård (Acid House Kings, Poprace).

Formed in 1995, Club 8 were signed to the Spanish record label Siesta. They released a single called "Me Too" and an album called Nouvelle with an twee pop sound. 

In 1998, their second album, The Friend I Once Had, and the single "Missing You" were released. "Missing You" became a club and radio hit in Spain and somewhat of a college radio favorite in the US.[citation needed] The band started playing live. Their first gig was in New York at a March Records CMJ event in 1999. Their sound had by now developed into a more bossa nova and dance-oriented one.

In 2001, Club 8's sound moved toward chill-out and trip hop on their third, self-titled album.[citation needed] In the autumn of 2001, the duo used Stockholm's Summersound Studios, writing songs and experimenting with dub, trip hop, chillout, 1980s, and bossa nova sounds. The resulting album, released in 2002, is named Spring Came, Rain Fell.

[Spotify] Sunny

“Cubic Zirconia”, Katy Kirby

This way: Cubic Zirconia

Katy Kirby is a Nashville, Tennessee based American musician and singer-songwriter from Spicewood, Texas. Kirby grew up as an evangelical Christian in Spicewood, Texas, where she was homeschooled and listened primarily to worship music. She attended college at Belmont University, where she majored in English. Kirby began releasing music in 2018, with the EP Juniper. In May 2020, she shared a new recorded version of her song "Tap Twice". 

In late 2020, she announced plans to release her debut album and, along with the announcement, released the single "Traffic!". The album, Cool Dry Place, came out on February 19, 2021, and became Stereogum's "Album of the Week". The album would eventually be included in a number of yearend best-albums-of-2021 lists, including those by Paste, Our Culture Mag, and Consequence of Sound.

[Spotify] Cubic Zirconia

“Leaves and Kings”, Josh Ritter

This way: Leaves and Kings

Josh Ritter (born October 21, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author who performs and records with the Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006, he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.

Ritter was born on October 21, 1976, in Moscow, Idaho, to Robert and Sue Ritter. His fascination with music began when he first heard Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country" on his parents' copy of Nashville Skyline, and he purchased his first guitar at a local K-Mart. After graduating from Moscow High School in 1995, Ritter attended Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. He initially enrolled in Oberlin's neuroscience program, as his parents were both neuroscientists, but he later created the independent major "American History Through Narrative Folk Music." At the age of 21, Ritter recorded his self-titled debut album at a recording studio on campus.

Following his graduation from Oberlin, Ritter moved to Scotland, where he attended the School of Scottish Studies for six months. From there, he moved to Providence, Rhode Island, working odd jobs and playing open mics in Boston. It was at one such open mic that he met Irish musician Glen Hansard, who invited Ritter to Ireland as an opening act for his band, The Frames. 

[Spotify] Leaves and Kings

“Coming Down This Way”, Peter Holsapple

This way: Coming Down This Way

Peter Holsapple (born February 19, 1956) is an American musician who formed, along with Chris Stamey, the dB's, a jangle-pop band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He became the band's principal songwriter and singer after Stamey's departure. The band, with Stamey back in the fold, reformed with new material in 2005–2006.

Holsapple was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, moving with his family to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1962. He graduated from R. J. Reynolds High School.

He played in bands since 1964, professionally since 1970. His band Rittenhouse Square, which included Mitch Easter, Chris Stamey, and Bobby Locke, released an independent album in 1972. When Rittenhouse broke up, Holsapple joined future dB's drummer Will Rigby and several other high school friends in Little Diesel, a proto-punk rock band that ran against the tastes of Southern rock. Little Diesel's album No Lie (produced by Chris Stamey in 1974) was released on twenty 8-track cartridges, and it was finally re-released in 2006 on Telstar Records. College broke the band up, but Holsapple continued to write and sing, eventually moving to New York from Memphis, where he had recorded at Sam Phillips Studio with Big Star engineer Richard Rosebrough, three months into the dB's existence. He joined as keyboard player and backing vocalist, but he quickly began submitting his songs, playing guitar, and singing lead vocals alongside Stamey. 

After the dB's broke up in 1988, Holsapple worked as a full-time auxiliary guitarist and keyboardist for R.E.M. on the Green world tour. He participated in the writing and development, as well as the recording, of their 1991 multi-platinum release Out of Time, but subsequently left his sideman role with R.E.M. due to rumoured disputes over songwriting credits. Holsapple subsequently worked with Hootie & the Blowfish as an auxiliary musician.

[Spotify] Coming Down This Way

“Polar Opposites”, Modest Mouse

This way: Polar Opposites

Modest Mouse is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, and currently based in Portland, Oregon. The founding members were lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy. Strongly influenced by Pavement, Pixies, XTC, and Talking Heads, they rehearsed, rearranged, and recorded demos for almost two years before finally signing with small-town indie label K Records and releasing numerous singles. The band achieved mainstream success with their fourth album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004), and its singles "Float On" and "Ocean Breathes Salty".

From their 1996 debut album This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About onwards, the band's lineup mostly centered on Brock and Green, undergoing multiple changes. As of 2023, Brock is the only original member of the band, Green having died in December 2022. Judy performed on every Modest Mouse album until his departure in 2012. Guitarist Johnny Marr (formerly of the Smiths) joined the band in 2006, shortly following percussionist Joe Plummer (formerly of the Black Heart Procession) and multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso, to work on the album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007). Guitarist Jim Fairchild joined the band in 2009. The band's sixth album Strangers to Ourselves (subtitled "The Golden Casket Vol. 1") was released in 2015 and their seventh, The Golden Casket, in 2021.  

[Spotify] Polar Opposites

“Eye of Fatima”, Camper Van Beethoven

This way: Eye of Fatima

Camper Van Beethoven is an American rock band formed in Redlands, California in 1983, later based in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Their style mixes elements of pop, ska, punk, folk, alternative, country, and world music, amongst other genres. The band initially polarized audiences within the hardcore punk scene of California's Inland Empire and then found wider acceptance and, eventually, an international audience. Their strong iconoclasm and emphasis on do-it-yourself values proved influential to the burgeoning indie rock movement. 

The band's first three independent records were released within an 18-month period. Their debut single was "Take the Skinheads Bowling". The group signed to Virgin Records in 1987, released two albums and enjoyed chart success with their 1989 cover of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men", a number one hit on Billboard Magazine's Modern Rock Tracks. They disbanded the following year due to internal tensions.

Lead singer David Lowery formed Cracker, David Immerglück joined Counting Crows, and several other members played in Monks of Doom. Beginning in 1999, the former members reunited and made several new records.

[Spotify] Eye of Fatima

“Was there Anything I could Do”, The Go-Betweens

This way: Was there Anything I could Do

The Go-Betweens were an Australian indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1977. The band was co-founded and led by singer-songwriters and guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who were its only constant members throughout its existence. Drummer Lindy Morrison joined the band in 1980, and its lineup would later expand to include bass guitarist Robert Vickers and multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown. Vickers was replaced by John Willsteed in 1987, and the quintet lineup remained in place until the band split two years later. Forster and McLennan reformed the band in 2000 with a new lineup that did not include any previous personnel aside from them. McLennan died on 6 May 2006 of a heart attack and the Go-Betweens disbanded again. In 2010, a toll bridge in their native Brisbane was renamed the Go Between Bridge after them. 

In 1988, "Streets of Your Town", the first single from 16 Lovers Lane, entered the Top 100 on both the Kent Music Report chart in Australia and the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom. The follow-up single "Was There Anything I Could Do?" was a No. 16 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States. In May 2001, "Cattle and Cane", from 1983's Before Hollywood, was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. In 2008, 16 Lovers Lane was highlighted on Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) TV's The Great Australian Albums series.

[Spotify] Was there Anything I could Do

“Low”, Cracker

This way: Low

Cracker is an American rock band, formed in 1990 by lead singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. The band's first album Cracker was released in 1992 on Virgin Records; it included the single "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)", which went to #1 on the U.S. Modern Rock chart. The band's follow-up, the 1993 album Kerosene Hat included the hit songs "Low", "Get Off This", and "Euro-Trash Girl".

Cracker has released nine studio albums and several compilations, collaborations, solo projects and live albums. The band mix influences and sounds from rock, punk, grunge, psychedelia, country, blues and folk.  

[Spotify] Low

“Now That You Know Me”, Grant Hart

This way: Now That You Know Me

This track from 1989. Grant Hart (March 18, 1961 – September 13, 2017) was an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-songwriter for the punk rock band Hüsker Dü. After the band's breakup in 1988, he released his first solo album Intolerance before forming the alternative rock trio Nova Mob, where he moved to vocals and guitar. His solo career became his main focus after the dissolution of Nova Mob in 1997.

As the co-songwriter of Hüsker Dü, Hart's songs (such as "The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" and "Turn on the News") received praise from critics and contemporaries. His vocal style, in contrast to that of Hüsker Dü bandmate Bob Mould, had a more measured and melodic delivery. His choice of lyrical themes, which ranged from teenage alienation in "Standing by the Sea" and the depiction of a murder in "Diane," to playful story-telling in "Books About UFOs," helped to expand the subject matter of hardcore punk. 

Hart died on September 13, 2017, of complications from liver cancer and hepatitis C

[Spotify] Now That You Know Me

“Door”, Nice as Fuck

This way: Door

Nice as Fuck (NAF) is an all-female indie rock supergroup made up of Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley), Erika Forster (of Au Revoir Simone), and Tennessee Thomas (of the Like). The band first performed at a rally for U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in April 2016 and went on to make their television debut in July 2016 on a live episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert during the 2016 Republican National Convention. 

The band's self-titled first LP was released on June 24, 2016. The group toured with the Watson Twins and M. Ward.

[Spotify] Door

“Dignity and Shame”, Crooked Fingers-Dignity and Shame—NPA

This way: Dignity and Shame

Near Perfect Album

Crooked Fingers was an American indie rock band, led by the former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann. A vehicle for Bachmann's songwriting, the band's lineup changed between each record. Crooked Fingers released albums on WARM Records and Merge Records, and also independently. Bachmann retired the name Crooked Fingers in January 2016 with a pair of shows in New York City and Durham, NC, playing the first two records in their entirety with a string ensemble and has since been releasing albums under his name. Following the breakup of Archers of Loaf in 1998, Bachmann's next project was a solo venture he named Crooked Fingers. The first release, a self-titled record, was released by WARM in 2000. It was followed shortly after by a second album on WARM, Bring on the Snakes. Crooked Fingers signed to Merge, and released Reservoir Songs EP in 2002, composed of cover songs of artists such as Neil Diamond and Queen. In 2003, they released Red Devil Dawn, their first full-length for Merge.

They released Dignity and Shame in 2005. Bachmann brought a full band on the road with him in support of the album and delighted audiences by having all the musicians pull their instruments off stage and into the crowd for a few numbers.

[Spotify] Dignity and Shame

[Spotify, album] Dignity and Shame