Dignity and Shame, Crooked Fingers' fourth full length finds front man Eric Bachmann embracing great traditions of American Music from appalachian folk, southwestern blues, country and good old rock and roll. Bachmann is supported here by a cast of returning players from 2003s breakthrough Red Devil Dawn and a few new faces who bring a renewed depth and intensity to his songs. When the opening picked guitar notes of "Islero" give way to distant congas and then build into a trumpet fueled southwestern lament, it is clear that this is a very new direction for Crooked Fingers. The relaxed interplay of Bachmann and road tested sidemen Barton Carroll and Dov Friedman break Bachmann's songs free of all previous influences. Bachmann's songwriting is confident and with backing vocals from Lara Meyeratken (Luna, Ben Lee), songs like "Call to Love" and "Valerie" soar into a joyful abandon only hinted at on previous Crooked Fingers records.