Once again, Crooked Fingers pulls some nifty tricks out of their sleeves. With the twisted innocence and complexity of a spiderweb, Forfeit/Fortune is mysteriously beautiful. Pop and art collide on the band's fifth album with charming recklessness.
Whether it be the dark guitar and piano combination of "Sinisteria" or recalling the E-Street Band on "What Never Comes", the Seattle-based group challenges the intersection of fun and gloom in a truly engaging way. The gypsy-esque romp on "Phony Revolutions" and jerky Latin sound of "¡No Me Los Des!" add even more familiar, yet mostly peculiar, elements to Forfeit/Fortune.
With various important indie-pop cameos, Crooked Fingers smartly mix the essential (pop) and the extraordinary (art) on Forfeit/Fortune. It's a striking twist on guitar/piano rock more for its shameless quirkiness than anything. On this album, they may not quite push envelopes but they at least lick 'em.
