Fingers point in right direction

Five full-lengths and two EPs after creating Crooked Fingers, Eric Bachmann — writer, vocalist, instrumentalist and producer — once again emerges strong with his latest folk-rock album, the bold yet nostalgic “Breaks in the Armor.”

These songs are the result of refreshed self-discovery after a stint in 2009 teaching English in Taipei, Taiwan. With the help of fellow singer-songwriter Liz Durrett as backing vocals, Bachmann creates a gentle, well-paced, dynamic tracklist that shows a wide range of his musical leanings.

The track “Black Candles” has roots in traditional Appalachian music, with Bachmann’s down-home drawl gliding with ease through each soaring note and melodic punch. He follows this with the feat of smooth transition into lighter-than-usual fare, chamber pop-influenced “Went to the City.”

Though his sound bordered on being strained and self-conscious in previous recordings, Bachmann has finally found his sweet spot — melding all components together, such as in “Typhoon” and “The Counterfeit,” in which hooks linger long after the song is gone. This album is crowned his most listenable to date.