WhatzUp

Short Careers
Eric Bachmann
by Chad Beck

Writing and recording an original score for a movie about baseball, greed and madness might seem difficult, but Eric Bachmann (Archers Of Loaf, Crooked Fingers) rose to the challenge and triumphed. After years of fronting great (but under-rated) indie rock acts, Bachmann agreed to produce a creepy soundtrack for an even creepier movie. Based on an evil baseball player who turns the game into a blood sport by pitting his teammates against one another in violent competitions, Short Careers was written and directed by Daniel Klaus (Jefftowne, Half Hell). Reading the short synopsis of the plot at www.ballofwaxmovie.com, one gets the impression that this will be a bizarre and twisted movie which requires devilish background music. Bachmann’s score more than succeeds at this, sending chills down the listener’s spine with a dozen deceptively beautiful instrumental tracks.

Employing a variety of mostly acoustic instruments (violins, cello, piano, guitar, percussion), Short Careers plays like a dream inside the listener’s head. The tempos are consistently slow, allowing plenty of room for Bachmann to set up mood and ambiance. Although this is mostly a hushed piece, things never become dull due to Bachmann’s relentless creative vision. For example, “Nosebleed” features a slightly out-of-tune guitar, adding just enough warble to throw off one’s senses, while “Good Morning Sleepyhead” infuses crowd noise and a chiming synth to blur and hypnotize. Although there are plenty of interesting soundscapes and noises throughout, the most impressive parts of Short Careers are the string arrangements. Bachmann’s knack for writing violin and cello parts gives the score oodles of depth and miles of spookiness. The strings dance around the sparse percussion and provide a consistency to the score from opening to close.

We still have to wait a few months to see if the film Short Careers will be worth the price of admission, but if Bachmann’s soundtrack is any indication, it should be a hit among college and arthouse crowds. Song titles like “Aspirin vs. Arsenic,” “A Diamond Is the Devil’s Eye” and “The Mysterious Death of Robert Tower” suggest a very disturbing story, and these meticulous instrumentals are the perfect background. Due August 20th, Short Careers (Original score for the film Ball Of Wax) is another top-shelf record that Bachmann can add to his impressive catalog.