Released in 2007, Armchair Apocrypha proved that hyper-literate singer/songwriter, genre-bending violin player, and peerless whistler Andrew Bird had found the perfect middle ground between his increasingly austere solo sets and the full-band grandeur of his days with the Bowl of Fire, a strategy he repeats with similar results on Noble Beast, his fifth full-length solo offering and second collection for the Mississippi-based Fat Possum label. Bird, a classically trained violinist since the age of four, has skillfully integrated nearly everything with strings on it into his repertoire since his conversion from the Weill and Brecht-heavy days of Music of Hair, Thrills, and Oh! The Grandeur to the semi-mainstream indie pop of The Swimming Hour, but it's his seemingly limitless capacity for manipulation of the violin that dominates Noble Beast. Opening cut "Oh No," a track that Bird began releasing sketches of months before the album's street date, may be his most successful foray into the murky world of the potentially commercial pop song yet, boasting a chorus that points directly at the Shins while maintaining the artistic integrity of the loop-happy, meticulous craftsman who fans have been watching evolve since 2003's Weather Systems. What follows is a typically eclectic batch of material that reflect Bird's own musical time line. Tracks like "Masterswarm" and "Not a Robot, But a Ghost" are proof positive that he hasn't completely abandoned his swing jazz roots, "Fitz and the Dizzyspells" could very well provide audiences with their first opportunity to "bust a move" at a show, while "Nomenclature"'s easy country-folk front half dissolves into a rear end that wouldn't seem out of place on a late-'90s Radiohead album. Throughout it all Bird rhymes -- sometimes to a fault -- like a history or biology professor ("From proto-Sanskrit Minoans to porto-centric Lisboans"), rendering many of the songs clever as opposed to emotionally resonant, but whatever romance he lacks in the textual medium he more than makes up for in melody. [The deluxe version of the album includes an impressive bonus disc of instrumental works, cleverly titled Useless Creatures, which features collaborations with Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche and jazz bassist Todd Sickafoose.]
Andrew BirdNoble Beast[Fat Possum; 2009]Links: Andrew Bird | Fat Possum | Purchase on InsoundPosted by Elias Isquith on 28 July 2009Andrew Bird’s latest LP is quite well represented by its cover art. It’s his most natural sounding release–organic is another word. While 2007’s Armchair Apocrypha was a sleek, cavernous record, Noble Beast sounds lighter, less [...]
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There's always been something about Andrew Bird's music that has attracted oddballs. Whether it's the idiosyncratic curiosities that Bird weaves so deliciously between the layers of each of his songs (handclaps, whistles, loops, samples, glock et al) or simply because he chooses to sing from a perspective that sits him right on the cusp of mainstream pop. culture, there's long since been an inn...
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Okay... so I gues it's time for my once a month post... (I'll get my shit together soon...).I did the poster for Andrew Bird's Fillmore shows last Thursday & Friday... (result above)... What a fantastic show... Opening was Sweden's latest in a long line of quality bands, Loney Dear... I believe I've posted on them before and I advise you to check 'em out...I've been a big fan of Andrew Bird's ...
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I tend to hate albums with squeaky-clean production. I prefer raw and gritty to polished and spotless primarily because I feel the buffing takes away from the "realness," particularly in the day and age of Auto-Tune. Andrew Bird's Noble Beast, however, makes me want to eat my words. The clean edges and pitch-perfect vocals make for an album that flows seamlessly and beautifully. "Oh No," th...
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Rising out of the dark, electric shadows of his 2007 album, Armchair Apocrypha, Andrew Bird greets the dawn of 2009 with Noble Beast, a set of carefully crafted and (mostly) acoustic songs which sound gorgeously lazy thanks to their heavy country-folk leanings. Much like it's cover photo of a country field at either the first rays of dawn or the last dying glow before dusk, Noble Beast is a ca...
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This album is really nice - throughout its fifty four minute duration. That could be a cue for a vicious but soft-gloved attack on Andrew Bird. It might still be. I want to rip it apart for being so cute, well put together, well recorded, catchy and yet somehow still soulless when put in a cold house with me.
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Although perhaps overshadowed by Animal Collective's release on the same day next week, Andrew Bird's upcoming album, Noble Beast , has built up a sizable amount of hype, especially with the album streaming over at NPR and leaking several days later. Even before that, Bird has been anything but shy about showing off his new material, especially live. When I saw him perform this past summer,...
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More like last three nights ago, am I right? Anyway, it's Monday, most of our Halloween hangovers are gone, and it's time to get back to the music. The night before Halloween found a little bit of Halloween-centric music, with Weezer performing on Letterman again, this time dressed in their custom Snuggies, while Alice in Chains brought their dark brand of rock to Conan. Meanwhile, the pheno...
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Okay... so I gues it's time for my once a month post... (I'll get my shit together soon...).I did the poster for Andrew Bird's Fillmore shows last Thursday & Friday... (result above)... What a fantastic show... Opening was Sweden's latest in a long line of quality bands, Loney Dear... I believe I've posted on them before and I advise you to check 'em out...I've been a big fan of Andrew Bird's ...
More >
Although perhaps overshadowed by Animal Collective's release on the same day next week, Andrew Bird's upcoming album, Noble Beast , has built up a sizable amount of hype, especially with the album streaming over at NPR and leaking several days later. Even before that, Bird has been anything but shy about showing off his new material, especially live. When I saw him perform this past summer,...
More >
Andrew Bird has announced dates for his 2009 U.S. tour. The jaunt, which kicks off January 28 in New York, will see the singer play dates in several major cities including Orlando, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland.The tour will be in support of his forthcoming album, 'Noble Beast ', due out January 27, 2009. Andrew Bird U.S. Tour Dates:Jan 28 - Carnegie Hall New York, New Yor...
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I've been listening to Andrew Bird's Armchair Apocrypha to get myself excited for his upcoming sophomore album, Noble Beast (due January 27). If the recently released track, "Oh No," is any indication, it's sure to be another great record. Anyway, Bird sets off on a medium sized tour immediately after the release of the album, [...]
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I tend to hate albums with squeaky-clean production. I prefer raw and gritty to polished and spotless primarily because I feel the buffing takes away from the "realness," particularly in the day and age of Auto-Tune. Andrew Bird's Noble Beast, however, makes me want to eat my words. The clean edges and pitch-perfect vocals make for an album that flows seamlessly and beautifully. "Oh No," th...
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Andrew Bird's upcoming sophomore album, Noble Beast, has been on my Anticipated Albums of '09 list (which exists in my head only, no link) since I first heard "Oh No" a few months ago. NPR is now streaming the full album, and I'm currently lunch-breaking with my left-over bow-tie pasta and listening to "Fitz and [...]
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Thanks to NPR, you can listen to Andrew Bird's new album scheduled to be released on January 20. You can listen to it in one session or track by track. Here's the link:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98649962&sc=nl&cc=asc-20090104
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Don't have much to say here. It's been a long while since I've posted, so I thought I should just throw something up.Going by my playcount on itunes, this song is the #1 played song by me in the last month. Don't go by what MOG-o-meter says as that counts the songs listened to by other people on my same network.Oh, and here's a picture of my new tattoo. I hope y'all are doing well.- M
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Be proud moggers. I've been sticking to the New Year's resolution at the top of my list: keeping my mouth shut. And as a vote-for-the-best-candidate-and-not-the-political-party, but typically left-leaning dove who just spent a trip to the inauguration with a group comprised of 98% Bush-loving, Obama-loathing, admittedly bitter (and almost insultingly vocal) Republicans, it was definitely smar...
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The first compilation disc I made for work was completely random but Fitz & The Dizzyspells being first up turned out to be a great choice. Fits and dizzy spells - sure enough, some days are like that!
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Another Noble Beast song is floating around, and it's great. This guy is so damn consistent. He makes smart, laid back, warm and wonderfully melodic music. Perfect for the winter weather. Pour yourself a glass of eggnog, light a fire, and listen to some new Bird. The album comes out January 20th.Andrew Bird - TenuousnessRelated: Andrew Bird "Oh No" and Winter TourPigeonsandPlanes
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A read through of Noble Beast's lyric sheet isn't only intimidating, it's damn near impenetrable. A listen to the music, though, and there's no hint of the bookish opacity that the lyrics would suggest. Instead, Bird is remarkably adept at creating wistful soundscapes with breezy melodies to match. Handclaps, violin and Bird's trademark whistling all make Noble Beast feel rather warm and inviti...
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I don't know how long this deal will last, but it's too good not to share. Andrew Bird's new album, Noble Beast, is currently available on Amazon for $1.99. If you like Andrew Bird's earlier stuff, there's no reason to delay. It's a steal!
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In my boredom tonight, I randomly came across a new Andrew Bird song from his upcoming album Noble Beast , which is going to be released January 2009 on Fat Possum. It's called "Oh No" and it's pretty good. And since I know the majority of you are Andrew Bird fans, I just had to share it. After you're done listening to it, head over to Andrew Bird's music blog over at the NY Times. Yeah, ...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Oh No |
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| 2 Masterswarm |
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| 3 Fitz and the Dizzyspells |
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| 4 Effigy |
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| 5 Tenuousness |
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| 6 Nomenclature |
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| 7 ouo |
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| 8 Not a Robot, But a Ghost |
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| 9 Unfolding Fans |
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| 10 Anonanimal |
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| 11 Natural Disaster |
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| 12 The Privateers |
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| 13 Souverian |
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| 14 On Ho |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Noble Beast")
