Andrew Bird has done it again. Bird’s 2007 album Armchair Apocrypha was widely hailed as one of the best albums of that year. It’s almost a sure bet that his newest release, Noble Beast, will go down as one of the finest albums of 2009. I’ve had the album on a near loop for days, and it’s a grower – the more I listen to it, the more I am sure it will probably remain on my essential albums list years from now.
Bird, who is currently on tour, really expands as an artist on Noble Beast and yet manages to perfect the framework that made him famous and keep his compositional idiosyncrasies that so many fans treasure still interesting, such as his signature whistling.
Few artists can get away with as much whistling as Bird spreads throughout this work because it is always appealing and woven in with the music just perfectly. For example, on the track “Take Courage” Bird whistles like a musician, not just some guy walking down the street.
“Souverian” is a love song that would go well with a road trip through quiet places. It’s also a split single in that it transforms in to another style of music half-way through. Split singles are becoming a trend in recent years, and Bird is a natural when it comes to creating such a song. Other album highlights include “Oh No”, “Anonanimal” (see new video above) “Fitz and the Dizzyspells” and “Tenuousness”.
There is a limited edition double CD version called Useless Creatures, a collection of new instrumental works. Orders for the limited edition are being taken at http://fatpossum.com.
Please note: I have not heard the bonus CD except for one ten-minute track titled “The Barn Tapes”. Let’s just say that song is not a keeper – an unusual occurrence with Bird’s music catalog.
It must also be noted that some critics will argue Noble Beast is not as ground-breaking as Armchair Apocrypha, or as accessible, but the overall collection of songs on Noble Beast is a solid follow-up to AA and will easily survive any nit-picking.
“Tenuousness” by Andrew Bird from Noble Beast
Stream songs from Noble Beast at Andrew Bird’s MySpace page.
Get Noble Beast at Emusic.com or iTunes
Official Release for Europe: Feb. 15 (how romantic)
Bird is performing Monday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn and the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City Wednesday night.
With the exception of a two-week break in early March, Bird will be touring until the end of April. Chances are he will sell out just about everywhere he plays, especially as word about his newest release spreads.