I was by no means a follower Andrew Bird’s past work with the Squirrel Nut Zippers, therefore his 2005 breakthrough album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, hit me from left field like a love punch. But I won’t be caught off guard again. Come March 20th, Bird is back with a new album entitled Armchair Apocrypha as well as a new home on Mississippi’s Fat Possum label. Yes, that Fat Possum, just don’t expect any blues.
Having spent the past couple of weeks with the album it is safe to say that Bird not only lives up to the promises made on Mysterious Production, but damn near surpasses it. Check out the first single, “Heretics,” below, and if you want to hear “Fiery Crash,” listen this week’s podcast.
Download:
MP3: Andrew Bird :: Heretics
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Amazon: Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha
www.andrewbird.net ++ www.myspace.com ++ www.fatpossum.com
+ Andrew Bird is available via eMusic’s 25 free MP3 trial offer
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Andrew Bird MP3s
I think this album is going to garner Mr. Bird mainstream popularity.
Between guesting with the Zippers and putting out Mysterious Production, Andrew Bird released four full-length albums with his band, Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire – Music of Hair, Thrills, Oh! The Grandeur, and The Swimming Hour – plus some EPs (I highly recommend 2003’s Weather Systems). Seeing him with the Bowl of Fire was a real riot. It was like going back in time to some old speakeasy. The drummer, Kevin O’Donnell, played the washboard and the steel tub and they were truly wild, man. I miss the BOF.
Agreed, Weather Systems is a brilliant album. It’s a bit more whimsical and meandering than Eggs, but easily as good.
Agree with Sara, especially as to that last Bowl of Fire record, The Swimming Hour, which I think still ranks with the best stuff he’s ever done. This new one is awfully nice, too.
Can’t wait for this one to drop.
I’m not sure if Andrew has it in himself to outdo Eggs. That album was a modern essential. I will be picking this one up though.
This week Andrew Bird was featured on Studio 360, Public Radio International’s Peabody Award winning weekly show about creativity, pop culture and the arts hosted by novelist, journalist and co-founder of legendary Spy Magazine Kurt Andersen. I thought you might be interested in including a link to this week’s show on your blog. http://www.studio360.org/episodes/2007/03/23.
Studio360intern@wnyc.org
How can I link to this site on my blog?