Andrew bird: Armchair Apocrypha

So I downloaded a copy of Andrew Bird's new record Armchair Apocrypha (don't worry Mr. Bird, when it comes out for real next Tuesday I will buy the record... I like the higher quality sound and Jay Ryan's artwork... see to the right. Go to birdmachine.com to buy). This album is a step beyond the Mysterious Production of Eggs, which I thought was one of the best works of 2005. Andrew plays the guitar, violin, keyboards, and whistles through the whole album, yielding a soft rock masterpiece. Mr Bird's lyrical delivery is fantastic, sometimes evoking both sorrow and laughter at the same time, a feat hard to deliver.

Andrew Bird is also one of the finest live acts around. The process by which he plucks out a rhythm piece on his violin, will record and loop it, then record something else and loop it, then he will actually pick up whatever is the lead instrument and play. The process by which the crowd hears the song constructed is fascinating. Add on to that if a mistake gets through, it's fun to see the artist and the crowd deal with the loop of a mistake every 15 or so seconds.

Andrew Bird plays Webster Hall on Thursday May 17th.