Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrypha

CML call number: CD ROCK Bird
Contents: Fiery crash — Imitosis — Plasticities — Heretics — Armchairs — Darkmatter — Simple X — Supine — Cataracts — Scythian empires — Spare-Ohs — Yawn at the apocalypse.
Eric R. Danton wrote in his Hartford Courant blog Sound Check: "[W]e went to see Andrew Bird. … He focused mainly on his excellent new record, 'Armchair Apocrypha' (out March 20 on Fat Possum). The Chicago musician just gets better on stage every time I see him, and he was pretty good to start. He's added a bass player to his live lineup, which also features drummer Martin Dosh, and the low-end helps shape the presence of his songs on stage. He sings, plays violin, guitar and xylophone, and whistles. It's fascinating to watch him record and loop a violin part, then add a guitar figure on top of it and whistle counter-melodies between verses. He's already toying with the arrangements of his new songs, which made for a thrilling ride on a fierce version of 'Plasticities' as the noodly, meandering verses resolved into a tight, defiant-sounding chorus. He also drew a huge crowd (for SXSW, anyway), which was heartening to see" (3/17/07).