Andrew Bird
Noble Beast
Fat Possum

Andrew Bird is the king of noble pop. He's a genius mind, I believe, with this Midas touch when creating his world of music. Songs not like any one else -- to get under your skin, into your head, inside your body.

Noble Beast was put out some months ago, but it still deserves every hail and thumbs up it possibly can get. This is one of those must-have albums of the year. Mr Bird only make albums like that. Must-haves. It's been some two years since his last album, Armchair Apocrypha, and once again he steps out with grace and elegance. In a way he's a bit like Sufjan Stevens. They're both creating musical melancholy, they're both skilled multi-instrumentalists, they're both born near the shores of The Great Lakes (Bird in Chicago, IL, Stevens in Detroit, MI). But, then again, they're quite different. Nevertheless, they both make brilliant music, a bit on the side. And, they're both quite enigmatic, eerie, and highly eccentric types, writing some odd lyrical stories. Well, this just triggers and teases your interest to dive into the music. So, again, a must have. Period. Case closed.

Noble Beast was at first released as a deluxe double-cd, including a bonus disc with 9 instrumental songs, entitled Useless Creatures. Then as a regular CD / 2LP. Well, I'll stick to vinyl, but I guess the bonus disc is worth checking out.

Copyright © 2009 Håvard Oppøyen