Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire

THRILLS

Rykodisc -10397
visit Andrew's website, Bird News
also available on Amazon

This is a hybrid of music from the first half of this century with a heavy influence from the Weimar era of Weill and Brecht.  It comes on the heels of Marianne Faithfull's stunningly done (but ultra heavy and dark) 20th Century Blues, and I understand the fascination with the beautiful music of the era, however it still has such a feeling of brooding and pseudomysteriouso to it, that it causes wonder.  This is an eccentric collection of a wide variety of influences that lived in that era.  Think the music of Django, Fats Waller, Brecht, Grappelli, and maybe Tom Waits' voice, with a New Orleans sensibility, and you have a starting point for this disc.  Immediately one is struck by the sound that at once sounds like a vintage recording and yet at the same time contains a striking clarity, which contradicts the vintage.  It sounds as if it were recorded live in the studio using one, or very few microphones, in an effort to imitate the production style of that time.  The standout here is the violin playing of Andrew Bird.  This 25-year-old most definitely has done his homework and gotten down the licks of the music he so obviously loves.  His playing reflects his love and a flair for this music he is doing.  His singing is more than adequate, and his ear for the nuances of the music enhances the sound he is striving for.   To make this a bit more complete a task he wrote and arranged most of the songs here.  There are some he takes credit for that have some too familiar refrains, but lets not get too picky here.  A worthy endeavor that deserves marks for breaking the rules and taking chances.

 


Andrew Bird Thrills

Songs, times and writers - all songs written by Andrew Bird except where noted

  1. MINOR STAB - 5:27
  2. IDES OF SWING - 2:45 - contains lyrics from conversation with Andrew                 Calhoun
  3. GLASS FIGURINE - 3:24
  4. PATHETIQUE - 4:30 - lyrics adopted Heinrich Heine "Ich Grolle Nicht"
  5. DEPRESSION-PASILLO - 3:32 - Garcia
  6. 50 PIECES - 3:26
  7. A WOMAN'S LIFE AND LOVE - 4:26 - lyrics adopted from a poem by Chamisso, from the cycle FrauenLibe und -Leben
  8. SWEDISH WEDDING MARCH - 2:30 - traditional folk melody
  9. GRIS-GRIS - 3:27
  10. COCK O' THE WALK - 2:54 - contains lyrics from conversation with Chris Ware
  11. NUTHINDUAN WALTZ - 2:59
  12. SOME OF THESE DAYS 3:41 - Patton
    (there is a "hidden track" - why hide a track ? - no credits either ???)

Musicians -
Andrew Bird - violin all tracks - vocals 1-6, 9- 13, mandolin - 8
Kevin O'Donell - drums 1-7, 9, 10 washboard - 11, pots and pans - 4
Josh Hirsch - bass 1-11
James Mathus - banjo - 1,5,6, guitar 1-4, 7-13 piano - 2,7 trombone - 4
Katharine Whalen - vocals 4, 7, 12
Jack Fine - trumpet - 1

Produced by Mike Napolitano and Andrew Bird