With a solid foundation of well-respected work that includes 2005’s The Mysterious Production of Eggs, and 2007’s Armchair Apocrypha, the arrival of Andrew Bird’s newest self-produced effort through Fat Possum Records, Noble Beast, was greatly anticipated. It is a daunting task to follow up amazing tracks like “Heretics” or the more popular “A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left.” Bird, however, is up to the challenge, and the admirable end result is Noble Beast.
As one of those seemingly geeky perfectionists with whom you can’t help but be enamored, Bird is keenly aware of his creative and uncompromising nature. More than fluent in the language of indie nerd — in which I am only semi-fluent — Bird plays with language in a way that may encourage even the greatest of enthusiasts to peek in the dictionary every now and again or opt to stay in blissful ignorance and merely whistle along.
Bird’s place in the world of alternative is comparable to being introduced to an incredible and amazing seven-course meal when you’re a simple, one-food-group kind of person. Ramen, perhaps. Once you’ve branched out, died and gone to culinary heaven, however, you find yourself unable to ever go back. That’s essentially what Bird is — an elaborate meal of indie magnificence you did not even know existed or could even hope for. The Turkish Delight of alternative, if you will.
His songs are very personalized creative masterpieces, many of which appear to grow off of the foundations of his earlier work. Noble Beast is chock full of a variety of instruments, particularly the violin, in which Bird’s classical training successfully comes into play. The warm weaving of such instrumentals with happy-go-lucky whistling provides a mystical synthesis of peaceful folk, naturalistic alternative lyrics, classical instrumentation and tinges of blues and jazz.
“Oh No,” the appealing first single off the album, starts out with such whistling and seems like a rather cheerful tune, despite lyrics such as “arm in arm we are the harmless sociopaths.” Since when did singing about sociopaths become so good-natured?
Though you cannot always comprehend what he’s trying to get at with his lyrics that dance around the edge of obscurity, you cannot help but feel like you are gaining some mental brownie points for making it your new essential study soundtrack. Many of the songs involve naturalistic elements (one song is even titled “Natural Disasters”) that include discussions of maggot eggs, lava and the like, while others, such as “Souverian,” include being quite tragically jilted by a lover. For those in search of a track with more pop-appeal and immediate catchiness, “Fitz and Dizzyspells” is definitely worth checking out, as it may incite some unexpected dancing and toe-tapping.
The songs’ catchiness is not always quite so obvious on first listen, but upon properly sinking your teeth in, it will become all too clear why fans are drawn to Bird’s whimsical, folksy siren call. Some of his songs take a few minutes to truly reveal themselves, but they are worth the wait. Particular tracks of interest include “Masterswarm” and “Anonanimal,” both of which take a few minutes to fully evolve. It takes a little while to feel fully engaged and aware of where he’s taking each piece, but I suggest patience; new layers will peel away each time you hear the songs.
Though I can’t completely idolize Noble Beast as utter and complete perfection, have no fear. Bird will remain a respected and legitimate musician to cite when trying to impress alternative aficionados, and we can only expect further greatness, for as he puts it so sneakily in “The Privateers,” “Speak of me in the present tense.”
Read More
Winsome Earle-Sears talks higher education in first U.Va. event of the campaign
By Ford McCracken | 5 hours agoA Jamaican immigrant and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Earle-Sears is the first female lieutenant governor of Virginia,
U.Va.'s Earth Day Eco-Fair 2025 spotlights sustainability advocacy
By Leigh Bailey | 6 hours agoStudents from Contracted Independent Organizations and University Office of Sustainability leadership programs each shared their unique perspectives about sustainability advocacy on Grounds.
Student Council votes to relocate Hereford orchard and basketball hoop
By Lauren Seeliger | 16 hours agoStudent Council passed a resolution Tuesday to relocate the orchard and basketball hoop of Hereford Residential College due to construction in the surrounding area.
