Birdy and the Squirrel Nut Zippers

Have I gushed over Andrew Bird to you yet? I did? When was that? Is it about time again? sure it is.

Unfortunately, I missed his show when he visited this old mealy apple I'm living in currently. I noted this, whiningly, to one of my coworkers who was quick to reply "Andrew Bird? why, he plays here from time to time, don't worry you'll see him"

I promptly did not believe her out of jealous spite. but through the darkened shadows of my subconscious I began to realize how oh so wonderfully true that statement could be. For you see, Joe's Pub spanks the shit out of the singer/songwriter clan. and who else's photo to be next to singer/songwriter in the OED than one A. Bird?

Oh, there are others? I wasn't aware.

Truth is, I have a soft spot for our contemporary boy wonders like Bird, Timbaland, Patrick Wolf and that guy from Beirut. I know not why. During the gestation of each song I imagine them kneeling before an insidious, musty tome in a heavycurtained library; poring over its strange markings with an eyeglass. I find very appealing musicians that can construct and construct a measure of pop music like the grammar of a sentence.

Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs was one of my favorite albums of 2005. It was mostly an impregnable chestpiece of fluid pop. With, albeit, a few links missing. Nevertheless, its highs blew Sufjan out of the water with gale force winds and a surprising longevity.

Particularly A Nervous Tick Motion Of The Head To The Left with its dark, perpetual Rube Goldberg beat and prairie whistle hook. His words are always precise, incisious.

It may be prudent, now, to mention his former career as a quote honorary member unquote of that awesomer-than-you-remember band The Squirrel Nut Zippers. As long as you can detach that dreadful taste that the late Ninties swing fad left like a re-used zip-lock, you're golden. Who, by the way, are...back? Apparently they're going back on tour according to their wiki, their site, and this preposterously shitty Digg entry. Check out their sinister stomp-thump, bass sax (you know I like bass sax), pocketwatch twirling, song Bad Businessman. and of course everyones favorite, "hell," is on their myspace, to which I will direct you ah-here.

By the way, Man Man is the same band. They just have a shitton more hipster irony. and more top-hat.

So I got ahold of Oh! The Grandeur! by Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire (thats pre-"Andrew Bird" Andrew Bird), which I hadn't bothered to listen to because I'm a chump, apparently. Go back and find this shit, particularly the jumpy, smoky, cat-gut strings of Vidalia. Or, essentially the same song but with more pizzicato and KALAMZOO! type vaudeville moustache, Feetlips.

Anyhow, Bird has announced his next album, and it, like the rotating of the earth or the hilariousness of the elderly, leaked a tad bit ago. "More Cowbell" posted a track called "Heretics" off of Bird's next album called "Armchair Apocrypha" here. But shhhhhh! Stereogum had to take theirs down, so keep mum about this.

I'm actually not a big fan of the track, its a little more down the ruh-ruh-ruh-rock avenue than down the hodge-podge structure of Mysterious production of eggs. But I sure do love them pizzicato strings, birdy m'boy.

I'm looking forward to this one, heres hoping it isn't a fixin'less baked potato.
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Link O' Rama
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Rest in peace Northsix, I only went to a couple of your shows but you were a pretty bitchin' venue. Sucks about that ConEd.

Also, Luis Guzman is doing cheese commercials now? WHAT? Its like watching a second trimester abortion.

Also: Pretty Girls Make Graves are not my favorite band but... its like a thousand (four hundred) voices crying out, a ripple in the force, when a big act kaputzes.

However, taking their place is yet another matador band with a stupid name (Okay, Matmos is cool): Lavender Diamond. They sound like a circa "Let It Be" Beatles cover band gone wild and writing their own songs, with strawberry cream-cheese spread and Julie Andrews singing lead vocals. and the sounds they make are pretty good.

Lavender Diamond - You Broke My Heart

Get ready to de-holster your Jenny Lewis comparisons.

- im out