Music: Andrew Bird, Noble Beast

By Amanda Sorell

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Andrew Bird opens his fifth solo album and latest release, Noble Beast, with a track titled “Oh No,” a name that doesn’t seem to fit the song’s lighthearted, easy manner, which he achieves with his carefree whistling and Shins-like melodies. Bird’s frequent use of whistling can be heard throughout the entire album alongside various other instruments, including a violin, as well as a wide and diverse vocabulary—Bird’s song lyrics occasionally read like a foray into his bedside dictionary. The way he plays with rhymes, sounds and syntax gives his songs an even more unique quality.

“Anonanimal” is a perfect example of Bird’s fusion of instrumentation and language, with a melancholy violin part, a rolling, repetitive guitar line, percussive loops and word play all rolled into one. “Fitz and Dizzyspells” is an invigorating and lively track, while “Natural Disaster” has a slower, more enchanting feel. “Not a Robot, But a Ghost” is strangely electronic but not at all out of place, and the album closes with a minute of beautiful orchestral harmonies. Noble Beast’s craftily detailed, multifaceted features work well together, and Bird makes complexity seem so simple, adding a personality and individuality to his tunes that few others could achieve.

MUSIC: Pink, Funhouse

/news/2008/oct/30/music_pink/

Music Reviews

/news/2005/sep/01/music_reviews/

Music Review: 'The Last Kiss' by Jadakiss

2 1/2 out of 4 stars

/news/2009/apr/16/music_review_last_kiss_jadakiss/

Coldham: Lil Wayne takes wrong turn with ...

The rapper should stick to what made him famous in the first ...

/news/2009/apr/21/coldham_lil_wayne/

Review: Music

/news/2005/oct/06/review_music/

Music review

The Con: Tegan and Sara

/news/2007/oct/04/music_review/

Music review: Jónsi — Go (XL)

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/apr/15/music-review-jonsi-go-xl/

Music Review: 'Two Suns' by Bat for ...

4 out of 4 stars

/news/2009/apr/16/music_review_two_suns_bat_lashes/

MUSIC: Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst

/news/2008/aug/28/music_conor_oberst_conor_oberst/

Music review: Joanna Newsom — 'Have one ...

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/mar/25/music-review-joanna-newsom/

Music: Kings of Leon, Only By The ...

/news/2008/sep/24/music_kings_leon_only_night/

Music review: J+J+J - High Voltage Feast ...

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/nov/04/music-review-jjj-high-voltage-feast-almost-started/

Reliving the music dream

Mark Gottschall, journalism resource center supervisor, recorded an album in Spain 35 ...

/news/2008/apr/16/reliving_the_music_dream/

Reviews

/news/2005/oct/20/reviews/

Music review: Maserati - Pyramid of the ...

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/dec/02/music-review-maserati-pyramid-sun/

Review: Veda

/news/2005/aug/25/review_veda/

Music Review: Gym Class Heroes

/news/2008/sep/11/music_review_gym_class_heroes/

Music guy

A road map to music utopia

/news/2008/mar/06/music_guy/

Music Review: Obits - 'Moody, Standard and ...

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption

/news/2011/apr/07/music-review-obits-moody-poor/

Music Review: Slightly Stoopid

/news/2008/sep/11/music_review_slightly_stoopid/

Music guy

Your guide to music utopia

/news/2008/apr/10/music_guy/

Asylum Street Spankers

/news/2005/feb/03/jayplay_music_asylum/

Review: Dave Matthews Band album

‘Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King’ offers tribute to LeRoi Moore.

/news/2009/jun/10/dave_matthews/

Review: Peter Bjorn and John album

‘Living Thing’ offers only one song that makes the cut.

/news/2009/jun/10/bjorn/

Music review: 'Years of Refusal' by Morrissey

3 out of 4 stars

/news/2009/feb/26/music_review/

Music: Old Crow Medicine

/news/2008/oct/09/music_old_crow_medicine/

Stage presence

Andrew Frederick, Shawnee junior, has that certain way with words

/news/2009/jan/15/stage_presence/

Q&A with Bryce Avary — The Rocket ...

Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.

/news/2010/feb/04/q-bryce-avary/

under the blacklight

Rilo Kiley

/news/2007/oct/18/under_blacklight/

Music Review: 'Eskimo Snow' By Why?

KJHK's guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2009/sep/17/music_review_eskimo_snow_why/

Music guy

Your guide to music utopia

/news/2008/may/08/music_guy/

Music review: 'Changing Horses' by Ben Kweller

2.5 out of 4 stars

/news/2009/feb/26/music_review_2/

Music: Umphrey’s McGee, Mantis

'Jam Band' earns rave reviews

/news/2009/feb/05/music_umphreys_mcgee_mantis/

Music review: Public Strain

KJHK’s weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/sep/22/music-review-public-strain/

Damn alright

/news/2005/oct/20/damn_alright/

Music guy

Your path to music utopia

/news/2008/mar/27/music_guy/

Music Review: Soft Circle - 'Shore Obsessed'

KJHK's guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2011/feb/10/music-review-soft-circle-shore-obsessed/

Olivia The Band

/news/2005/feb/03/jayplay_music_olivia/

Music Review: Mystic Roots Band-"Cali-Hi"

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2011/mar/17/music-review-mystic-roots-band-cali-hi/

Music review: Beach House "Teen Dream"

KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.

/news/2010/feb/11/music-review-beach/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID