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So what's the general consensus on Andrew Bird?

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M

MrOogieBoogie

BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
The Birdman is a weird case. He's high profile enough that most hipsters won't pay any attention to him, but he's also not high profile enough that the general public knows who he is. And even in that state of musical popularity limbo that he's in, amongst the likes of Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens, he still seems to be the least regarded of all.

If anything, I think he's immensely talented.
 
There are only two acceptable uses of the name "Birdman."

Birdman-Denver-Nuggets---Chris-Anderson-psd60711.png

Chris "Birdman" Anderson, Vanilla Thunder on the most tattooed, most penalized team in NBA history. The Denver Thuggets.

birdman-lil-wayne.jpg


The rapper/producer Birdman.
 
Entry-level indie multi-instrumentalist. Cute, lyrically bizarre style that's non-threatening but retains emotion & personal color. Sort of the "default" switch of the 2k0 indie pop wave. Not worth discussing on his own terms, IMO, but maybe relevant as one set of a larger pattern. I think the OP sort of identified that problem already. I think the general consensus is that he's a familiar enough name for people not to ever listen to his music. Sort of like how if a novel is popular enough, no one has to ever bother reading it because it's reached the point of saturated consciousness.
 
he puts on one of the best live shows i've ever seen.

he's also one of the most musically talented people i've seen (heard) in the last 10 years.
 
SolKane said:
Entry-level indie multi-instrumentalist. Cute, lyrically bizarre style that's non-threatening but retains emotion & personal color. Sort of the "default" switch of the 2k0 indie pop wave. Not worth discussing on his own terms, IMO, but maybe relevant as one set of a larger pattern. I think the OP sort of identified that problem already. I think the general consensus is that he's a familiar enough name for people not to ever listen to his music. Sort of like how if a novel is popular enough, no one has to ever bother reading it because it's reached the point of saturated consciousness.
Click to expand...
Wow I don't even have to post
 
HE PLAYS THE VIOLIN LIKE IT"S A FUCKIN' GUITAR

Definitely one of the musically gifted I've seen on the internet (though that's not saying much...), and I hope more people discover him so he can escape his awkward limbo and rightfully obtain the recognition he deserves.
 
nothing too mysterious about it, hasn't had a full solo album in a few years, right? People like him, but it seems like he has been spending more time on side stuff instead of concentrating on solo albums. So he's sort of always there, but not enough to warrant the spotlight.
 
I seen him live on accident as he was opening for another band back in 06-07 and thought he was brilliant. It was at a Bright Eyes concert (who I fucking hate) that my girlfriend literally dragged me to.
 
Andrew Bird is amazing. I discovered him one day while my kids where watching Nick Jr. He had a segment where he does a children's song called "Dr. Strings", it was extremely catchy so I had to go look him up. Great artist.
 
Multitalented God!

I've seen so many of his live performances online, but never in person. Need to get on that.

BTW does he have a new album coming or something?

EDIT: Of all the Birdman's out there I have to say he is the most talented.
grin.gif


One of my favorite songs:
http://youtu.be/rZBoZ0sUT3k
 
Andrew Bird is great. I first knew of him through Squirrel Nut Zippers and then I learned about Bowl of Fire through a radio station I used to work at. Really awesome stuff, to put it understatedly.
 
Sometimes I wonder how a man so talented with the mastery of so many different instruments, could make such bland music...Like Daniel Johnston could barely play one instrument, but his sheer breath has more character than Bird's entire discography.
 
Dance In My Blood said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CRiR52YtjE

He's also more popular than the OP makes him out to be.
Click to expand...

good choice.

here's an early live version.

I've seen him do that song solo and it's even more amazing to watch him build it up. very different from the album version which is equally awesome but in a different way.

he's also one of those artists where there's been a decent shift in the type of music he's made in his career, if you start with the Bowl of Fire stuff and compare it to Weather Systems and Noble Bird. he also creates lyrics in a manner similar to Thom Yorke.
 
I have Armchair Apocrypha somewhere...it's not stellar but it has some definite highlights. Undeniably talented. In a lot of ways his work is like Sufjan's 'States' stuff, both superficially(twee, orchestral pop), and in deeper ways, particularly their prediction for very deliberate composition and performance. There's no 'edge' so to speak; every loose end is neatly tied. Sufjan's big achievement is that he makes that work for him somehow. Andrew's not so lucky, I think.

EDIT: Part of his problem is The Classic Rock Problem, maybe - he can't separate his songwriting from this technical virtuosity. Combine that with skill in numerous instruments, and his songs end up feeling compositionally bloated. I think if you took an Andrew Bird song and killed a couple of instruments and maybe not play every third note...well, it be would be interesting.
 
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