Search - Andrew Bird :: Oh - The Grandeur

A moody, quirky, jazzy oddball! It's own universe!

Campbell Roark | from under the floorboards and through the woods.. | 01/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this album- Andrew Bird's first two releases are remarkable, but this (his sophomore release) was, I think, an overall step-up from his debut, "Thrills." One of the hardest things I had to do last fall was select which songs from his first two albums would go on a burnt CD mix... There were too many... I came to Mr. Bird when I discovered that he played violin on SqrlNtZprs albums. I wanted more SNZ, loved the directions they pursued with 'Perennial Favorites' but didn't care at all for 'Bedlam Ballroom.' The production, I felt was all wrong and stood in the way of any judments I could make concerning the album. It sounded slick, polished- and I couldn't stand that. So I tracked down some solo releases by individual members of the Zippers and ended up with the pleasure of Mr. Bird's music. When I first got this CD it didn't leave my CD player for a week and a half, which is rare, as I'm an impatient, moody, feckless, hard to please music aficianado... Genre-wise this is all over the place, certainly not jazz or swing (not entirely at least, though by grounding himself in the music of a bygone era, Mr. Bird invokes a moody, theatrical vibe that stays with you). All the players know their place and everyone works tightly to maintain the overall ambience of the album. The mood, I feel is equal parts Kurt Weill, Tom Waits and something that is Mr. Bird's own entirely. His voice is on the good side of competent with a (fake?) slight accent and the perfect diction of singers from the 30's. In my head I imagine him looking like the singer from 'The Hudsucker Proxy,' from the scnene where all the women fawn over him (yeah, I know it takes place in the fifties which is the wrong time period, but still...). The earthy, folk-tinged, gypsy melodies that he conjures from his violin are beautiful to hear and call to mind strange images and memories. His playing is sublime. The lyrics are intelligent, playful, at times macabre and surreal. The CD comes with a tiny notebook of liner notes and lyrics, explanations, etc, done up in a style that seems to be in league with the era that he's channeling. Some stand out tracks are 'Beware' (very Tom Waits-esque lyrics, a dark and tempestuous little number), 'Feetlips' (sung with an almost Hungarian, Bela Lugosi accent), 'Tea and Thorazine,' (quite eerie), '(What's Your) Angle,' (a rousing, jazzy, upbeat swinging little tune)... Hell, they're all good. On top of that, "Wait," has to be one of the most beautiful slow-songs I have heard in forever and a day. It's practically BEGGING to have a scene in a romantic movie built around it. The violin is eerie and gorgeous and demonstrates that Mr. Bird isn't all pyrotechnic showman's flash. He can play just as mesmerizingly great when the mood is soft and restrained."

The Finest Hour

Blackberries | PA | 10/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Length - 48:18
Oh! The Grandeur! Andrew Bird is one of the greatest non sequiturs of my time. If this man lived in the 40s or 50s, I think he'd be considered one of the greatest song writers ever. He would have fit right in with Django Reinhardt or Irving Berlin, but at least he found the Squirrel Nut Zippers in his generation. He got his start with the Zippers, playing with them live for the first time in New Orleans, then staying on tour with them for the remainder of the year. Although this album strays a bit from the cherry poppin' verve of the Zippers, it's still fantastic in its own right. Some songs are just laughably lamentable. I don't know if these tracks are meant to be serious or what, but they come off as quite lugubrious, yet still thoroughly enjoyable. Other songs like Tea & Thorazine and Coney Island Shuffle are zestful cavalcades of swings, quips and thrills. My favorite song on here is the awesome closer, Drinking Song. If you're in the mood for a very different, very fun album, try this out."

Absolute Pleasure...

Genevieve Morgan | New York | 09/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is seductive and fun, dark and poetic--I absolutely love it! If you close your eyes while you play it, you can almost imagine that you are in some dark, incredibly chic lounge. There is red velvet everywhere, cool looking couches, and candles providing most of the light. Yes, this is that sort of album. Like a good vacation, it takes you someplace new and in the end you are better for the experience.The use of violin and vocals on this album is positively brilliant. There is a jazzy sound which permeates every song. Included with the CD is a small booklet (measuring 2.5"x1.5") which includes "testimonials, explanatory text, sing along lyric sheets, with illustrations, supplied as a complementary amusement." It boasts being, "an assortment of new songs, intermezzi, two-steps, and waltzes by the popular musical group, Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire." And so it is! There are two reasons you should buy this album. The first is that it is probably unlike any you already have in your collection. The second is that it is DAMN GOOD!"