Chicago’s multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird graces our pages today in anticipation of his new album, Break It Yourself, out on Mom+Pop Records in the US and Bella Union in the UK.
Bird was destined for an illustrious musical career having been trained in the Suzuki method from the age of four, with violin as his primary instrument, and initially sought to showcase his considerable skills in the context of traditional American and European folk, jazz and blues, disdaining and dismissing pop music for being boring and repetitive. The years that have passed have softened his resolve while also expanding his musical vocabulary, bringing us up to date through over 40 album appearances for artists such as Bonnie Prince Billy, Ani DiFranco, My Morning Jacket and Dosh, the fronting of jazz and folk bands and the development of his solo material. What was initially a project based around samplers and loop pedals has since grown to be the elegant and accessible collection of diversely inspired alt-folk that we hear on his seventh solo studio album, Break It Yourself, out next week on the 6th of March.
Where previous albums seemed more like the individual colours of Bird’s musical light, such as the largely acoustic Noble Beast or the more intimidating Mysterious Production of Eggs, Break It Yourself sees those colours combining to produce the warm glow or harsh brightness of a light that has replaced the occasional dark and difficult corners of his previous work with a sophisticated and complete clear, pure white. Instead of trying, and succeeding, to achieve or create something specific, Bird is simply doing what comes naturally and allowing the years of experience and influence to flow through him and whichever instrument he may be holding to produce an album of fine and tender songcraft from an exemplary talent. That’s our take anyway.
Although not our favourite song, ‘Eyeoneye’ is the only single track we can link to, we highly recommend you check out the full album available to stream here. Enjoy.
-
mdtepsic liked this
-
addictedchicago liked this
-
squealermag posted this
