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Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Self Titled
Righteous Babe Records, 2005
by Dr. Christian Carey Andrew Bird's previous full length, 2003's Weather Systems (see Dr. Carey's review here), moved the vocalist/violinist toward extended forms and post-classical contexts. His latest, Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs (released on Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe Records), retains Bird's penchant for musical exploration, but consists of tighter song structures in a more consciously pop vein. "Sovay" has a laidback, Magnetic Fields sort of vibe, while "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" features a catchy 'whistling' chorus and layered vocals - the latter an appealing feature on many of the album's songs.
"Fake Palindromes," on the other hand, leads with thunderous electric guitars, bringing Bird's music momentarily away from indie pop towards rockier terrain. "Skin Is, My" is an Eastern-inflected piece of stylish pop; Buoyed by Kevin ODonnell's vibrant drumming, Bird turns in a supple vocal and spot-on pizzicato violin solo. "Banking on a Myth" combines scintillating Gypsy violin soloing with Alt-Rock desert guitars. Syncopated rhythms and incisive lyrics make this a dizzyingly well written composition.
Bird is an eclectic by nature, but he's one of a very few songwriters who can pull all of these diverse elements together into such consistently compelling music. Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs is a substantive and consistently rewarding album.
-July 2, 2005