Andrew Bird--c/d?

i need to go back to are you serious and figure out where he lost me. thank you for the revive + agreed with the assessment that he rarely disappoints.

Yeah in my mind I think less of Are You Serious and MFWY, but if I actually listen to them there’s not a lot to complain about.

I’ve now listened to this album a few times. No particular song has really jumped out at me yet; it’s all still a Birdian mush. And yet I find it all really joyous and wonderful. I’m feeling compelled to keep replaying it even as I’m not sure what it is that’s drawing me to it. I haven’t felt this way about a Bird album since Noble Beast or maybe Break It Yourself.

okay gave it a listen on our walk just now, and yeah, if you like andrew bird you'll definitely like inside problems. everything that sets him apart is here: charmingly dense narratives, big choruses, some pizzicato solos, all filtered through that undeniably genuine roots rock disposition. highlights for me right now are: "underlands", "atomized", and "eight." my main criticism remains what it was with are you serious?: he does nothing new. granted, everything here is good. i just feel like he's been repeating himself for over a decade at this point. that said, i would rather have him repeat himself with nice songs and enjoyable albums than total crap or (even worse) nothing at all.

a slight addendum and not really related at all to anything i just said: i want to see him do more duets with female vocalists. the ones on record in the past have all been highlights. i saw him in 2013 with tift merritt in tow and, of all the times i saw him, that was *easily* my favorite. anyway: yeah, i like andrew bird a lot and will always have time for him.

Haven't connected with anything he's made in a decade plus, but The Swimming Hour is well worth a revisit, particularly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tERk1weYeDc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9wGqYa7Q3A

waiting to talk was a reight track as well!