Andrew Bird

Genre:
Alternative

Years Active:
'90s, '00s, '10s

Andrew Bird

Biography

Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird updates the traditions of small-group swing, German lieder, and New Orleans jazz, mixing Gypsy, folk, and rock elements into his distinctive style. Bird's projects include his group the Bowl of Fire (which also includes drummer Kevin O'Donnell, bassist Josh Hirsch, and guitarist Colin Bunn) and performing as an auxiliary member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers; in turn, the Zippers' Katharine Whalen and James Mathus appeared on the Bowl of Fire albums Thrills and Oh! The Grandeur. Bird has also recorded with artists like Pinetop Seven and Lil' Ed Williams, teaches music at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and performed on the score and soundtrack from the 1999 Tim Robbins film The Cradle Will Rock. . His third album, 2001's The Swimming Hour, surprisingly found the Bowl of Fire turning to pop music, and with excellent results. As bandmembers remained active in their various other projects, the group continued, and work on a follow-up began in 2002. To tide fans over, Bird self-released a limited-edition EP, Fingerlings, which documented live performances of some old and new songs by the band and solo. Early 2003 brought the release of another LP, Weather Systems, on the independent Grimsey label. Bird debuted on Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe imprint in 2005 with Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs. He switched to Fat Possum for 2007's Armchair Apocrypha and 2009's Noble Beast, both of which were ambitious and eclectic albums even by Bird's standards. The latter of the two was also available in a deluxe version that included a bonus CD of instrumental works. The second disc, dubbed Useless Creatures, was released independently from its predecessor in October of 2010.

The following year, Bird composed the score for Jonathan Segal's independent coming-of-age film Norman. The film's score was released in October on the Mom + Pop label. Bird's highly anticipated sixth studio album, Break It Yourself, arrived in March of 2012, followed by the companion piece Hands of Glory in early October. In late 2013, a seven-song EP titled I Want to See Pulaski at Night appeared. Based around the song "Pulaski at Night," it consisted of a number of shorter supporting pieces and played almost like a classical suite. Several months later, using his newly formed Hands of Glory backing band, he recorded his seventh album, Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of..., a collection of cover songs of fellow Chicagoans the Handsome Family. Bird has had a long association with the husband-and-wife folk duo, first covering their song "Don't Be Scared" in 2003 on his Weather Systems LP, a song that he again tackles on this tribute album, which was released in June 2014.

Top Albums

1. Noble Beast
The Mysterious Production of Eggs, Andrew Bird
2. The Mysterio..
Break It Yourself, Andrew Bird
3. Break It You..
Armchair Apocrypha, Andrew Bird
4. Armchair Apo..
Hands of Glory, Andrew Bird
5. Hands of Glo..
Soldier On, Andrew Bird
6. Soldier On
I Want to See Pulaski at Night, Andrew Bird
7. I Want to Se..
Thrills, Andrew Bird
8. Thrills
iTunes Session, Andrew Bird
9. iTunes Sessi..
Echolocations: Canyon, Andrew Bird
10. Echolocation..
Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of..., Andrew Bird
11. Things Are R..
The Swimming Hour, Andrew Bird
12. The Swimming..
Useless Creatures, Andrew Bird
13. Useless Crea..
Oh! The Grandeur, Andrew Bird
14. Oh! The Gran..
Live At Austin City Limits Music Festival 2007: Andrew Bird, Andrew Bird
15. Live At Aust..
Break It Yourself / Hands of Glory (Deluxe Version), Andrew Bird
16. Break It You..
Music of Hair, Andrew Bird
17. Music of Hai..
Ballad of the Red Shoes - EP, Andrew Bird
18. Ballad of th..
Weather Systems, Andrew Bird
19. Weather Syst..
Fingerlings 4, Andrew Bird
20. Fingerlings ..

Top Songs
Name Album Time Price
1.
Pulaski at Night I Want to See Pulaski at Ni.. 4:49 $1.29
2.
Fake Palindromes Mysterious Production of Eg.. 2:52 $0.99
3.
Tenuousness Noble Beast 3:51 $1.29
4.
Canyon Wants To Hear C Sharp Echolocations: Canyon 8:52 $0.99
5.
Before the Germans Came Echolocations: Canyon 8:04 $0.99
6.
Return of Yawny Echolocations: Canyon 3:47 $0.99
7.
Antrozous Echolocations: Canyon 7:06 $0.99
8.
Rising Water Echolocations: Canyon 5:09 $0.99
9.
Sweep the Field Echolocations: Canyon 7:14 $0.99
10.
Section 8 City MusicNOW: 10 Years 8:01 $1.29
11.
Night Sky Norman (Original Motion Pic.. 4:07 $0.99
12.
Hole in the Ocean Floor Break It Yourself 8:17 $0.99
13.
Sifters Break It Yourself 4:12 $0.99
14.
Near Death Experience Experience Break It Yourself 4:29 $0.99
15.
Danse Caribe Break It Yourself 5:19 $0.99
16.
Shake It and Break It Album to Benefit Preservati.. 3:10 $0.99
17.
Shake It and Break It Preservation: An Album to B.. 3:10 $0.99
18.
How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On t.. Song of America 5:04 $0.99
19.
I'll Trade You Money for Wine While No One Was Looking: T.. 3:52 $1.29
20.
Lyke Wake Dirge AMC's Turn: Washington&.. 3:59 $1.29
21.
I Don't Need Sunny Skies Get Loose and Get Together:.. 3:09 $0.99
22.
Lyke Wake Dirge Lyke Wake Dirge - Single 3:59 $1.29
23.
Far From Any Road (Be My Hand) Things Are Really Great Her.. 4:46 $0.99
24.
Drunk By Noon Things Are Really Great Her.. 3:01 $0.99
25.
Frogs Singing Things Are Really Great Her.. 2:44 $0.99

Top Music Videos
Anonanimal, Andrew Bird
1. Anonanimal

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