Andrew Bird - Noble Beast (2009)
1. Oh No
2. Masterswarm
3. Fitz and the Dizzyspells
4. Effigy
5. Tenuousness
6. Nomenclature
7. ouo
8. Not a Robot, But a Ghost
9. Unfolding Fans
10. Anonanimal
11. Natural Disaster
12. The Privateers
13. Souverian
14. On Ho
Andrew Bird’s most recent effort, Noble Beast, was released by Fat Possum Records on January 20, 2009. It features the same line-up as the previous album. Noble Beast is a laid back, smooth album. It retains many aspects of Armchair Apocrypha but it has a different feel. This is more of a baroque pop album than an alternative rock album. Many of the songs flow into each other, and there is much repetition. As usual every song is layered, creating a full sound. But on Noble Beast, there seems to be a more laid back approach to it. The album artwork suits the album well. This album could be played as background music for the setting in the artwork.
Masterswarm is a calm, laid back song with a flowing percussive beat and, of course, some great harmonies on the looping violin. This track is a good representation of the type of music on this album. It is calming and flowing. Bird delivers some soft, smooth vocals and whistling melodies.
Not a Robot, But a Ghost is a highlight of the album. There is a great percussive track by Martin Dosh. The whistling and violin add a mysterious, sinister vibe to the song. At times this track can be somewhat reminiscent of Radiohead. Bird’s enigmatic lyrics continue on Noble Beast with him singing “I hear the clockwork in your core / time strips the gears till you forget what they were for / I push the numbers through your pores / I crack the codes that end the war”
The Privateers is a revisited version of
The Confession, from Oh! The Grandeur. It is transformed from a jazz ballad into a flowing baroque pop song.
Souverian is another highlight of Noble Beast. At just over seven minutes it is the longest track of the album. The smooth, flowing vibe continues on this track but it builds up to a layered coda with the violin, percussion and a droning distorted guitar that adds something new to the track.
Noble Beast is Andrew Bird’s weakest effort of his solo career. There is some filler and many of the songs flow into each other with a lot of repetition. At times this works, but I just wish Bird had taken more risks with this album. This is not to say that this album is worthless, it just doesn’t stand out as much as the rest of Bird’s solo career.
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