by Tom Johnson
It was going to be hard for Bird to top his previous album, Andrew Bird And The Mysterious Production Of Eggs, a gorgeous, moody stunner. Equally balanced between upbeat rock numbers and quieter strings-backed pieces, Eggs had something for everyone, with smart, subtly-humorous lyrics strewn throughout to keep listeners coming back and making it a highlight of the year. With Armchair Apocrypha, it seemed as if he hadn’t even attempted to replicate what worked right on Eggs — and luckily this worked in everyone’s favor. A rather more muscular affair (and we’re speaking on relative terms here, remember), Apocrypha relied more heavily on guitars than strings than anything Bird had produced before. But his signature sense of melody and humor was ever-present, tying everything together in an ear-pleasing bundle.
Half Notes is a quick-take music feature on Something Else! Reviews, presented whenever the mood strikes us.
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