Andrew Bird

Andrew Wegman Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He was initially Berninahaus through his work with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers voordat formers Bowl of Fire , and is now best known as a solo musician. Bird’s primary instrument is the violin , but have been turned proficient at other instruments waaronder Whistling , guitar , and the glockenspiel . He wrote “The Whistling Caruso” for The Muppets and Performed the Whistling overheard in zowel the movie and the soundtrack. Bird composed the score for the FX original series Baskets , created by Louis CK , Zach Galifianakis , and Jonathan Krisel .

History

Early life and the Bowl of Fire (1973-2002)

Trained in the Suzuki method from the age of four, ^[1] Bird graduated from Lake Forest High School in 1991 and Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in violin performance in 1996. That co year he self-released his first solo album, Music or Hair . Vastly différent from his later work, this album showcased his violin skills and paid tribute to his Fascination with zowel American and European folk traditions, as well as jazz and blues . Following this, his initial commercial exposure cameramen through collaborative work with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers , Appearing on three hun albums ( Hot , Sold Out , and Perennial Favorites ) tussen 1996 en 1998.

Taking on the role of bandleader, Bird released Thrills on Rykodisc in 1998 with his group Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire , shortly Followed by second album Oh! The Grandeur in 1999. Both albums ulcers Heavily Influenced by traditional folk, pre-war jazz and swing , with Bird relying on the violin as his primary musical instrument , as well as Providing vocals Along with his trademark verbose lyrics. The Bowl of Fire featured musicians from Bird’s hometown of Chicago, zoals Kevin O’Donnell, Joshua Hirsch, Nora O’Connor , Andy Hopkins, Jimmy Sutton, Colin Bunn, and Ryan Hembrey. During this period, Andrew Bird was a member of the jazz group Kevin O’Donnells Quality Six, for welke he was the lead singer and violinist and Contributed to arrangements and Songwriting for the album Heretic Blues (Delmark 1999) and Control Freak (Delmark 2000 ) (beide Delmark albums ulcers produktie by Raymond Salvatore Harmon ).

In 2001, the Bowl of Fire released hun third album, The Swimming Hour , a dramatic departure from previous recordings hun. It featured a Mixture of styles, from the zydeco -influenced “Core and Rind” to more straightforward rock songs zoals “11:11″. Due to this eclectic nature, Bird has of or in referred to it as his ” jukebox album”. Hoewel de gaining critical praise ( The Swimming Hour RECEIVED a 9.0 from indie music website Pitchfork ^[2] ), the band failed to ATTAIN commercial success or recognition, playing to audiences as small as 40 people. ^[3] In 2002, Bird was Asked to open for a band in his hometown of Chicago, but fellow Bowl of Fire members ulcers unavailable for the date. The Reluctant Bird Performed the gig alone, and The Surprising success of this solo show suggested potential new directions for his music. ^[3]

Early solo career (2003-2005)

The Bowl of Fire unofficially disbanded in 2003, and Bird went on to radically re-invent himself as a solo artist. His two subsequent albums ulcers released on Ani Difranco ‘s Righteous Babe Records label. 2003’s Weather Systems (oorspronkelijk released on Grimsey Records) was a sparse record with a dramatic change in musical direction. It featured the tracks “Skin” and “I”, proto-versions of songs dat mention anything later Become “Skin, Is Me” ( The Mysterious Production of Eggs ) and “Imitosis” ( Armchair Apocrypha ).

The Mysterious Production of Eggs (2005) continued a progression towards an eclectic indie – folk music, and zowel records formally a stark STYLISTIC break with Bird’s earlier work, swapping the lush backing of a full band for carefully layered samples or music constructed using multitrack recorders and runs pedals . As his music changed, Bird made toenemende use or guitar, glockenspiel, and Whistling in his Songwriting, in addition under to his traditional violin and vocals.

Bird is noted for improvising and reworking his songs prolongation live performance, as kan be seen in his series of self-released live compilations entitled Fingerlings , Fingerlings 2 , Fingerlings 3 , and Fingerlings 4 , the first or welke was released in 2002. EACH Fingerlings EP was released prior to a studio album, and Presented a Mixture of live performances from différent shows, zoals old tracks, covers , and to post Unreleased songs, some or welke port since Appeared on studio albums. Fingerlings 3 , released in October 2006, turned featured studio outtakes. Fingerlings 2 Provided Bird with an unexpected boost in recognition in 2004-when it was named album of the month at Mojo . ^[1]

In 2005, co-collaborator Martin Dosh joined Bird’s line-up, Adding percussion and keyboards to his music. ^[1] Jeremy Ylvisaker was later added to the group on bass and backup vocals.

Signed to Fat Possum Records (2006-2011)

In September 2006 Bird signed to Fat Possum Records , and have, in March 2007 released his third post-Bowl of Fire album, Armchair Apocrypha . ^[4] The album was Recorded in collaboration with electronic musician Martin Dosh , and of includes a track Composed by Dosh (with lyrics by Bird) entitled “Simple X”. This song first Appeared without Bird’s lyrics as “Simple Exercises” on Dosh’s 2004 release Pure Trash . The album was produktie by Ben Durrant (who had worked on Dosh’s The Lost Take ), and ook featured Haley Bonar and Chris Morrissey . ^[5] In advance of the March release date, Armchair Apocrypha was Leaked to the Internet in January 2007. The album went on to sell over 100,000 copies. ^[1]

As publicity for Armchair Apocrypha , Bird made his network television debut on April 10, 2007, performing “plasticities” (from the new album) on the Late Show with David Letterman . He’ll be Appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on June 14, 2007, performing “Imitosis” from the co album. In April 2007, he did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon . These appearances ulcers accompanied by an uitgebreide tour, welke ended with sell-out performances at the Beacon Theatre, New York and The Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles. ^[1]

In January 2007, Bird made an appearance on the Noggin television network’s Jack’s Big Music Show , playing the part of Dr. Stringz and Appearing in order to mend a broken character’s dulcimer . Bird singing a song called letter “Dr. Stringz”, written Specially for the show. He now plays of or in it live as an introduction to the song “Fake Palindromes”. ^{[6] [7]}

On May 20, 2007, National Public Radio Aired a live concert at Bird from Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club ^[8] He’ll be worked with Reverb , a nonprofit environmental organization, for his 2007 spring tour. ^[9]

Five or his songs – “Banking on a Myth” from “The Mysterious Production of Eggs,” a medley of “I” from Weather Systems and “Imitosis” from “Armchair Apocrypha,” and “Skin” and “Weather Systems” from Weather Systems – have leg licensed for use by Marriott Residence Inn. ^[10]

Since March 2008, Bird has Contributed to “Measure for Measure,” a New York Times blog welke musicians write about hun Songwriting process. ^[11] In it, he has charted the development of the song “Oh No,” previewing samples at verschillende internships or development through to the finished album recording. He’ll be discussed the conception of the song “Natural Disaster,” the recording or instrumental piece “Hot Math,” and Previewed “Master Sigh.” The first two songs ulcers later released on Bird’s 2009 album Noble Beast , whilst the Latter two Appeared on zijn bonus disc Useless Creatures . ^[12] “Oh No” was featured in the show Billions .

In November 2008, he Appeared in the second series of Nigel Godrich ‘s From the Basement alongside Radiohead and Fleet Foxes . ^[13] His performance included a preview of new song “Section 8 City,” a ten-minute re-imagining of “Sectionate City,” welke oorspronkelijk Appeared on the Soldier On EP. ^[14]

Bird’s fifth solo album, ” Noble Beast ,” was released on January 20, 2009, and contained fourteen new songs, with bonus tracks available for download from iTunes and eMusic . “The Privateers” is a re-imagining of a very early song entitled “The Confession” from 1999’s ” Oh! The Grandeur .” ^[1] A limited deluxe edition of the album included alternate packaging and artwork, as well as an all-instrumental companion disc entitled “Useless Creatures.” The entirety of “Useless Creatures” was made available through Bird’s website prolongation the run-up to the release. “Noble Beast” has leg with algemeen favourable reviews, Receiving a score of 79 out of 100 from review collation site Metacritic . ^[15]

In 2009, he Contributed a cover of the song “The Giant of Illinois” to the HIV and AIDS benefit album Dark Was the Night produktie by the Red Hot Organization . On May 11, 2009, Bird released the EP ” Fitz And The Dizzy Spells .” It contains “Fitz and the Dizzyspells” from “Noble Beast,” as well as other songs from dat album’s recording sessions. Some of the songs on the EP ulcers to post available for download from iTunes and eMusic as bonus tracks to “Noble Beast.” ^[16]

In 2010, Bird Recorded with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band , contributing vocals and violin on a cover of “Shake It and Break It” on “Preservation: An Album to Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program.” In August 2010, Bird Contributed a charity T-shirt to the Yellow Bird Project to raise money for the Pegasus Special Riders Fund welke zorgt therapeutic horse riding activities for adults and children with special needs. ^[17]

Break It Yourself (2011-present)

In late 2011 Bird signed to the record label Mom + Pop Music . Andrew Bird’s first release for the label was the soundtrack to the film Norman , welke included his original score as well as songs by other artists. ^[18] Bird sequenced the soundtrack to flow as a stand-alone album Rather dan a compilation of music from the film. ^[18] Its music supervisor peymon Maskan, Told HitQuarters : “The best compliment I’ve overheard are therein without maintaining seen the film, u can imagine it to listening to the soundtrack. The sequence is a big part of that impact.” ^[18]

On January 6, Bird announced a new album Break it Yourself , the follow up to 2009’s Noble Beast . ^[19]

In 2011 “Andrew Bird: Fever Year,” a feature-length concert documentary on Bird’s year-long tour, had zijn World Premiere at Lincoln Center with the prestigious New York Film Festival. The film’s festival-only run closed in 2013 after screening in over ninety international festivals and winning nine awards. “Fever Year” depicts Bird and his band prolongation final months of a tour prolongation welke have reportedly suffers from constant fever. When Asked on re website if the film will be released on DVD, director Xan Aranda ^[20] stated therein the film was commissioned by and belongs to Bird, THUS the release is up to im to decide. Andrew Bird: Fever Year ook features Martin Dosh, Michael Lewis, Jeremy Ylvisaker, and St. Vincent (Annie Clark).

In September 2012, Bird announced Hands Of Glory , a companion EP to Break it Yourself . ^[21] The album was released on October 30.

In 2014, Andrew Bird’s song “Pulaski at Night” was featured in the second season premiere episode of Orange Is the New Black . ^[22] “Pulaski at Night” was ook featured in the first season of Paolo Sorrentino’s The Young Pope .

On June 10, 2014 Andrew Bird released his album Things Are Really Great Lord, Sort Of … , an album or cover or The Handsome Family and Bird’s first record dat does not contain ANY of his own Compositions. ^[23]

Influences

Growing up, Bird was Surrounded by classical music. As a child, he was interested in Irish tunes and bluegrass. He’ll be cites English and Scottish folk music as an early influence. ^[24] His early jazz Influences ulcers Johnny Hodges , Lester Young , and Fats Waller . ^{[25] [26]} He has ook had a number of classical Influences zoals Claude Debussy , Maurice Ravel , and Béla Bartók . ^[27] Other Influences included jazz, swing, calypso, and folk. Bird has stated therein, at 22, he found a lot of indie rock and pop music repetitive and boring, but now understands it better. ^[28]

The Handsome Family

Andrew Bird Appears to harbor a close relationship with The Handsome Family , an Americana band from Illinois. Covers of songs hun port Appeared in verschillende or his albums, zoals “When The Helicopter Comes,” on Hands of Glory , “Tin Foiled,” one Fingerlings 3 , and “Do not Be Scared,” from Weather Systems . His album Things Are Really Great Lord, Sort Of … is a ten-song cover album, with a strong country feeling.

The album’s liner notes contain ‘a response from Rennie Sparks, the band’s Lyricist and singer: “Hearing Andrew’s version of our songs feels like Suddenly spotting a new and shining doorway in the midst of a cream I Have spent my life in. It’s like finding a stairway in the forest leading Upward to the sky. His recasting of Our work gives me the strange and wonderful pleasure of understanding my own songs better by hearing im perform them. ” ^[29]

Band (The Hand of Glory)

• Andrew Bird – violin / guitar / vocals / Whistling / glockenspiel / loops
• Jeremy Ylvisaker – guitar / bass / keys / vocals
• Alan Hampton – bass / guitar / vocals
• Martin Dosh – drums / keys / Atmospheres / percussion

former

• Michael Lewis – bass / clarinet / saxophone / vocals

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected details and chart positions

title	album details	Peak chart positions						Sales
		US [30]	US Rock [31]	US folk [32]	FRA [33]	NLD [34]	UK [35]
Music of Hair	Released: 1996 Label: Grimsey Records	–	–	–	–	–	–
Thrills with Bowl of Fire	Released: April 7, 1998 Label: Rykodisc	–	–	–	–	–	–
Oh! The Grandeur with Bowl of Fire	Released: August 24, 1999 Label: Rykodisc	–	–	–	–	–	–	US: 15,000 [36]
The Swimming Hour with Bowl of Fire	Released: April 3, 2001 Label: Rykodisc	–	–	–	–	–	–
Weather Systems	Released: April 1, 2003 Label: Grimsey Records	–	–	–	–	–	–
Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs	Released: February 8, 2005 Label: Righteous Babe	–	–	–	93	–	–	US: 80,000 [36]
Armchair Apocrypha	Released: March 20, 2007 Label: Fat Possum	76	21	–	124	–	–	US: 100,000 [36]
Noble Beast	Released: January 20, 2009 Label: Fat Possum	12	3	–	62	64	–	US: 150,000 [37]
Break It Yourself	Released: March 5, 2012 Label: Mom + Pop Music	10	3	1	137	39	100
Hand of Glory	Released: October 30, 2012 Label: Mom + Pop Music	52	15	5	–	–	–
Things Are Really Great Lord, Sort Of …	Released: June 3, 2014 Label: Music Wegawam	–	–	12	–	–	–	US: 13,000 [38]
Echolocations: Canyon	Released: February 3, 2015 Label: Music Wegawam	–	–	–	–	–	–
Are You Serious	Released: April 1, 2016 Label: Loma Vista	50	8	1	134	–	–
“-” Denotes a recording dat did not chart or were not released in dat territory.

Companion album

• Useless Creatures (2010) (Re-release or bonus disc to Noble Beast 2009)

Live albums

• Fingerlings (2002 Grimsey Records )
• Fingerlings 2 (2004 Grimsey)
• Fingerlings 3 (2006 Grimsey)
• Live at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2007: Andrew Bird (2007, Austin City Limits Music Festival)
• Live in Montreal (2008, Bella Union)
• Fingerlings 4 (2010 Wegawam Music Co.)

EPs

• The Ballad of the Red Shoes (2002)
• Live at Bonnaroo Music Festival (2006, Live at Bonnaroo Music Festival ) – Live EP
• Soldier On (2007) – European Tour EP
• Fitz And The Dizzy Spells (2009)
• Fake Conversations (2012) – 2011 Tour Live EP
• Northwest Passage (2012) – 2012 Tour Live EP
• I Want to See Pulaski at Night (2013) ^[39]

Singles

List of Singles With Chart Positions

Year	song	Peak Chart Positions			album
		Hot 100	US AdultAlternative	UK Rock
2005	“Sovay”	–	–	Andrew Bird & theMysterious Production of Eggs
2006	“Fake Palindromes”	–	–		14
2009	“Oh No”	–	–	–	Noble Beast
2012	“Eyeoneye”	–	–	–	Break It Yourself
	“Desperation Breeds …”	–	–	–
	“Three White Horses”	–	68	79	Hand of Glory
2014	“Anonanimal”	–	–	–	Non-album single
2016	“Capsized”	–	6	–	Are You Serious
	“Left Handed Kisses(feat. Fiona Apple ) “	–	–	7
	“Roma Fade”	–	–	–
	“Valleys of youth”	–	–	–
	“Pulaski” [40]	77	–	–
“-” Denotes a recording dat did not chart

Other album appearances

• Kiltartan Road – Joy to the Morning (1995)
• Kat Eggleston – Outside Eden (1996 Waterbug Records )
• Lil Ed and Dave Weld with The Imperial Flames – Keep on Walkin ‘ (1996 Earwig Music)
• Andrew Calhoun – Phoenix Envy (1996 Earwig Music)
• Charlie Nobody – Soup (1996)
• Squirrel Nut Zippers – Hot (1996, Mammoth Records )
• Squirrel Nut Zippers – Perennial Favorites (1998, Mammoth)
• Rose Polenzani – Dragersville (1998, The Orchard)
• Pinetop Seven – Rigging the Toplights (1998)
• Extra Virgin – Twelve Stories High (1999)
• Kevin O’Donnell – Heretic Blues (1999 Delmark Records )
• Andrew Calhoun – Where Blue Meets Blue (1999 Waterbug)
• Sally Timms – Cowboy Sally’s Twilight Laments for Lost Buckaroos (1999 Bloodshot Records )
• Squirrel Nut Zippers – Bedlam Ballroom (2000, Hollywood Records )
• The Handsome Family – In the Air (2000 Carrot Top Records )
• Devil in a Woodpile – Division Street (2000, Bloodshot)
• Kevin O’Donnell – Control Freak (2000 · Delmark Records )
• Neko Case – Canadian Amp (2001)
• The Verve Pipe – Underneath (2001, RCA Records )
• Jenny Toomey – Antidote (2001, Misra Records)
• Kelly Hogan – Because It Feel Good (2001, Bloodshot)
• Sinister Luck Ensemble – Anniversary (2002 Perishable Records )
• Abandon Jalopy – Mercy (2002)
• WYEP Live and Direct: Volume 4 – On Air Performances – “Core and Rind” (2002)
• Kristin Hersh – The Grotto (2003)
• The Autumn Defense – Circles (2003, Arena Rock Recording Co. )
• Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Sings Greatest Palace Music (2004 Drag City )
• Bobby Bare, Jr. – From the End of Your Leash (2004 Bloodshot Records )
• Ani DiFranco – Knuckle Down (2005, Righteous Babe Records )
• My Morning Jacket – Z (2005 ATO Records )
• Bobby Bare – The Moon Was Blue (2005 Dual Tone Music Group)
• Emily Loizeau – London Town (in French and English) (2006)
• Dosh – The Lost Take (2006 Anticon )
• Candi Staton – His Hands (2006, Astralwerks )
• Magnolia Electric Co. – The Black Ram (2007, Secretly Canadian )
• KFOG Live From the Archives Volume 14 – “Imitosis” (2007)
• Song of America – “How You Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm” (2007, Split Rock Records / Thirty One Tigers)
• Charlie Louvin – “Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs” (2008, Tompkins Square)
• Todd Sickafoose – “Tiny Resistors” (2008 Cryptogramophone)
• Dosh – Wolves and Wishes (2008 Anticon )
• Final Fantasy – Plays to Please (2008 Blocks Recording Club )
• Dianogah – Qhnnnl (2008, Southern Records )
• Loney, Dear – Dear John ^[41] (2009)
• Dark Was the Night – “The Giant of Illinois” ( Red Hot Organization , 2009)
• Live at KEXP Vol.5 – Oh No (2009)
• Thao With The Get Down Stay Down – Know Better Learn Faster (2009, Kill Rock Stars)
• Dosh – Tommy
• Twistable turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to Shel Silverstein – The Twistable, turnable Man Returns (2010, Sugar Hill Records )
• Muppets: The Green Album – ” Bein ‘Green ” (2011, Walt Disney Records )
• Norman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2011 Mom + Pop Music )
• The Muppets: Original Soundtrack – “The Whistling Caruso” (2011, Walt Disney Records )
• Holidays Rule – ” Auld Lang Syne ” (2012, Hear Music / Concord Music Group )

References