The former Squirrel Nut Zippers violinist, Andrew Bird, gets more personal than ever before, exploiting windswept lyrics bound by dramatic instrumentation to sizable effect. Guest appearances by Fiona Apple and Blake Mills spice up the proceedings while Bird maintains a somber beauty throughout. Single “Capsized” elicits smiles, but there’s plenty elsewhere that will generate waves of cathartic melancholy.
Generous doses of contemplative, non-ironic listening will reveal a sophisticated delicacy, as the multi-instrumentalist’s twisting compositions consistently unfold with the gentility of a lotus flower submerged in hot tea.
Score: 7 out of 10
Andrew Bird
Are You Serious
Loma Vista Recordings
Producer: Tony Berg
