I love Andrew Bird's music. It's simple, it's heartfelt, and you should seek out his last two records Weather Systems and The Swimming Hour. Fingerlings 2 is not a new record; it's a self-released record that he's made available for those who visit his website and who see him live. It's a collection of live tracks, in various incarnations--solo, band, and accompanied by My Morning Jacket. Having never seen the man live, I can't say if this is representative of his live show--these songs are compiled from many different sources, so it's not a full-length concert--but I'll happily take what he's offering.
He's a master musician, and even by himself, songs like "Master Fade," "First Song" and "Skin Is, My" have a full, rich sound; when he's got this much music dripping out of him, who needs a band? On songs where he is accompanied with a backing group, his music's even hotter; I've fallen for the Jeff Buckley-esque country-rocker "Way Out West," and "Depression Pasillo" has an awesome gypsy-band sound. Most fascinating is "Sovay," a collaboration with My Morning Jacket--not only is it a great Andrew Bird song, it also whets the appetite for a more formal studio collaboration. It could be interesting; Fingerlings 2 is a great little obscurity that's well worth seeking out, and it's a handy little appetizer for those waiting for the next Andrew Bird album.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.bowloffire.com
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