It’s tough to choose where to begin when it comes to Andrew Bird.   He’s a lot of things.  He’s that folk artist who’s also classically trained in violin, he’s a one-man choir, he’s one of our greatest masters of loop pedals, he’s probably the best whistler you’ve ever heard.  And the best part is, his new album has finally been announced.

Andrew Bird has come a long way since his Bowl of Fire days that blended Gipsy Jazz with larger-than-life, almost theatrical ballads.  One thing has always been clear, Andrew Bird is interested in highbrow music.  Break It Yourself will be the twelfth album he has put out since 1997 and is three long years since his last creative endeavor, Noble Beast.

Break It Yourself was recorded in Bird’s barn in Western Illinois.  The album, released by Mom + Pop Music,  is due out March 6, 2012.  Details of a deluxe edition vinyl are soon to be released.

Andrew Bird will also be touring extensively this upcoming spring.  Fans who buy presale tickets now we be graced with two live EP’s, one from Bird’s 2011 tour and another from his upcoming 2012 tour.  You can buy your tickets here at his website.

Tour Dates:

January 12            Hawaii Theatre                        Honolulu, HI

March 15            Majestic Theatre                         Dallas, TX†

March 16            The Howlin’ Wolf                       New Orleans, LA†

March 17            Tabernacle                                    Atlanta, GA†

March 19            Ryman Auditorium                     Nashville, TN†

March 20            Southern Theatre                        Columbus, OH†

March 22            The Pageant                                 St. Louis, MO†

March 23            The Uptown Theater                  Kansas City, MO†

March 24            Riverside Theater                        Milwaukee, WI†

April 9                Paramount Theatre                      Seattle, WA‡

April 10            The Vogue                                        Vancouver, BC‡

April 11            Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall      Portland, OR‡

April 13            Fox Theater                                       Oakland, CA‡

April 18            Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center      Mesa, AZ‡

April 19            Lensic Performing Arts Center        Santa Fe, NM‡

April 20            Rialto Theater                                      Tucson, AZ‡

May 3            Union Transfer                                       Philadelphia, PA§

May 4            Beacon Theatre                                       New York, NY§

May 5            Beacon Theatre                                       New York, NY

May 6            House of Blues                                        Boston, MA§

May 8            9:30 Club                                                Washington, DC§

May 9            Ramshead Live                                      Baltimore, MD§

May 10            The Fillmore Detroit                         Detroit, MI††

May 12            Auditorium Theatre                           Chicago, IL††

Here’s a little teaser that was just released on behalf of the upcoming album.