Andrew Bird has just released a single for an album that will be unlike any other. Andrew is known for combining small-group swing, German lieder, and New Orleans jazz, mixing Gypsy, folk, and rock elements into his one of a kind style said allmusic. However, this album is said to be different from the usual. With less whimsicality and wordplay than most, this album was made specifically to process a particularly hard time in Andrews life.

Three years ago, Andrew, his wife and small child travelled across the country from New York to California. They paused for a while at a relatives home in Illinois where Andrew proceeded to spend 7 days on the front porch processing and writing about the last two years of his life. They were two of the most challenging years due to his wife having a serious illness and the responsibility of bringing up a small child. What became of this “processing” was his first single, Capsized.

The conceptual artwork for the album was created by John Baldessari and a special box set will include colored vinyl and exclusive material on a 180g 7″+10″ format, among other things. Andrew premiered Capsized on last nights episode of Conan. He had already planned to tour February through May. For more information see this article about his touring plans.

The Tour will finish just in time for the big album to be released on April 1st by his recently acquired label Loma Vista Recordings who also work with bands such as Spoon, St. Vincent, and HEALTH. The Album will be produced by Tony Berg and will have contributions from Fiona Apple and Blake Mills. This Album will likely put him in a brand new category of American Songwriters, with wording similar to that of a novelist or a playwright and musicality similar to that of a wrecking crew session.

Other projects that Bird is currently involved with include his group the Bowl of Fire (which also includes drummer Kevin O’Donnell, bassist Josh Hirsch, and guitarist Colin Bunn) and performs as an auxiliary member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, his original band. Bird has performed with Pinetop Seven and Lil’ Ed Williams, teaches music at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and performed on the score and soundtrack from the 1999 Tim Robbins film The Cradle Will Rock and the score for Jonathan Segal’s independent film Norman. In Birds seventh album, Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of…, he covered a collection of songs from fellow Chicagoans the Handsome Family and has continued to be musically involved with the married folk duo throughout his musical career.