An album that portrays the parts unsaid
Andrew Bird, the famed multi-instrumental singer-songwriter, has graced the ears of fans of the indie world with yet another album of raw emotion and talent. Coming slightly after the 2016 release of Are You Serious?, Bird’s non-instrumental album, My Finest Work Yet, takes the listener through another experiment of music. Recorded live with no headphones or separate tracks, Bird not only lets himself go free on each of the ten tracks but brings a bit of curiosity to the minds of the listeners with his profound lyricism. My Finest Work Yet is to be taken quite literally by Bird’s fans. The album title is a reflection of the work that was put into the album that could be his finest work yet.
The first track on the album, “Sisyphus,” describes the internal struggle of suffering and being addicted to that struggle of the creative process. On “Bloodless,” Bird sings to empathize with those around him, “I know it’s hard to be an optimist / When you trust least the ones who claim to have the answers.” The track debuted shortly after the 2016 presidential election when the U.S. seemed to be as split into two as it could be. “Cracking Codes” and “Manifest” both take turns at trying to figure out truth-telling and the great question of why are we here while being the softest tracks on the album.
Though most of the album is opinionated and takes a stand one way or another, “Archipelago” makes the listener stop and think about the idea of hate and what would happen if we truly changed the language of hate. “Don the Struggle” begins slow and quickly jerks into what could be mistaken as an Irish step-dance for a moment. The final track on the album, “Bellevue Bridge Club,” combines harmonies, guitar, heavy drums and soul to round out the album on a sophisticated, well-rounded, inner-peace note.
Recording live with nothing to buff out the edges of uncertain music making can be quite rewarding. Raw, limitless talent mixed with pure music-making creates what could be Bird’s finest work to date.
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