I sure do love Andrew Bird. And his new album, Noble Beast, justifies this even more. With his music, Bird manages to sweep you off your feet, delighting you with his melodies and trademark whistling. This album is cleverly pulled off and adds a strong piece to Andrew Bird’s discography.

“Oh No” is a good introduction. I guess I have a thing for songs that mention the atmosphere (So let’s get out of here / Pass the atmosphere), but this is a great song with Bird’s celebrated whistling and nice, subtle drumbeats in the background. I also have a thing for songs that are suitable for that lazy drive on a cool, sunny day, and Andrew Bird has a good number of those. Noble Beast presents “Masterswarm” for the occasion, which has a transition that deserves a smile because you can’t help but realize how great Bird is. His violin doesn’t play a large role in the song, but it definitely adds a nice touch to it. “Fitz and the Dizzyspells” is stellar! It reminds me of a more upbeat “Fiery Crash.” The flourishes in the song are grand, and this may easily be one of the best songs on Noble Beast. “Effigy” is the typical Andrew Bird song, his voice occasionally rising, following the swell tunes. Currently, “Tenuousness” is probably one of my favorite songs off this album.

“Not A Robot, But A Ghost” is clearly impressive. I’d call it Bird’s interpretation of a Dosh song. I love the highs and lows of this song, and I think it’s really great. Andrew Bird does a great job on building upon Martin Dosh tracks. They are a great duo.

I liked hearing “Anonanimal” at All Points West, and this studio recording is pretty fulfilling. “Natural Disaster” reminds me of “Tables and Chairs.” “The Privateers” is pretty uplifting and provides a good mood. “Souverian” has a few nice moments, some good hooks that owe credit to Bird’s trusty violin. “Oh Ho” closes Noble Beast quite perfectly.

I don’t think anyone else shows as much ambition that Andrew Bird does. Personally, for me, he raises the bar for singer-songwriters. He’s original and creative. The folk-pop ballads thrive even when you’re done listening to Noble Beast in its entirety. He’s a very talented musician and I think when you listen to his work, it’s a statement easy to understand. Bird modestly presents his newest effort and stuns you with its wit. A

Among other things, I have something to look forward to, and that is Martin Dosh's upcoming album, Wolves and Wishes. It is to be released on May 13, with Andrew Bird (!) collaborating on some tracks, just as Dosh has done for BIrd. The song, "If You Want To, You Have To" has already been uploaded for free download on Dosh's label, Anticon. It had actually reminded me a bit of Say Hi's work (as Say Hi, not Say Hi To Your Mom).

Here's the tracklist:

01 Don't Wait for the Needle to Drop
02 Bury the Ghost
03 If You Want To, You Have To [mp3]
04 First Impossible
05 Kit and Pearle
06 Wolves
07 Food Cycles
08 Keep Up Appearance
09 The Magic Stick
10 Capture the Flag