God Is In The House
November 13, 2009
The story goes, Art Tatum walked into a Manhattan club where Fats Waller was playing. Waller stepped away from his piano and announced, “I only play the piano, but tonight God is in the house.”
For the Love of the Accordion,
September 3, 2009
Winner of a “Best Picture” award at the Albuquerque Film Festival. albuquerquefilmfestival.org/
This is a well-crafted film, and is as Romany and creative as they come.
Django, oh Django
April 24, 2009
In lieu of this revolutionistic bull, turn your attention to Django Reinhardt. One of the first influential jazz figures to emerge from Europe, Reinhardt remains to be one of the most prominent Gypsy jazz guitarists to this day. Known for his unorthodox style, he played alongside the likes of Duke Elligton and Coleman Hawkins, and influenced a wide variety of musicians from Miles Davis to Jimi Hendrix.
Zach Galifianakis, Rap Farce
February 24, 2009
Kanye West “Cant Tell Me Nothing” (Zach Galifianakis version). I totally mooched this off this kid, Brad. It was too comical and so Galifianakis-like to pass up though. Plus I haven’t been around the blogosphere much of late, so this should suffice until I finish this “essay of despair,” as my professor titled it.
NPR’s All Things Considered: Andrew Bird
February 19, 2009
Click here to listen to Andrew’s in depth on-air interview with Melissa Block from NPR’s “All Things Considered”
Rough Trade Album of the Month!
“I think of like, when I was a kid, and I would get my Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass and throw myself down in a pile of mulch or something and go in there and pretend that I was microscopic. I wanted to capture that kind of woody, mossy, decaying kind of sound.”
-AB
Andrew Bird’s Natural Disaster
Black-Circle-Spinners Rejoice
February 17, 2009
According to Pitchfork Fat Cat Records is about to reissue two Sigur Ros albums on 180-gram DMM vinyl in the UK. Apparently they got the memo. Vinyl-obsession is spreading like ambivalence in Kosovo. But being part of hipster circles (and I cringe to admit it) is rewarding. I mean, really, what other sub-culture adorns vintage Crosleys? I could make a case for jazz studies majors, but that’s a given. And they’re already subsumed in the culture of knit beanies, skinny jeans, and cardigans anyway. It’s a sensation of the urbane. It’s vintage and pleasant. So if you’re as old-timey as me and drink as much coffee you might just appreciate this. 
Oh, similar 180 gram DM ministrations will be given to Animal Collective fans. No release date has been….released.
Beirut “A Sunday Smile”
February 12, 2009
The Balkan-gypsy inspired Zach Condon and his musical cronies made their national television debut last Friday. David Letterman played host to their performance of “A Sunday Smile.” Their forthcoming double EP titled March of the Zapotec/Holland EP is scheduled for a February 16th release; however it leaked to the internet late January and was made available via iTunes on January 27th. Here’s their performance on the Late Show:
Temporary Dismemberment of the ‘Beast’
January 31, 2009
Hey, all. I might as well make this the unofficial Andrew Bird newsletter. My music bias seems to dictate this blog. Nonetheless here’s a link to a Noble Beast track-by-track dissection, courtesy of Mr. Bird himself.
Anonanimal
“The Texas Salamander ekes out an isolated, eyeless existence in a cave in Mexico. Sea Anenomies, so liquid and malleable, take the shape of an enclosed space. Can we evolve within our own lifetimes certain appendages that help us do our jobs and get through the day? At what cost?”
Andrew Bird In Philadelphia
January 27, 2009
Photo Credit: Chris Sikich
Notwithstanding near intolerable wintry weather, my Sunday night was as fantastic as the nights come. Walking in the cold amongst the 20-something guys and gals in newsboy drivers and knit berets, I smoked cigarette after cigarette in a ridiculous attempt to externalize the warmth I was feeling from “Anonanimal,” which was playing back in my head all day. Veronika, Lauren, and I scurried past bohemian hangouts and sidewalk cafes sounding acid jazz out its open doors; we scurried, like tourists lost in North Philly (but we were just cold), on and on till we came upon the old movie theater turned music venue, not far from Penn’s Landing, on 3rd and South.
If you like pizzicato and Sundance whistling documentaries and a low-key violinist turned man-of-revelry, then you’d thoroughly enjoy the likes of Mr. Bird and his band. I’ve been thinking about how to approach this entry, and have come to the conclusion it’s ineffable–I cannot describe, or in some cases induce one to enjoy, such unorthodox classical music that sounds more like East African gypsy than Mozart or Bach. I refuse to prattle, like a Rick Sanchez prototype on politics, about the joy of music that only selected people can relish. So I’ll give everyone the same run-down that I gave my friend Margaret.
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Title: you’re a lemon
The show was fantastic in so many ways. Firstly, Ra Ra Riot was highly impressive with their strings and all-around revelry. I would suggest seeing them, if you haven’t already. I’m glad Andrew provided this opportunity for them.
Now let me to indulge into the flair of last night. Andrew made it known from the beginning he was/is suffering from a low-grade fever, so he asked us to forbear our impatience, as this was the band’s first gig of the year. Mind you, he’s such a modest man, so it isn’t like impatience/disappointment would be a problem–his mannerly traits rub off on his fans, I think. But in any case, he opened up the set list with “Fitz and Dizzyspells” from the new record. Gah–so lovely! I’m biased towards that particular song, but what a rendition it was! Martin Dosh and co. are great at creating new sets for songs; but they’re so talented, I bet they could extemporize just as well. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing them all play on a whim, somewhere out on Andrew’s farm, just all ad lib. But anyway, this euphony continued on throughout the show, from the sweet hums of “The Privateers” to the more broad-sounding “Anonanimal” (my favorite off the new record by the way). All in all I couldn’t have been more sated.
I could prattle on for hours but I’ll spare you the time-burden. I don’t critique gigs for a living nor do I plan to; AND perhaps everything I just said IS in fact prattle–I don’t know. I simply know I enjoyed the show as much if not more than any other. It’s sometimes hard to categorize my obscure tastes in music, but when it comes to the manifold Mr. Bird provides, this is how I prefer to put it: there’s just something about a man playing music in his socks and making noises like a Japanese bird whistle that charms me. He’s an amazing musician/person and I’m so glad the indie pop horizons have accepted the music; with all its worldliness and idiosyncrasies it has, oddly enough, transpired for the best.
Rick Warren News/Daft Punk’s Commemoration of Obama
January 16, 2009
Unbelievably I just found out today Rev. Warren will be swearing in Mr. Obama next week. I’m reasonably au fait with the minister, including his opposition to same-sex couples; but I’m pleased he will not be making nods to a distinct creed. As Edward Bloom stated, “It’s not polite to talk about religion, because you never know who you’re gonna offend.” Even in America. Even at the presidential inauguration.
In other news……
Daft Punk vs. Adam Freeland:
The following is a mixed-media stop motion music video and celebration commemorating the election and inauguration of Barack Obama as the forty-fourth president of these United States. Audibly showcasing Adam Freeland’s remix of Daft Punk’s “Aerodynamic”.
