Andrew Bird - Noble Beast (Review)
Album art for Noble Beast by Andrew Bird
Reviewing a record is not as straight forward of a process as it probably looks. At first you get a hold of a new record, and start listening to it. Usually it only takes a listen through it or two to see if you should be reviewing it, as there is not much point in trying to say something about music don’t understand, because after all reviewing is about trying to put express with words what the experience of listening to a certain collection of songs is like.
Once you have determined that the album at hand is actually appropriate for you to review, in other words that it fits your taste, and you can actually say something worth reading about it, you have to actually listen and discover what the songs do for you. It was at this point the whistling Andrew Bird’s latest album left me dazzled, because even though I was sure that this was something for me, even after listening to it several times I was unable to pinpoint exactly how I felt about it. Was it good? Great perhaps? Or just dull and uninspiring?
Noble Beast is quite a big record, just five minutes shy of an hour spread out on 14 different tracks (if you want to treat yourself to something special, get the two disc special version which features Useless Creatures, a collection of 9 instrumental songs). Even from the very beginning, it becomes crystal clear that Mr. Bird is something special, and that music is his outlet. With Oh No, apparently inspired by a crying baby at an airport, he shares his frustrations of how it isn’t socially acceptable to wear your emotions on your sleeve, which he claims is degrading us to “harmless sociopaths“.
Following up with Masterswarm, Bird has firmly set the tone for what’s to come. Soothing melodies and pleasant vocals that emphasize on what Kings of Convenience stated with their debut album: quiet is the new loud. The lyrics are undecidedly clever, because even though you are left in awe of how good the words sound together, at the end of the day you’re likely to be left with a big question mark wondering what Bird is trying to convey.
This is something that follows the entire record, and ultimately you are probably better of just listening and indulging yourself in the music, be swayed by it and the bright pictures of blue and green dreamy countryside-scenes it will paint in your mind as you drift far away from cold winter and urban, hazardous fumes. At least until you get halfway through, because the 20 seconds long ouo marks a shift in sound on the album, and the songs which follow it, including Not A Robot But A Ghost and Anonimal are both more noisy and intruding compositions.
Contrary to what the title might indicate however, Natural Disaster turns the record back on its track, where both Bird and the listener will feel more comfortable. Almost unnoticeably it transforms into The Privateers, a personal favourite on the album, and incidentally a lyrically reworked version of The Confession which appeared on Oh! The Grandeur which was released under the moniker Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire.
Noble Beast is rewarded with 4 out of 6 waves.
Before you reach the end of it, you’re bound to realize that Noble Beast plays out a little like a first date: In the beginning it might seem a bit awkward, but as soon as you are able let your guard down and stop comparing it to whatever previous experiences you might have, you’ll find yourself swept off your feet before you know it. I’m just not quite sure whether or not it is just a crush or the real deal.
