Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird

Armchair Apocrypha

Andrew Bird
Fat Possum Records.


SCQ Rating: 73%

I spent nearly three weeks trying to figure out why ‘Dark Matter’ rubs me the wrong way. The sixth song from Armchair Apocrypha is very U2 – the chiming arena guitars, the near-tribal drum-patterns – but worse, it’s Bird’s voice; it sounds stretched beyond the fragile seams of his songwriting, and eureka! If ‘Imitosis’ proves anything, it’s that Bird’s strength is in classical arrangements for indie-rock songs, not the other way around. Staccato-plucked strings and creeping guitar lines are where Bird excels best, affording him space and atmosphere to drop clever lyrics and atmosphere he proves himself so capable of delivering. That he doesn’t have the pipes to convincingly pull off a rock song is beside the point when you consider his other talents.

Speaking of atmosphere, let’s discuss a contrast to Bird’s occasional rock-star overreaching: ‘Armchairs’. It’s a sweepingly moody affair, a slightly jazzy comedown that lilts and entrances before suddenly climaxing, twice, with Bird’s voice proving itself worthy with the right material. It’s hands-down the best song on the album, although there is substantial competition in ‘Cataracts’; another slow-burner that matches Bird’s exhausted murmur with whistling, string-laden passages which flex his violinist impulses. Equally enticing are Bird’s instrumental compositions; both ‘The Supine’ and ‘Yawny at the Apocalypse’ band the collection into a pretty, nocturnal record for late-night listening.

Armchair Apocrypha is at times beautiful, displaying the best of his talents, while other songs sound frustratingly operative. In no way do I blame Bird for reaching into heavier territory, as every artist should stretch his/her wings. I just hope he finds the perfect height between beauty and banality for his next release.