Andrew Bird
"Armchair Apocrypha"
3.5 out of 5 stars
You'll throw out everything you know about modern popular music when you listen to Andrew Bird.
Not only may he be the most talented artist out there, but he may also be the most intelligent: How many artists have a song named "Imitosis"?
On Bird's solo releases, the former auxiliary member of the band Squirrel Nut Zippers has combined his sharp and clever lyrics with complex yet catchy melodies that feature a multitude of instruments.
The result has been albums of eclectic, atypical pop songs that transcend the modern boundaries of commercial pop music.
Bird's latest release, his seventh solo album, is a batch of songs in the same mold as his previous works.
This album's overall tone and atmosphere sets it apart from his others.
"Armchair Apocrypha" is a much darker album with some fairly somber songwriting thrown in for good measure.
Where this album succeeds most is in the subtleties of its melodies and the thoughtfulness of its arrangements.
It's an overall good effort that fits well into the Andrew Bird canon of songs.
Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself.
Key Tracks: "Heretics," "Darkmatter," "Imitosis"
Clinic
"Visitations"
1.5 out of 5 stars
You can always tell the boys from Clinic apart from other bands that you'll find out there.
They're the ones who'll be wearing the medical scrubs as part of their overall theme, if that's what you can call it.
But the boys from Liverpool have put out some good records in the past, churning out albums full of chugging, Velvet Underground-esque guitars.
Well, my friends, maybe it's just me but I don't think that their newest is a particularly good record.
It's more raw than the last few releases the art-punkers have put out, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
But the guitars sound out of tune, the bass sounds out of tune . hell, the singing sounds out of tune. The whole damn record seems out of tune!
Okay, so there are a few listenable tracks on this album, but to me most of it is forgettable.
Not the worst thing I've heard lately, but it certainly approaches the bottom.
Semi-Key Tracks: "Gideon," "If You Could Read My Mind"
