Andrew Bird Releases The Album Whistling Fans Have Been Waiting For

Our look at the closing lines of the biggest new-music reviews continues with a roundup of reactions to Noble Beast, the new album by Andrew Bird:

• “With its crackling percussion, somber woodwinds, and shivering machines, ‘Not a Robot, But a Ghost’ could be a lost Thom Yorke track, including the doleful tenor. A note to new listeners: If you’re unfamiliar with Bird’s lyrics, you may want to pull up a chair and a dictionary. The man’s wordsmithing is even headier than his beautiful songs.” [Boston Herald]

• “But Noble Beast veers off into a cheerily nonspecific world of jangly guitars and meandering melodies that evoke everyone from Okkervil River to Radiohead without ever making an impact of their own. By largely ditching beloved personal trademarks like exotic tonalities and that emphatic violin pizzicato, Bird’s suddenly just another member of the flock.” [Entertainment Weekly]

• “Given the album’s excessive runtime, Bird probably could have stood to cull a few of the weaker numbers, and with the additional room, might have reworked a few of the selections from Useless Creatures into experimental pop songs, thereby tempering his lack of risk taking on Noble Beast. By pursuing just such a hybrid approach, Bird could have reconciled his two halves: pop auteur and experimental composer, neurotic producer and easygoing improviser. Here’s hoping that his next album is, indeed, just such a Noble Creature.” [PopMatters]

• “Although it’s undoubtedly consistent and enjoyable, these are the kind of adjectives that restrain this established songwriter from truly challenging or surprising his audience. And one can’t help but wish for an even stronger approximation of his energetic and unpredictable live shows. Still, his lyrical and musical prowess is miles beyond that of the coffee-shop competition, and that makes Noble Beast a welcome addition to his discography.” [Tiny Mix Tapes]