Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha

The word "apocrypha" references a series of religious texts of uncertain origin that are worshipped by a select few but rejected as false by most. Given this fact, we can conclude that the title of Andrew Bird's latest LP, Armchair Apocrypha, doesn't make very much sense at all. Or, if it does, Bird's intended meaning is mysteriously cloaked in his dense, impenetrable vocabulary.

But that's Andrew Bird for you. Whether his hyper-literate witticisms make any sense or not, they are part of the package that comprises his musical career. And, as many fans are hoping, each aspect of the Andrew Bird we know and love makes a triumphant return on his latest record.

It's all here, from his excellent grasp of composition to his delightfully neurotic twists on otherwise straightforward songs. His professional whistling skills are back in full form, and so are his delicately arranged violin melodies. As song titles such as "Imitosis," "The Supine" and "Scythian Empire" might suggest, his erudite, book-wormish lyrics saturate the album's liner notes.

In fact, not much has changed at all – Armchair Apocrypha finds Andrew Bird in much the same form as he was on his previous record, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, albeit with one major distinction.

Somewhere between the creation of Eggs and Armchair Apocrypha, Bird discovered he loves playing electric guitars. Thus, there is somewhat of a superficial distinction between his old material and his new material. Though Bird doesn't explore any new song structures or innovative writing techniques on Armchair Apocrypha, the new electric instrumentation lends a thicker, more layered feel to his traditionally acoustic ballads.

Ultimately, this approach doesn't work in Bird's favor. While his previous work drew great strength from its quiet intimacy, his louder, noisier guitar doesn't pull listeners in quite the same way. Nonetheless, the actual melodies are as strong as ever, and even his simplest songs have interesting flourishes (such as the brisk bongo-rhythm propelling "Heretics," or the intriguing hip-hop flare that opens "Imitosis").


Andrew Bird - "Imitosis"
Furthermore, when it comes to Andrew Bird, the lyrics are almost as exciting as the music itself. Armchair Apocrypha is about as cleverly depressing as one might expect for a record from a man previously obsessed with the economic ruin, the inevitability of death and psychoanalysis.

His wry words (i.e. "What is mistaken for closeness/ is just a case of mitosis") are evocative and intriguing. They address a variety of themes, ranging from the heterogeneous nature of pop culture ("Plasticities") to the history of ancient empires ("Scythian Empire") to the technological clutter that permeates our modern lives ("Imitosis"). Once again, Bird proves himself one of the most thoughtful and eloquent figures in indie music.

Even if Armchair Apocrypha shows Bird falling back on his established sound, he retreads old ground in a distinctive way that no other artist does. It's impressive that, in an industry increasingly saturated by bland singer-songwriters, Andrew Bird continues to release albums that stand out from the crowd.

Originally published for the Cavalier Daily:
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/news/2007/mar/29/andrew-birds-latest-runs-in-the-same-vein-as-his-p/

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Funeral, Arcade Fire's 2004 debut album, has been adored like few others in the indie rock community. Its lush orchestration, epic presentation and theatrical songwriting directly vaulted the band into the heights of indie stardom (and garnered an unusually rabid fan base to boot).

With this universal acclaim setting the stage, Arcade Fire recently released "Intervention" on iTunes as a charity single for Partners in Health. It was the first preview of what the band's sophomore album, Neon Bible, would sound like. Rabid fans around the world held their breath in a mixture of exhilaration and trepidation as they pressed play and the first few notes of a new Arcade Fire song washed over their speaker set.


Arcade Fire - "Intervention"
"Intervention" is a clear shift from the thematic territory of the brooding, self-reflective Funeral. Here, Arcade Fire lash out with a newfound brand of orchestral muscle and poisonous lyricism. Lyrically, the song sees frontman Win Butler methodically condemns the institutions of war, money and religion – a substantial topical shift for the band. While Funeral showed the band making peace with the world, Neon Bible picks open the wounds all over again. In fact, the rejection of societal norms is a consistent theme for the record. Indeed, it seems that Butler isn't happy with anything at all, be it MTV or the U.S. government or FM radio.

With the notable exceptions of "Black Mirror" and "My Body is a Cage," however, none of the music sounds as apocalyptic as the lyrics might suggest. Even as Butler insists, "Their voices when they scream / they make no sound/ I want to see the cities rust" on "(Antichrist Television Blues)," the instrumentation backing his voice sounds like something straight out of Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA. Fans singing along with the bouncy UK single "Keep the Car Running" might find it easy to forget that the song is actually about a man who is being relentlessly pursued by the government (or some similarly oppressive entity).

This juxtaposition undermines most of the album's lyrical content, and brings into question the sincerity of the band's messages. With their previous material, Arcade Fire's anthems were filled with unquestionable passion and honesty. Neon Bible feels like the band is settling down into its own pre-established formula (with perhaps a few minor advances in song-writing and instrumental technique) and complaining about generic issues. In essence, the album retreads the same musical ground as Funeral with less passion and a bigger production budget.

Which is not to say that Neon Bible is a bad album. In fact, it's an excellent collection of songs. Highlights include the aforementioned "Black Mirror," "Ocean of Noise" and "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations," which are among the band's finest tracks to date. The group's newfound confidence, sleeker production and refined songwriting will doubtless win over new listeners. Neon Bible will be at least a mildly satisfactory follow-up for most hardcore Arcade Fire fans.

But, in the end, Neon Bible is no Funeral. The dramatic tension is less genuine, the build-ups less cathartic, the words less poignant. Neon Bible never achieves the heights of its predecessor. It, however, shows a band with real talent and – perhaps more importantly – staying power. With any luck, Funeral and Neon Bible are just two in a long series of great albums to come.

Originally published for the Cavalier Daily:
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/news/2007/mar/15/neon-sheds-shallow-light/