Andrew Bird Albums Ranked
Andrew Wegman Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American indie rock multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Since 1996, he has released 16 studio albums, as well as several live albums and EPs, spanning various genres including swing music, indie rock, and folk music. He is primarily known for his unique style of violin playing, accompanied by loop and effect pedals, whistling, and voice. In the 1990s, he sang and played violin in several jazz ensembles, including Squirrel Nut Zippers and Kevin O’Donnell’s Quality Six. He went on to start his own swing ensemble, Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, which released three albums between 1998 and 2001. Weather Systems (2003) was his first solo album and a departure from jazz music into indie music. Bird’s 2019 album My Finest Work Yet was nominated for “Best Folk Album” at the 2020 Grammy Awards. He has also had a career in film, as a soundtrack composer as well as an actor. He appeared as “Dr. Stringz” in a 2007 episode of Jack’s Big Music Show. In 2010, he appeared on a TED Talk performing his music. He wrote and performed “The Whistling Caruso” for The Muppets movie in 2011, and composed the score for the television series Baskets, released in 2016. In 2019, Andrew Bird was cast for the fourth installment of Fargo, playing, “a character, written specifically for him, named ‘Thurman Smutney.'” In 2020 he released a Meditative Story about the musical turning point in his life that led up to making Weather Systems, scored with original music. Here are all of Andrew Bird albums ranked.
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10. Thrills, 1998
“This album is really jazzy and has fun songs with brilliant writing. The solos on “Minor Stab” are very enjoyable, displaying the great talent of all the band members. Bird shows his love for lots of cultures in an adaption of a German song in “Pathetique” and, obviously, the “Swedish Wedding March.” He also uses lots of allusion in his songs, nodding to T.S. Elliot and other writers. Even though it came out in the nineties, this album is very refreshing if you’re wanting to break free from electronic music and new-recording. I’m listening to it every day.”
9. Weather Systems, 2003
“I have to admit, I can sometimes be bored by some of the later artists/albums from this general genre who have gotten more exposure than Andrew Bird. But Weather Systems is one of those ‘starting points’ I would recommend to people as much as anything.”
8. I Want To See Pulaski At Night, 2013
“Interesting EP, the centerpiece here is “Pulaski At Night” which is Bird doing what he does best while the other six tracks are instrumentals designed to compliment the title track. Think of the first three tracks as a prologue to “Pulaski At Night” and the last three songs as epilogues. Nice release here with plenty of achingly beautiful tunes present.”
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7. Are You Serious?, 2016
“Yes, Bird is serious about every note he writes and records. And it results in an album in which every song is effortless to enjoy. It works, because his meticulousness matches his craft which is unparalleled. The focus here is on concise traditional songcraft more so than on any past album. His twin superpowers of songwriting and musical ability are enough to make you sick.”
6. The Swimming Hour, 2001
“This is a great album. I recommend it highly. I will say that on the strength of this album I went back and checked out some of Bird’s other albums and was disappointed. Some of his other stuff is…well…weird, and lacks the groove that this one does.”
5. My Finest Work Yet, 2019
“Not sure what makes someone like me return to Andrew Bird 10+ years later. I guess I’m gullible and really needed to know if the title is true. More likely, dementia has kicked in for poor Andrew as this doesn’t take me back to his mid-00’s peak. It is however very consistent and pretty. Can’t say I’m let down or bothered. With all that said, I think we can call this review My Finest Work Yet.”
4. Noble Beast, 2009
“This record is a musical treat on early listening, a pop record full of musical bubbles and squeaks, whistles and tings, well articulated singing and pacing that sets out an airy and bouyant mood. The instrumentation with Bird’s violin prominent and a shortwave which sounds much like a saw are delightful. The song “Fitz and Dizzyspells” is a standout.”
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3. Break It Yourself, 2012
“This is certainly an album I like and is even better when heard on good headphones. The atmospheric production is gorgeous. And yet, for all of its inherit charm, it is also difficult to digest all of these songs in one sitting. Maybe I’m not giving it enough attention, or maybe it just isn’t particularly memorable all the way through. Either way, ‘Break It Yourself’ is worth hearing for yourself, and I will undoubtedly be returning to enjoy it many times.”
2. Armchair Apocrypha, 2007
“I swear it’s not pretentious though. It’s just good music. It’s pretty genre-defying to just call it indie, but I guess that has to suffice. Plasticities, Armchairs, Spare-ohs…there are many gems on this album. Andrew Bird has carved a sound entirely his own, embellished by whistles here and there and layered with all sorts of complexities.”
1. The Mysterious Production Of Eggs, 2005
“The album is a journey. While it may not appear as a “concept album” at first glance, all the songs fall under a tightly-knit umbrella. The world of Eggs is filled with a childlike innocence, from the recurring scholastic themes to the Seussian album art to the dolls, kittens, water bugs, and dancing bears. However, there are darker undertones at bay—these idealistic protagonists run into scientists and businessmen and other lurking forces, who are “trying to impose things, trying to take the fun and mystery out of that childhood, and we’re fighting back,” in the words of Bird.”