When we gave Noble Beast its Premature Evaluation, we noted Andrew Bird (here with flyaway hair) hasn’t been shy about previewing album tracks live and via streams. The record — along with the instrumental deluxe-edition disc Useless Creatures — is out in a couple of weeks (1/20) and the previews have gained momentum: Catch Noble Beast in its entirety at NPR and those Useless Creatures at Bird’s site. Contrary to the titles, the Useless instrumentals are more interesting than the Noble collection.
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Agreed– Noble Beast is something of a letdown (it has the worst of both Armchair’s grandiosity and Eggs’ preciousness).
But the ambient classical pieces on Useless Creatures are really interesting…
That photo looks like something a 15-year-old future hipster in Ohio would put on their MySpace.
How did you find my myspace?
If you can’t appreciate Noble Beast, I’m just really not sure what you CAN appreciate.
Believe it or not, I can appreciate it and still find it underwhelming.
I think it’s a bit of a plateau, not an interesting leap forward as the last two LPs have been– plus, personally I find that his continued use of overly-complicated words is becoming a git grating… this album has its moments, but it’s still an average album from an above-average artist.
Sorry Andrew, everyone cares about us right now.
Everyone’s so concerned with going forward.
Not always– but when someone has proven that they are a very talented artist with the ability to grow and develop their sound, it’s a bit of a bummer when things stall a bit.
Noble Beast is fine, but it’s not great. And Andrew Bird is capable of more than great…
to say useless creatures is more interesting than noble beast is outright hilarious. this blog has never properly reported or represented andrew bird.
andrew bird’s music gets annoying, and he slurs is words alot
don’t act like you don’t notice
Oh, I forgot musicians all had to pronounce words with pristine diction for their music to be likable. I guess you’re right and I can’t like Andrew Bird anymore.
It’s good, just not Armchair Apocrypha good.
my unfortunate name has forever linked my to mr. bird. so i follow his career with the zeal of a rabid vegan. Noble Beast is a beautiful beast, Oh No, Tenousness, Nomenclature, Not a robot but a ghost, anonanimal, souverian= masterpieces. Appreciate or don’t, but if you don’t i’m likely to give you a faux-hawk while you sleep. Thank you.
I personally think Andrew Bird has created a new type of music using his loops, violin, guitar, and whistling. Sure, maybe it came around at first with ‘Weather Systems’, but why, if he’s created an interesting musical hybrid, do people not want him to dwell in it?
Yes, he has proven himself competent to innovate. And he’s living in the world he created. I dig.
I find it amazing how people hear music differently. I am listening to the album for the first time right now and am blown away. Armchair was great and this is better.
I find it amazing how people hear music differently. I am listening to the album for the first time right now and am blown away. Armchair was great and this is better.
this is yet another brilliant album from an extremely consistent songwriter. to say this is a step backward is laughable.