chanman1128 Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I love Andrew Bird's music, Mysterious Production was in my top 10 favorite cds, and Armchairs almost made it into the top 20... Anyways, after hearing some live stuff at Tanglewood, youtube...etc, I have to say I do not like it as much. I know that instrumentally it is great, and I like it, but I just can't get passed his voice live...it is almost like he talks too much and does not sing enough. I also have read reviews that stress how he loves to change the sounds of his songs, which is fine, but to me, they just don't sound as good, vocally at least, as they do on the albums. I know he can sing it, but he just kind of yells sometimes and talks the lyrics instead of actually hitting the notes and singing them, even though I KNOW that he is able to sing them easy, but he chooses to 'change the song' and talk them. When he does this it makes me cringe, maybe it is because I like the studio so much, I don't know, but I do not like the way it sounds. I know I am going to get mostly disagreements, and I am not trying to bash Andrew Bird, I am just kind of wondering if anybody else notices this? And if so, you probably like it, but is there anybody who doesn't? Just trying to get a discussion going, not trying to pick fights, I am probably just missing something. Just keep in mind that I never questioned his musical abilities. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 he sings a lot more smoothly now that he has a band again... i'd agree with you somewhat, in that when he plays solo, he sometimes changes the melody and verses of his songs a bit too much from the album cuts for my taste, but that's not been much of an issue since he joined up with Dosh and Jeremy imo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
So Long Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Bird's live set at Tanglewood was pretty good. But there were definitely times that I cringed. Like when he acted out the "nervous tick motion"...ugh. A little cheese ball. Also, his stage presence is very odd. He's like a mix of Morrissey and...I dunno...Dave Matthews. Kinda gross Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moe_Syzlak Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Does he have a band beyond Dosh and Jeremy? I'd have to say that, although Bird is probably in my top 10 favorite current musicians, I'm also underwhelmed by his live performances... and I have seen him a few times with Dosh and once with Jeremy. For me it's not his vocal though. It's what everyone ELSE seems to love about his live performances -- the loops. It's a novelty to me and one that causes him to have to simplify his arrangements. I'd rather he just got a full band. It's like Charlie Hunter. It's impressive, but after a bit, I don't care HOW the music is being made, I just want it to sound as good as it can. Hunter would sound better if he toured with a bass player and Bird would sound better with a full band. /$.02 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 *shrug* i've seen him a dozen+ times and only ever been disappointed once or twice i guess. but i do prefer him more w/ a full band, that's for sure. as for another band beyond Dosh & Jeremy, not currently, no, it's just them (and now Mike Lewis) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 i've seen him a dozen+ times Did you ever see him with Andy Hopkins on guitar? I think that might have been in the Bowl of Fire days. Andy is a great guitarist I used to see a lot when he lived in Atlanta and played with his insanely amazing band, Flap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chanman1128 Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 fake palindromes, one of my favorite songs, is here on youtube it starts off good, then i just feel like it gets butchered, just sing normal. an example Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 yeah, i saw a couple (2-3?) Bowl of Fire shows, most opening for Mason Jennings. Andy is definitely great, as is Kevin O'Donnell fake palindromes, one of my favorite songs, is here on youtube it starts off good, then i just feel like it gets butchered, just sing normal. an example i can understand the complaint, as like i've said, it's bothered me on a FEW occasions, but overall i realize it's his songs to play how he wants live, and i'd be missing out on too much great stuff if i let it bother me that much. i realize not everyone is able to get over it maybe, which is unfortunate i guess. he doesn't do it as much as he used to, that much i can assure you (that video is from '06) by the same token, artists who play/sing their songs note for note = booooooooooorrrrrrrrrrring *shrug* and i think that performance kind of kicks ass myself... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tapmyglass Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 *shrug* i've seen him a dozen+ times and only ever been disappointed once or twice i guess. but i do prefer him more w/ a full band, that's for sure. as for another band beyond Dosh & Jeremy, not currently, no, it's just them (and now Mike Lewis) is mike lewis really playing with Bird? that would be awesome, he is one of the most interesting musicians around right now, I'd love to see him join that band. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Three dollars and 63 cents Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I really enjoyed his set Tuesday with the band, but he told me that the show I'm seeing in the fall is part of a solo tour. I'm interested to see how different it will be. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tugmoose Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I think there are cases where the more you loooooove a cd, the harder it is for the live production to measure up. You feel protective of the song as on CD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I thought his set on Tuesday was great, but I am biased.... LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
laurie Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I thought his set on Tuesday was great, but I am biased.... LouieB I agree. It was the first time i saw Andrew with his band heeeeeee was great! He should do an Indie film! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
howdjadoo Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 2 Full Concert Vid's here: http://www.fabchannel.com/andrew_bird_2007_concert/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rac1234 Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I agree. It was the first time i saw Andrew with his band heeeeeee was great! He should do an Indie film! You're not saying that because you happened to read the review in the Boston Globe, and are paraphrasing Joan Anderman, right? No.... From the Globe: Singer-songwriter, violinist, and virtuoso whistler Andrew Bird opened the show with a set of riveting little dramas built of loops and Latin flavors, the Beatles and spaghetti Westerns, mysterious neuroses and impossibly smart wordplay. Somebody give this man an independent film to score. http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/20..._at_tanglewood/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 is mike lewis really playing with Bird? that would be awesome, he is one of the most interesting musicians around right now, I'd love to see him join that band. yep! he joined up w/ the band for some of these fall shows (obviously not the solo ones) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moe_Syzlak Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I feel I should clarify as it seems my comments were misconstrued. I still very much enjoy seeing Andrew Bird live. If I didn't I wouldn't keep going back (I've probably seen him 10+ times over the years). However, I do think he would be much better if he got a full band. The more band members he has, the better he sounds, IMO. His reliance on the loops, while an impressive display, causes him to lose much of the nuance of his compositions. I'm not saying he should play his songs note-for-note, but there should not be that level of sacrifice of the compositions' form simply to accommodate his ability to be a one-man-band. But hey, they're his tunes and his performance. I'll still go and I'll still enjoy it. It just leaves me a bit wanting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 i'd agree a good mixture of looping vs. solo vs. full band in his live shows is ideal, and lately he's been finding a good mixture in my experience. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ms. yvon Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 boy howdy. i love seeing this man live without qualification. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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