Things Are Really Great Here, Sort of…

It goes without saying this is a brilliant album, I'm a big fan of Andrew Bird. It's much more country-inspired than his other work, probably because the tracks are cover versions of The Handsome Family's songs. The packaging makes it look more like an EP than an album as it comes in a thin cardboard case with no insert, so if you're interested in album artwork etc it might disappoint, and the MP3 download might be a cheaper option.

Cracking CD, brought a different twist to the Handsome Family.

Andrew Bird remains one of the great unsung musical heroes. In an ideal world driven by fairness and justice 2006's "And The Mysterious Production Of Eggs" would be talked of in hushed tones and mentioned in the same sentences that include "Pet Sounds" and "The Lost Album" by Lewis Taylor. How wonderful therefore that this American multi-instrumentalist, maverick and master decides to cover a set of songs by those equally left of field gothic alt country specialists "The Handsome Family".Sadly Andrew Bird does not take on their greatest song "Weightless Again" but his other choices are impeccable. Opener "The Cathedral in the Dell" sees Bird singing better than ever in a fabulous Orbison like country ballad. This reviewer feels that on repeated listens that his version of the "Giant of Illinois" who has we know "died of a blister on his toe" may actually out match the original. Fans of the utterly brilliant series "True Detective" will also be curious to find out that Bird does a cover of the Handsome Family's signature theme tune "Far from any road". Ok it is not as great as the original but to be fair to Bird he develops the song by stripping it it of its more sinister edges and positions a clear alternative to the pulsating original. Similarly while "So much wine, Christmas" might miss the rough Albuquerque tones of the original and Brett Sparks captivating deep growl, it has much to commend it. Finally "Frogs singing" is worth the price of admission in its own right and keeps your finger glued to the repeat button, although it is "Drunk by Noon" which fares best on this vinyl."Things are really great here, sort of" is in one sense a respectful fan album dedicated to a great band. Alternatively Bird is enough of an original to realise that producing straight covers of the originals would add little value. By any standards there is no way in the world that Bird could inject any further grit into the bible black darkness of the originals. Instead he majors on bringing out the melody and hidden vibrancy in the songs and of course along the way he has a a good old whistle! All in all it is a very nice surprise package.