Andrew Bird: Soldier On EP (2008)

New Wax


Andrew Bird is one of the more freakishly talented musicians around, and his brand of indie combines his looping violins with his clever wordplay.  Soldier On is an eight-track EP that was only sold at shows on his European tour, and it consists of demos, remixes, and a few new songs.  You'll recognize "Plasticities" and "Heretics" as re-workings of tracks from his amazing 2007 release Armchair Apocrypha, and the great "Oh Sister" as a Bob Dylan cover (which previously appeared in its live version on one of my covers mixtapes).  The album kicks off with a new unheard track:  the magnificent "The Trees Were Mistaken" is a layered mixture of looping violin, electric guitar, and an electronic beat.  Considering the EP was never meant for mass consumption, it contains enough quality material to warrant a must-buy, especially for fans of Bird's last three albums.  If the new material on the EP is any sort of indicator of the direction Bird plans to take his music, then we can expect more complex offerings from him in the future. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: Andrew Bird - The Trees Were Mistaken
MP3: Andrew Bird - Plasticities (Remix)
MP3: Andrew Bird - Oh Sister (Bob Dylan Cover)

Tags: Andrew Bird, Soldier On, Captain Obvious, Review