Andrew Bird - Fitz And The Dizzy Spells

Now I know that by all probability that by now I really should have sat down and listened to a full Andrew Bird record. After all his latest full length release 'Noble Beast' had fantastic reviews, plus he played on the recent Final Fantasy EP 'Plays To Please', one of my favourite records of the last year.

OK, so I'm still short of listening to a full proper album yet as Fitz And The Dizzy Spells is actually an EP with the title track and the rest being reworkings of songs previously on the tracklisting for 'Noble Beast'. However, I am now totally all about the Bird (I wonder if anyone calls him that?). Undoubtedly a brilliant composer, he also proves to be quite the songwriter in this, frankly, lovely collection of songs.

Now, I'm not going to compare these songs to their original counterparts because, well that would take much more time. Also, I'd quite like to get to listen to the proper album in my own time to fully enjoy it.

Andrew Bird - Fitz And The Dizzy Spells
by Cooperative-Music

The title track is a jaunty number with plenty going on in the background for you to appreciate with some decent headphones (preferably on a train or in bed) which transports you to some colourful happy place full of life.

'Section 8 City' begins like the saddest song in the world full of somber violin notes, then brought alive with stabs of guitar and the steady drum beat, although the 7+ minutes might take it out of some of the less patient listeners.

More sparse with it's solo guitar accompaniment is 'Ten-You-Us' and the result is a very intimate and despite the possible Damien Rice comparisons that would normally put me off it never becomes anything like elevator music.

'See The Enemy' is probably my favourite song on offer, giving a glimpse at the broad range Andrew Bird is capable of. The pizzicato plucking along with uplifting and grand strides tumbling into crashing guitar chords and more swooping violin.

Lastly 'The Nightshade Gets In' is a mostly instrumental outro of sorts, pairing guitar harmonics with the finger plucking of the violin to create an unusual and ethereal swansongs.

Due to the nature of the recording being reinterpretations as such a better starting place for new listeners might be elsewhere in the Andrew Bird catalogue. However, as a relative newcomer I found it to be pretty enjoyable nonetheless. Those who are fans already will surely find something new and reaffirming with this release.

www.andrewbird.net
www.myspace.com/andrewbird

Lee, x.