Bird brain – Tune up

Recorded in his converted barn-studio in Western Illinois, Break It Yourself—the new album from singer and violin maestro Andrew Bird—is filled with tender, unfussy strumming on songs that largely forego the more experimental tangents of his recent name-making releases Armchair Apocrypha and Noble Beast. Instead, Bird has spun a set of earnest ballads in the tradition of Iron and Wine or Tim Buckley—songs the artist committed to tape after just a few rehearsals. These 14 tracks hold a quiet beauty that surmounts canned coffee shop background music and cuts straight to the heart of authentic American sound—not to mention storytelling. This creative departure may be a risk, but as Bird sings, “Go ’head say something dumb, boy. There’s no shame.” Break It Yourself will be released March 6 on Mom + Pop Music.

andrewbird.net