A Plethora of Sound Available on “Noble Beast” Part Deux

Andrew Bird has done it again. With his newest release, “Noble Beast,” the Chicago-based singer-songwriter has created another unique and diverse album, influenced by everything from the singer’s classical training to sounds heard on his Illinois farm. The result is a record that’s gentler and mellower in comparison to his earlier work.

The follow-up to Bird’s 2007 “Armchair Apocrypha,” itself critically acclaimed, this new record was self-produced. It bears comparison to other folk/indie rock albums such as Sufjan Steven’s “Come On Feel The Illinoise!” or Iron & Wine’s “Woman King,” both 2005 releases.

But what makes this disc great is the diversity of tracks it contains; every song is different. It opens with the infectious, fast-paced, “Oh No,” partly inspired by a child’s cries on an airplane. The track automatically hooks the listener with Bird’s characteristic whistling and wide range of vocals.

Contrast this with the more electric feel of “Not A Robot, But A Ghost,” which makes effective use of oboe and a crackling electric guitar. The song and Bird’s voice at its highest are oddly similar to “Gong,” by Icelandic slow-motion rockers Sigur Ros. Similarly, “Fitz and Dizzyspells” utilizes an electric violin to draw the listener into the song.

Bird has been inspired by vastly different sources in making this record. Trips to Chicago’s Field Museum and the Garfield Park conservatory were responsible for the folk-influenced ballad “Natural History.” In an odd twist, the introduction to “Souverian” bears an uncanny resemblance to the start of The Buena Vista Social Club’s “Pueblo Nuevo.” Whether this similarity was intentional is debatable – however, jazz was a large influence in Andrew Bird’s earlier career, so it’s possible.

Despite differences between individual songs throughout the album, the common thread of Bird’s voice, violin (and guitar) plucking and playing, and distinctive whistling unify this collection. His vocals are often given an echo effect, with tracks becoming spectral and inspiring as a result. The warm, rumbling drumming of Martin Dosh and the various instruments of the multitalented Jeremy Ylvisaker (including organ, shortwave, and guitar), also tie the album together.

Another subtle instrument that Bird uses to fashion this record into a whole is his ability to play with language. On “Noble Beast,” he shows a fascination with words. Whether it’s the “salsify mains” and “calcified arythmatists” of “Oh No,” the “proto-Sanskrit Minoans and porto-centric Lisboans” from “Tenuousness,” or the kittens with pleurisy in “Natural History,” it’s clear that Bird has a penchant for toying with odd words. More remarkable is his ability to use them fluidly in his songs without sounding clunky or awkward.

Use of alliteration adds to this sense of playing with language as well. “Fitz and Dizzyness” gives the listener “crooks and craggy cliffs” while “Masterswarm features “flailing feudal fleas feeding from the arms of the master.” Together with Bird’s wikipedia-worthy references, this creates an engaging aural experience that rewards close listeners, making this an increasingly satisfying record on repeat listenings. “Noble Beast” can be purchased on its own or in a deluxe edition that includes its companion instrumental disc, “Useless Creatures.”