Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire is a rock critic’s wet dream. Their most recent album, The Swimming Hour, is a well-blended mix of sounds from the past. While his first two efforts focused on the hot gypsy jazz of the 1930s, The Swimming Hour shows that he has broadened his pallet.
The garage rock stomp of “Two Way Action” opens the disc with cool self-assurance. “Core and Rind” pulses with a samba beat that wouldn’t sound too out of place on The Beatle’s Rubber Soul. “How Indiscreet” is a solidified funky dance number complete with catchy female-backing vocals and some tasty fuzzed out Rhodes from Wilco’s Leroy Back. The two showpieces of this album are “11:11” and “Case in Point.” Both of these songs display a distinct maturity and go in a direction that Bird might want to consider following.
Fans of Bird’s previous violin work with retro hipsters the Squirrel Nut Zippers will definitely be taken aback with this album. It is definitely not your zoot suit swing of 1997, but a completely fresh take on a menagerie of musical tastes.
On their current tour with The Features, they have economized to a bare bones essential lineup. Bird covers the vocals and violin, often using technology to loop live violin parts, creating the perfect pocket symphony.
Guitarist Nora O’Conner lays down a solid base on her Silvertone while adding gorgeous backing vocals that blend nicely with Bird’s. Drummer Kevin O’Donnell exerts his ability to perform multitasks as he lays down a sophisticated electric piano track with his left hand while keeping the drums solid with the rest of his body. With such a parsimonious line up, the songs take a mellow turn, but Bird and company still entertain.
Andrew Bird’s Bowl of fire will be offering up some great songs and mean fiddlin’ (sorry Andrew, that is what we here in the foothills of Appalachia call it) at Asheville’s Grey Eagle on Wednesday and the following night at Fairbanks in Knoxville. If you’re a fan of Rufus Wainwright or Jeff Buckley, Bird’s vocal delivery is right up your alley, leaving neither of these shows to be missed.

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