Andrew Bird

“At this point the violin just happens to be the instrument I have on hand to make the sounds that I hear. I like to abuse it and pull as many sounds out of it as I can.”
~Andrew Bird

I guess that sums up Andrew Bird in a nutshell. The Chicago-born Bird first started out as the lead member of Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, which released three albums on the rykodisc label. Bird then explored solo projects with his 2003 release of Weather Systems, and his most recent release, The Mysterious Production of Eggs (2005). Bird has been classically trained in the violin among other string instruments, but he has adapted his skill to make creative rock hooks that reel the listener in. That's not to say that he lacks skill lyrically, as you can see from a song that appears on The Mysterious Production of Eggs. On "Skin is, My", Bird explores the excitement and newness of love:

Let it be printed on every t-shirt in this land
on the finest of cottons and the hippest of brands
in bolder letters than the capital I

"Skin is, My" also features one the best (or only) pizzicato appearances in a rock song. The song gives this jazzy, wavy, cool type of feeling and then brings in the full band to spice it up.

Buy The Mysterious Production of Eggs.

Listen to "Skin is, My".

Listen to "11:11" from Swimming Hour. What a great voice. And that violin? He's for real.