My Finest Work Yet

Last updated

My Finest Work Yet
MFWY Andrew Bird.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 22, 2019
StudioBarefoot Studios (Los Angeles)
Sound City Studios (Los Angeles)
Dreamland Recording (Hurley, New York)
Genre Indie rock, [1] indie folk [1]
Length45:08
Label Loma Vista
Producer
  • Andrew Bird
  • Paul Butler
Andrew Bird chronology
Echolocations: River
(2017)
My Finest Work Yet
(2019)
Hark!
(2020)
Singles from My Finest Work Yet
  1. "Bloodless"
    Released: November 2, 2018
  2. "Sisyphus"
    Released: January 30, 2019
  3. "Manifest"
    Released: March 5, 2019

My Finest Work Yet is the twelfth solo studio album by Andrew Bird, released on March 22, 2019. It is notable for being Andrew Bird's first overtly political album, [2] covering topics such as divisive political atmosphere, climate change, and apathy. [3]

Contents

Background

"Bloodless," which was released as the first single, was written between the 2016 election and Charlottesville. "I was trying to figure out a way to step back and look at everything that's going on," Bird said, "and look at how we're caught in this sort of death spiral." [4] The album title, similar to previous album Are You Serious , was originally a working title and an inside joke. When asked if it truly was his "finest work yet," Bird responded, "At some point, all of them are." [4]

The album cover was photographed by creative director Amanda Demme. [5] It is a recreation of the 1793 painting The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David, which depicts Jean-Paul Marat, a journalist and revolutionary who was assassinated during the height of the French Revolution. The painting was originally chosen so that its dramatic nature ("the suffering poet on his deathbed penning his last words with his dying breath") would enhance the humorous tongue-in-cheek title of the album. Upon further research, however, Bird found that the painting's historical significance lined up with the political tone of the album. [6]

Recording

The album was recorded with the full band playing together in the studio, allowing the sound of instruments to 'bleed' together on different channels, "against the trend of the last 30 to 40 years, which is to isolate every sound and manipulate it [later] in the mix." [3]

Release

Bird released the single "Bloodless" on November 2, 2018. [7] The album was officially announced on January 30, 2019, [8] with the album's second single "Sisyphus" released the same day. [9] A third single, "Manifest", was released on March 5, 2019. [10] My Finest Work Yet was released on March 22, 2019, through Loma Vista Recordings. [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.6/10 [12]
Metacritic 80/100 [13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The A.V. Club A− [14]
Consequence of Sound B [15]
Exclaim! 8/10 [16]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [18]
Pitchfork 7.6/10 [19]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [20]
Sputnikmusic4.3/5 [21]
Uncut 7/10 [22]

My Finest Work Yet received favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 80, based on 14 reviews. [13] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.6 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. [12]

Mark Deming of AllMusic called the album "passionate, beautifully crafted indie rock with an artful undercurrent of folk, and Bird has rarely been as consistently in strong form as a vocalist. Bird and his studio band deliver performances that are dynamic and evocative while sounding fresh and uncluttered, and as usual, his guitar and violin work (as well as his whistling) are first-rate. Bird isn't afraid of melodrama or broad gestures, yet his emotional force is carefully focused and purposeful in these sessions, and this work speaks to the heart as well as the intellect." [1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Andrew Bird

No.TitleLength
1."Sisyphus"4:06
2."Bloodless"6:29
3."Olympians"4:00
4."Cracking Codes"3:12
5."Fallorun"4:26
6."Archipelago"4:38
7."Proxy War"4:05
8."Manifest"5:17
9."Don The Struggle"4:31
10."Bellevue Bridge Club"4:24
Total length:45:08

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>In My Head</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Black Flag

In My Head is the sixth studio album by American punk band Black Flag. It was released in 1985 on SST Records, and was their final studio album before their breakup in 1986. The CD reissue adds three of the four songs that later appeared on the I Can See You EP, replicating the original 1985 cassette release which came out concurrent to the LP.

<i>Nocturne</i> (Siouxsie and the Banshees album) 1983 live album by Siouxsie and the Banshees

Nocturne is a live double album and video by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 25 November 1983 by Polydor Records. Co-produced by Mike Hedges, Nocturne features performances recorded at two shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London, on 30 September and 1 October 1983, featuring Robert Smith on guitar.

<i>Hearts of Oak</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Hearts of Oak is the third studio album by American indie rock band Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, released on February 11, 2003 by Lookout! Records. A music video was filmed for the single "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augie March</span> Australian indie/pop rock band

Augie March are an Australian pop and indie rock band, which formed in 1996 in Shepparton, Victoria. Since 2001 the group consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Glenn Richards, lead guitarist Adam Donovan, bass guitarist Edmondo Ammendola, drummer David Williams, and keyboardist Kiernan Box. Box had replaced Robert Dawson, the band's piano player since March 2000, who died in January 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">And Your Bird Can Sing</span> 1966 Beatles song

"And Your Bird Can Sing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on their 1966 album Revolver, apart from in the United States and Canada, where it instead appeared on Yesterday and Today. The song was written mainly by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The recording features an extended dual-guitar melody, played by George Harrison and Paul McCartney, which anticipated the harmonised guitar arrangements commonly used by Southern rock, hard rock and heavy metal bands.

<i>Stop Making Sense</i> 1984 concert film by Jonathan Demme

Stop Making Sense is a 1984 American independently-produced concert film featuring a live performance by the American rock band Talking Heads. Directed by Jonathan Demme, it was shot over four nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in December 1983, when Talking Heads were touring to promote their 1983 album Speaking in Tongues. Stop Making Sense includes performances of the first Talking Heads single, "Psycho Killer" (1977), through to their most recent hit at the time, "Burning Down the House" (1983). It also includes songs from the solo career of frontman David Byrne and by Tom Tom Club, the side project of the drummer and bassist, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth.

Matchbook Romance was an American emo band from Poughkeepsie, New York and was formed in 1997. They were signed to Epitaph Records. They released two full-length albums and one EP. Their EP, West for Wishing, released in 2003 was their first recorded album during their time on Epitaph; their full-length debut album, Stories and Alibis, was recorded in the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Bird</span> American musician, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (1973–)

Andrew Wegman Bird is an American indie rock multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Since 1996, he has released 16 studio albums, as well as several live albums and EPs, spanning various genres including swing music, indie rock, and folk music. He is primarily known for his unique style of violin playing, accompanied by loop and effect pedals, whistling, and voice. In the 1990s, he sang and played violin in several jazz ensembles, including Squirrel Nut Zippers and Kevin O'Donnell's Quality Six. He went on to start his own swing ensemble, Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, which released three albums between 1998 and 2001. Weather Systems (2003) was his first solo album after Bowl of Fire disbandment, and it marked a departure from jazz music into indie music. Bird's 2019 album My Finest Work Yet was nominated for "Best Folk Album" at the 2020 Grammy Awards.

<i>Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs</i> 2005 studio album by Andrew Bird

Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs is the third album of Andrew Bird's career post-Bowl of Fire, released in 2005, following his Weather Systems in 2003. The album art, along with track illustrations in the accompanying booklet were drawn by Jay Ryan. Bird expanded on his earlier work on Weather Systems; the song "Skin Is, My" is an outgrowth of his earlier song "Skin".

<i>Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus</i> 2008 studio album by Chicago

Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus is the twenty-first studio album, and thirty-second overall, by Chicago. Often referred to as their "lost" album, it was recorded in 1993 and originally intended to be released as Stone of Sisyphus on March 22, 1994, as their eighteenth studio album and twenty-second total album. However, the album was unexpectedly and controversially rejected by the record company, which reportedly contributed to Chicago's later decision to leave their services entirely. Even after the band acquired the rights to their catalog, the album remained unreleased until June 17, 2008, after a delay of fourteen years and ten more albums.

Sisyphus was the king of Corinth, punished in Tartarus by being cursed to roll a huge boulder up a hill in Greek mythology.

<i>Rachel Getting Married</i> 2008 American film by Jonathan Demme

Rachel Getting Married is a 2008 American drama film directed by Jonathan Demme, and starring Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, and Debra Winger. The film premiered at the 65th Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2008, opened in Canada's Toronto International Film Festival on September 6 and released in the U.S. to select theaters on October 3. Hathaway received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her performance in the film.

<i>Noble Beast</i> 2009 studio album by Andrew Bird

Noble Beast is American singer-songwriter Andrew Bird's fifth solo studio album, released on January 20, 2009. Two songs from this album were previewed on his webpage, "Oh No" and "Carrion Suite", while the entire album was made available by NPR as a streaming feed. Noble Beast was made available as a standard CD release, a special limited-edition deluxe two-CD package and a double-LP package.

Splendora was an American all-female alternative rock band from New York City. Formed in 1993 by Janet Wygal, Tricia Wygal, Delissa Santos (drums), Cindy Brolsma (cello), and Jennifer Richardson (violin), the band released one studio album, In the Grass (1995), before disbanding in 2002.

<i>Break It Yourself</i> 2012 studio album by Andrew Bird

Break It Yourself is American singer-songwriter Andrew Bird's sixth solo studio album, released on March 5, 2012 through Mom+Pop records in the US and Bella Union in the UK. The track "Lusitania" features a duet with Annie Clark from St. Vincent.

<i>Sisyphus</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Sisyphus

Sisyphus is the debut studio album by Sisyphus, a collaborative project between Serengeti, Son Lux, and Sufjan Stevens. It was released through Asthmatic Kitty on March 18, 2014. The project was commissioned by the Walker Art Center and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music series to accompany an exhibition of the work of visual artist Jim Hodges, scheduled to run from February 14 through May 11, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vulfpeck</span> American band

Vulfpeck is an American funk band founded in 2011 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Jack Stratton, Theo Katzman, Woody Goss and Joe Dart. The band has released four extended plays, six studio albums and one live album through their own record label. The band gained recognition in 2014 for releasing Sleepify, a silent album that exposed a loophole in Spotify's royalty distribution and funded an admission-free tour. The band is one of the first to sell out Madison Square Garden without a manager or backing label, and released the recorded performance as a live album in 2019. The band's most recent album, Schvitz, was released in December 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life Goes On (The Kinks song)</span> 1977 single by The Kinks

"Life Goes On" is a song by the British rock band The Kinks. Appearing on their album Sleepwalker, it was written by the band's main songwriter, Ray Davies.

<i>Are You Serious</i> (Andrew Bird album) 2016 studio album by Andrew Bird

Are You Serious is the tenth solo studio album by Andrew Bird, released on April 1, 2016. The album features collaborations with Fiona Apple and Blake Mills.

<i>Pelago</i> (album) 2021 studio album by Ryan Hurd

Pelago is the debut studio album by American country music artist Ryan Hurd. It was released on October 15, 2021, via Sony Music Nashville. Its lead single, "Chasing After You", is certified Platinum by the RIAA.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "My Finest Work Yet - Andrew Bird - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  2. Chavez, Danette (March 22, 2019). "More empathetic than incendiary, this is still Andrew Bird's Finest Work Yet". Music.
  3. 1 2 "Andrew Bird's 'My Finest Work Yet' isn't afraid to celebrate discomfort". Los Angeles Times . March 21, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Musician Andrew Bird on why 'My Finest Work Yet' is his first overtly political album". KCRW. February 4, 2019.
  5. "Andrew Bird talks about his 'Finest Work Yet' and the time he did a skywriting campaign in Milwaukee". 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. March 22, 2019.
  6. "How Andrew Bird Assembled 'My Finest Work Yet'". The Bluegrass Situation. April 12, 2019.
  7. Helman, Peter (November 2, 2018). "Andrew Bird – "Bloodless"". Stereogum . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  8. Sodomsky, Sam (January 30, 2019). "Andrew Bird Announces New Album My Finest Work Yet, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  9. Martin, Clare (January 30, 2019). "Andrew Bird Releases New Single "Sisyphus," Announces Boldly Titled Album My Finest Work Yet". Paste . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  10. Blistein, Jon (March 5, 2019). "Hear Andrew Bird's Evolutionary Folk-Rock Epic 'Manifest'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  11. Slingerland, Calum (January 30, 2019). "Andrew Bird Returns with 'My Finest Work Yet'". Exclaim! . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "My Finest Work Yet by Andrew Bird reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  13. 1 2 "My Finest Work Yet by Andrew Bird Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  14. Chavez, Danette (March 22, 2019). "More empathetic than incendiary, this is still Andrew Bird's Finest Work Yet". The A.V. Club . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  15. Sorich, Jake (April 1, 2019). "Andrew Bird Whistles While He Waxes Political on My Finest Work Yet". Consequence of Sound . Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  16. Mohammed, Jenna (March 20, 2019). "Andrew Bird My Finest Work Yet". Exclaim! . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  17. "Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet". Mojo . No. 306. May 2019. p. 93.
  18. Murphy, John (March 22, 2019). "Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet". musicOMH . Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  19. Pelly, Jenn (April 16, 2020). "Andrew Bird: My Finest Work Yet Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  20. "Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet". Q . No. 397. May 2019. p. 117.
  21. Sowing (March 23, 2019). "Review: Andrew Bird - My Finest Work Yet". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  22. "Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet". Uncut . No. 264. May 2019. p. 24.