Staff Pick

Every so often here at Repo we like to pick one record that we can all agree on as being the one thing we can't stop listening to. The one we pick today is...

Andrew Bird - Hands of Glory

(Mom & Pop Music)

     It's almost lazy to make Andrew Bird our Staff Pick because he's already so beloved.  He has yet to do much, if anything, that people ended up hating.  He seems to be in that rare group of artist that can pretty much do what ever the hell they want and we'll like them for it (e.g. Ted Leo) OH, you don't believe me? Well watch this clip and look into my eyes and then tell me you don't like him more for it.  He's singing into the cold dead eyes of a puppet like they belonged to his own child!

     Last years Break It Yourself was a bit underwhelming and the only people that gushed over it were already fans.  With Hands of Glory he's at the top of his game and it's going to get him into brand new hands.

     The album starts off with a just a thumping bass and ends with beautiful string arrangements slowly disintegrating into nothing with everything in between feeling equally remarkable.  "Railroad Bill" is Andrew Bird channeling Jerry Jeff Walker to great effects and "Three White Horses" feels haunting and catchy.

    But to single out songs really does does the album a disservice.  This is an album best enjoyed all at once.  HOG is also pretty short with only 8 tracks.  It becomes an album that you can say to yourself after it's finished "Yeah, I'll listen to that again"