This new Andrew Bird album is damn good. First listen was a bit distracted and it didn't sink in much, leaving me thinking that The Swimming Hour was much better. But I've been sitting around this morning exchanging some ideas about The Decemberists with an English guy over at Head-Fi and listening to the remarkable Castaways and Cutouts, but then slipped in The Mysterious Production of Eggs and am very impressed listening this second time through. Very nice. Maybe not quite the dynamics of my favorites from The Swimming Hour, like "Case In Point" and "11:11" which both made it onto comps of mine back in the day, but still very cohesive. Sounding much like the recent (and maybe too syrupy) Mercury Rev, but when mixed with some of that old time jazz and cabaret feel, it's a pretty enticing sound. Very lush. Love song number 8, "Opposite Day", with some of the same feel of that "Case In Point" that I mentioned. Builds kind of like the Beatles' "A Day In The Life", but not really. Always lots of interesting lyrical phrases and turns to decipher. And that everpresent violin.

Anyway, I remember the days when Slosh was going by the name of Ms. Nomer and talking about silly bands like Train! Now he seems to be one of the most indie posters around. Hehehe, the times they are a-changing. Nice recommendation, buddy! This one is gonna be good for a lot of spins around my place