Name: Useless Creatures CD
SKU: 87161

Initially released as the bonus disc of 2009's Noble Beast, Useless Creatures is a nine-song instrumental collection from Andrew Bird that shows what an excellent whistler he has become. His main instrument is violin and it's that rich instrument that comes creaking out of the various modes. Master Sigh is an elemental beginning, sparse but with promise of wilder passages. Sure enough, Bird whistles in the wind as the sound of worry hits the air. You Woke Me Up! builds the tension for more than seven minutes, whereas the classical-meets-cartoon music vibe leads to the backyard shuffle of Nyatiti, and the whistler shows his most carefree side. The Barn Tapes plows through the land of Brian Eno. Carrion Suite carries a sense of mourning through more than nine minutes. Spinney is the pony race that sprints for 45 seconds before hitting the creaking floorboards in the attic for Dissent. Hot Math strikes up the band for Afro-pop, while Sigh Master inverts the beginning passage to end this journey. - iTunes

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