Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1100899
April/May 2019 23 art & soul music A s prolific an artist as Andrew Bird is, to name his new album My Finest Work Yet is a bold proclamation. But the former member of jazz group Squirrel Nut Zippers is not simply being boastful or tongue-in-cheek; My Finest Work Yet is indeed a very fine piece of work, with lovely indie-rock sounds complemented by lyrics that reflect a harrowing time. The album features "Bloodless," a catchy ditty released not long after the 2016 election that features lyrics about the Spanish civil war and a chorus that repeats, "It's an uncivil war." The subject matter of the album's lead single, "Sisyphus," is narrower in scope, focusing on the emotional drain and catharsis of creative output. That exertion pays off in dividends on songs like "Manifest," a gorgeous toe-tapper about realizing your place in the world and accepting the end will one day come; the threat of climate change and "a rising ocean" hover over the instrumentation, complemented by Bird's whistling (a trademark of his). Aside from his mouth work, Bird also enriches the album with his refined violin- and guitar- playing. Those instruments, along with piano, soar on "Don the Struggle," another dark and gloomy version of the world. Thankfully, My Finest Work Yet does find some room for a bit of uplift and optimism, like on "Olympians," where Bird sings, "We are Olympians / We're gonna turn it around / We're gonna turn it around." Let's hope. (Loma Vista) —Neal Broverman My Finest Work Yet By Andrew Bird Published by Inner Traditions • Bear & Company Available on Amazon and from other major booksellers "Opening the Akashic Records provides a thorough and easy to understand education for those who wish to access the Akashic Records. In the past, understanding what the Akashic Records are and how to access them has been a very complex subject. In this book, Maureen makes this knowledge available to anyone." — Lynn V. Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of the Medicine Woman series By the author of the Best-selling book Waking Up in 5D book THE ONLY AKASHIC RECORDS BOOK YOU WILL EVER NEED!