Hear Andrew Bird's upcoming release before it hits stores

photo credit: Cameron Wittig

Andrew Bird's new album, Noble Beast, will likely be the best album of 2009. I know it's a little early to make a statement like that, but Bird's fifth full-length release is just that good. Noble Beast is more folk influenced than his last two albums, The Mysterious Production of Eggs (2005) and Armchair Apocrypha (2007), and the variety of sounds cleverly interwoven into the album make for an unbelievable listening experience. As a classically trained violinist and former swing-jazz musician, Bird is an unlikely candidate for this kind of music--however, his training has helped him perfect his sound, to make him one of the most talented musicians out there today.

Starting January 3rd, NPR will be offering music fans a special gift: an exclusive preview of Noble Beast in its entirety. This will give everyone who has been anxiously awaiting to hear the album an opportunity to do just that before January 20th, the day it officially releases.

A deluxe version of the album will also be available, packaged with a second disc of instrumental works, featuring collaborations with Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche (part of Noble Beast was recorded at Wilco's loft in Chicago) and jazz bassist Todd Sickafoose. Also, Noble Beast is now available for pre-order on iTunes. In addition to the 14 tracks from the standard version of the record, by pre-ordering, you'll get 2 iTunes-exclusive bonus tracks: "Section 8 City" and "10-you-us".

In touring news, Bird will be playing a short set at a pre-inaguration show at the Black Cat in Washington DC on January 19th. The name of the concert is Chicago Celebrates Change, and other Chicago musicians will be performing including Tortoise, Waco Brothers, Eleventh Dream Day, David "Honeyboy" Edwards with Michael Frank, Ken Vandermark, Jon Langford, Sally Timms, Freakwater, Icy Demons, and Judson Claiborne. Tickets are $50, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Future of Music Coalition and the Chicago Public Schools marching bands program. See more tour dates here.

(stream) Andrew Bird - "Oh No" (first track on Noble Beast):