Performer of the Week: Andrew Bird

Is this guy the coolest, most understated, idiosyncratic and imaginative performer out there these days? I’m asking. He whistles (preternaturally well), uses tape loops, plays guitar and violin and glockenspiel, and casually uses words like “palindrone” in his lyrics, while rhyming “closeness” with “mitosis.”

He wrote this piece, “How to Write a Song and Other Mysteries,” for The New York Times. He was also featured in their January 2nd magazine, “Andrew Bird Discovers His Inner Operatic Folkie.” I’ve been listening to him for many years, and the music gets better as I slowly, painlessly catch up with it. Okay, maybe it’s Egghead Rock.

His new disk, “Noble Beast,” has been live-streaming at NPR. Brilliant.

Watch this:

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