quote:

The only band I can really think of who has gotten consecutive higher scores is the New Pornographers.

Radiohead:
OK Computer - 10.0
Kid A - 10.0
Amnesiac - 9.0
Hail to the Thief - 9.3

Godspeed:
F#A#infinity - 9.3
Slow Riot - 9.0
Skinny Fists - 9.0

Animal Collective:
Here Comes the Indian 8.6
Sung Tongs - 8.9
Feels - 9.0

There's probably more, but that's what I've got for now.

Armchair Apocrypha is my favorite album 2007 has offered. Initially I thought the second half was the glory zone, but fiery crash and imitosis are more than initially meets the ears. For me, I'm not sure this album could have been improved upon.

I've really tried on this one, Mark, but I just can't seem to get into this album of Andy's. Just doesn't do the things his Eggs did for me. I'll give a shout out for "Scythian Empire" being one of the better songs of the year though.

Andrew Bird is high on my list of heros. The guy amazes me. I loved Eggs from the first moment I stuck it in my CD player. I had high expectations for his Armchair, and was initially disapointed. I couldn't help but adore Plasticities and Heretics, and then from there I fell into Cataracts and Spare-Ohs, and now after a few months the album is in regular rotation and holding a steady rate of climb towards my top ten of the year. It's not that Eggs was a better album, I think Armchair is just a lot more subtle and constant.

Considering the extent to which andrew bird and the mysterious production of eggs spun spells over my ears (the extent = a lot) prior to the Armchair Apocrypha release I felt Andrew Bird could do nothing to top his masterpiece,for me anyway, comma, but, without diminishing the magic of his mysterious production, I think he may have managed the feat. I'll remain uncomfortably vague, but Armchair Apocrypha has everything going for it, I think it's an album of the decade sort of album. I think Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs is also an album of the decade sort of album, but Armchair Apocrypha managed to be different and coalesce everything great about him. I'm stumbling over my shortcomings trying to say something worth reading about this album...I guess I can't.

Anyway, Scythian Empires is a wonderful song, but if I had to pick one song from the album, I guess I'd go with Armchairs. But every song there thrills me.

Also, assuming RavingLunactic is speaking to me, I'm not Mark. I'm some other guy.

Hello Shadrach,

Your post snuck in before me. Subtle and constant, I agree very much, well said. And I also was instantly enamored with Eggs, while Armchair Apocrypha was slightly slower in revealing its full level of glory.

IOG, RavingLunatic was probably just addressing the #1 fan of Armchair Apocrypha on this board, Mark F, who's been constantly talking up this album since its release. Though it looks like he has some competition as the #1 fan now that you're around!

Yeah, I'd say so. I'm not sure if even Mark would go so far as to place it in album-of-the-decade category, though I may be wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
I've really tried on this one, Mark, but I just can't seem to get into this album of Andy's. Just doesn't do the things his Eggs did for me.

Agreed. I even gave it several more spins after being told to do so by Mark (I'm a follower, Duh!) but I still am very underwhelmed by this album.

I think the first half is FANTASTIC.

The rest, eh. It'll place on my list, but not super-high.

I like it a lot. I had a day with it back there in the early part of the year. It was nice. Overcast sky, skinny popple trees like a fence of toothpicks outside my window...

Like Mysterious Production, AA has become my default, go-to album. It's not that I loved it on the first 5-15 spins, but that it has very slowly incorporated itself into my listening habits. If I don't know what I'm really in the mood to listen to, this is the album I pick. Now, 8 or 9 months later, I can't imagine ever not having heard it.

The instrumental tracks are the best. I think the last track of the record is great, if not amazing. That guy could make an incredible full instrumental/ambient record. It's a good album but nothing really special...why is it that great anyway?

It's great because, to me, it's beautiful. The songs are catchy and interesting. As always, he does wonderful things with his whistling, singing, and words. But, he does the more with the guitar than he ever has before.

I've listened to this album more than any other this year. It hasn't gotten old, and is counted on to sound wonderful when I'm not sure what I'm going to go for. I think the sequencing is perfect.

If you've given it several listens and still don't like it, well, to each his own. For me it hits the spot like few other albums.

I agree that it only gets stronger over time. It continues to unfold and reveal itself and even the more upfront and catchy songs haven't staled at all.

yeah i think i'll give it some other listens. The more i listen to the record, the more it becomes clearer.

It's a grower, but I love it.

I saw him live (with Wilco, he did a solo show here a few weeks earlier but I missed it ) and now I enjoy his music even more than I did before. He's so talented.

I got this album on vinyl recently and noticed that the last song on the CD - 'Yawny at the Apocalypse' - has been left off (the album is not particularly long so fitting it on a side of vinyl should be no problem). I've noticed many people cite this as their favourite song on the album. Am I missing something special?

Are you asking if the song is special? If that's the question, then the answer is yes, it is.

It's very reminescent of the first untitled track off of "Weather Systems", if you've ever heard it.