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BOWERBIRDS MAKE GORGEOUS NEW ALBUM!


Posted by Hartley On May 13, 2009

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Bowery Ballroom? 

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Bow and Arrow?

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Bow down?

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Lil Bow Wow?

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BOWERBIRDS!

It's too bad Bill Callahan already made the most stunning folk album of '09 because had he not, the new Bowerbird's Upper Air (Dead Oceans) would certainly be my top pick. God, it's a beautiful album. The duo's debut was brilliant - and I'll be damned if it's single, "In Our Talons" still doesn't hold up to this day as one of the best "Acid folk" jams ever written. But Upper Air really raises the stakes in the best of ways....

For one, the duo has done away with a lot of the one-note enviornmentalist-tinged lyrics of the debut, and mixed in some jams with a more sweet romantic approach. This is certainly true of UA's gorgeous first single, Northern Lights" - a love song between two lovers (Bowerbirds' Phil Moore and Beth Tacular are indeed an item)...peep "Northern Light's" timeless lyrics:

"I don't need from you a waterfall of careless praise / and I don't need a trophy for all the games I play / But all I want is your eyes in the morning as we wake for a short while."

I know I'm smitten. And that's even without the nice twinkly piano notes, and freewheeling acoustic guitar strumming.

"Northern Lights" isn't the only standout though. "House of Diamonds" or as we call it around the Bank Robber offices "You Are Free" (if only cuz the song has a repeated licensing-perfect refrain of "You Are Free") is every bit as stellar.  For those who love yearning vocals, accordian, dour acoustic guitar chords, and building epic folk meet your new favorite band: Bowerbirds.

Here's Bowerbirds' "Northern Lights" off of Upper Air out 6/7 on Dead Oceans. Here's what the cover looks like:

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