The Wooden Birds is Andrew Kinney’s new band after the much lamented demise of American Analog Set. Whatever praise AmAnSet has gleaned from its singularly methodical approach to song structures is highly deserved and have several beautiful slow-burn classics to top the 2000’s releases. I haven’t followed The Wooden Birds since their formation but decided to give them a look as they were playing the Rock Shop, a new venue in Brooklyn. I can say this much, based on the live show, there is little reason to lament the loss of AmAnSet knowing that The Wooden Birds was made possible from its wake. The Wooden Birds is very similar in sound but has a bit looser arrangements, a bit more shuffle in the drums, and with added emphasis added with backing vocals to the AmAnSet order. There are elements of Neil Young at-his-best type controlled ramshackle when listening to Wooden Birds which is a welcomed juxtaposition to the still precision soft delivery of the main vocals and guitar work. Maybe I was ripped a bit on October Fest Brooklyn beer but this show was sublime and tops as my favorite of the year.
The Wooden Birds are still touring behind 2009’s Magnolia. The record is great but live, the songs breath a special magic (maybe that is the October Fest too). They are working on new material, some of which was aired at this show, and I hope that the studio sessions bottles as much of their live magic (or October Fest) as possible.
Download: The Wooden Birds – Seven Seventeen (Live)
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