Andrew Bird

After a brief stint with quirky Tin Pan Alley revivalists Squirrel Nut Zippers, multi-talented and classically trained violinist/vocalist/songwriter Andrew Bird began releasing albums in the late 1990s under the name Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire. While Bird's music looked to a diverse array of styles (including early American jazz, pop, and roots forms), he brought a decidedly avant-garde touch to the proceedings, one best displayed by the dazzling multi-layered sampling/delay techniques he utilised live. Bird's first album for the Fat Possum label, 2007's ARMCHAIR APOCRYPHA (his third proper studio album under just his own name), marked a shift toward a slightly more accessible but no less arresting sound.

• folk
• 2000s