There are a few things that stand out about Andrew Birds Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of ... First of all, that there is not a single song by Andrew Bird himself: all songs are from the country duo The Handsome Family. So we are dealing here with a cover album. Bird is no stranger to The Handsome Family (the couple Brett and Rennie Sparks): he played the violin on their album In The Air, and
… they went on tour together. The second thing that stands out about Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of… is the contribution of singer-songwriter Tift Merritt, who takes care of the female vocals. Finally, the third striking thing is how the album sounds: almost like a live performance, just Andrew Bird and his four-piece band, and no frills or frills whatsoever. This approach gives the folk and country songs of The Handsome Family an extra authentic feeling, especially when the voices of Bird and Merritt go together beautifully. Well done. (IV)more
