Fingerlings 2 is Bird's second in an ongoing series of live albums. This particular collection contains some solo works in progress from Andrew's latest album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, as well as some great collaborations, including 2 tracks as a duo with Nora O'Connor, one with My Morning Jacket backing him up, and 2 full on band rockers with the Bowl of Fire.
Mojo Magazine named it a December 2004 album of the month: "If there's one thing besides bank balance that distiguishes indie from major artists, it's the stop-gap records - often live - that they put out between official albums. Major label ones are generally throwaway; indie ones, sold via gigs and websites, are often as good as, or better than, the "real" releases. The second in Bird's live Fingerlings series falls into the latter category, for one simple reason: Bird is extraordinary live. Switching seamlessly between violin and guitar, and with a haunting voice that at times recalls Jeff Buckley, he creates a compelling if unclassifiable hybrid of alt country, introspective folk, classical and jazz. On Spanish for Monsters he sings the blues over gypsy violin; on Happy Day he's clapboard gospel; but First Song is the highlight, the vocal and guitar, bucolic whistles and warbles riffing wonderfully off each other."
Review by Jason Ankeny
The second volume in Andrew Bird's self-issued Fingerlings series solidifies the project's approach; More than just a hodgepodge of live recordings culled from appearances far and wide, these discs offer an uncommonly intimate look at the creative process, warts and all. Without any photos or visual cues to tip them off, what might be lost on some listeners is that they're experiencing tightrope walks -- since dissolving his Bowl of Fire backing unit, Bird has primarily played solo, ingeniously recording and looping multiple violin and guitar parts to create the illusion of a full band. The sheer complexity and daring of these ten songs is further enhanced by their evolving arrangements and phrasings. It only takes a Bird fan a few go-rounds at a couple of his Chicago appearances to realize that these songs have already undergone dramatic transformations from the versions captured here, and if the pattern holds true, those that end up appearing on an "official" LP some time in the future will no doubt shed several more skins in the interim. The lone constant is the sheer virtuosity of Bird's violin; With each innovation, he further redefines the instrument's scope and possibilities.
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