Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #114173 in Music
• Released on: 2006-03-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Customer Reviews

Superb album that requires attention
Birds is not an album to put on in the background. It needs to be listened to, rather than just being heard. There are indeed elements which sound like the Live with the CSO, but the cornerstone of that similarity is Bic's version of Nick Cave's And No More Shall We Part. The studio version of Say After Me (also on the live album) is her on Birds and, if anything, is stronger for the treatment it is given.
Like the Cave song, Birds is brooding and beautiful. It's not over produced, with the majority of it having been recorded with the whole band together as opposed to instrument-by-instrument. In particular, Neil Finn's piano work is exemplary, with always just the right contribution.
Sprightly songs don't abound but the almost-country No Crying No More and Blue, Blue Heart exhibit the lightness of touch found more on the previous album, Beautiful Collision.
Throughout the album, Bic's voice is wonderful. Real emotions abound song after song.
It's difficult to highlight any track as they all possess a richness either in sound or in the words, often both. The death of Bic's father not long before she recorded the album is reflected in some of the lyrics. This is one of the important differences from the previous album. Here, Bic displays a more mature side to her songwriting.
Overall, it's an exquisite album which demands listening. I'll admit I was quite surprised at the marked difference in tone when I first listened to it. Given proper attention, however, there are thrilling surprises on every spin.

One that grows and grows
Say after me and birds, are two of the best songs she has written. The rest of the album did take a few more listens to fully appreciate but I am very glad I took the time! It has a different tone to her other albums and is every bit as good as them.

sublime
Well this album is definately mellow, sublime and relaxing, with the beautiful clarity of voice you'd expect from Bic, but it certainly has something missing.

The songs here are all chilled out and feel very much like the style from her Live With The Christchurch Orchestra album, but none of them really stand out like so many great songs on her previous albums Drive (Sway) and Beautiful Collision (Get Some Sleep)- no catchy hooks that get stuck in your head.

Yeah this album's good and very beautiful (produced to perfection, is that such a good thing?), but it has more of a 'back-ground music' feel and doesn't seem to have developed any new ground since her last work, which is a shame when she's written so many lovely songs in the past that carry more weight, even with the rawness of her debut.