Andrew Bird is a master whistler. He’s so good, he sounds just like ‘mdash; well, like a bird…. Andrew Bird is a master whistler. He’s so good, he sounds just like ‘mdash; well, like a bird. Sadly, whistling talent is highly underrated these days. ‘ ‘ ‘ It’s one of those quirky, yet oddly enviable skills that don’t hold much weight for the person who has them, only those unable to perform these tricks themselves. Just as tying a cherry stem into a knot with your tongue or wiggling your ears or burping the alphabet inspires awe from drunken bar patrons, Bird’s whistling impresses effortlessly. ‘ ‘ ‘ Maybe the others aren’t exactly admirable talents, but whistling can be quite useful in several situations. If you’re a Disney character, for example ‘mdash; a princess or a cheerful, English-speaking animal ‘mdash; or someone who carries a bindle, taking a freight train to lands unknown, you whistle. Or, you can become a multi-talented folk singer, inspiring awe with your ability to sound truly slick-feathered and hollow-boned. Andrew Bird does just that with the release of Noble Beast. ‘ ‘ ‘ Whistling talents aside, Bird brings more to the folk genre than your average guitar-toting hippy. That is, everything you want in your folk and nothing you don’t. Bird doesn’t waste time with long stretches of overly politicized poetry set to substandard instrumentation. He presents music rich with vocals that are simultaneously smooth and homey. His impressive musical talents come through in a veritable orchestra of sound. And all this comes without the slightest air of pretension. Bird is the picture of charm. ‘ ‘ ‘ Now, I hate to compare music to The Shins or Radiohead because any breakaway folk sound or experimental piece brings these bands to mind. At some point, saying something sounds like The Shins or Radiohead is like saying something tastes like chicken. Sometimes, though, the comparison just makes sense. ‘ ‘ ‘ Really, the only thing that tastes like chicken is chicken. Chances are that this indescribable taste has a slightly different flavor, but the chicken essence is still there. So, it does taste like chicken. Andrew Bird does sound like The Shins in ‘Nomenclature.’ When those vocals chime in for the first minute, before he slides into an entirely different style, it’s there. If that doesn’t sound like ‘Pink Bullets,’ I don’t know what does. ‘ ‘ ‘ He does sound like Radiohead in ‘Not a Robot, But a Ghost.’ This strangely orchestral intro screams Radiohead and the vocals in ‘Masterswarm’ come out noticeably Thom Yorke-like on extended words. But it’s merely flashes of inadvertent mimicry. That’s what makes this album worthwhile. It’s like ‘Where’s Waldo?’ Only, here it’s ‘Where’s Andrew Bird’s Musical Influence?’ ‘ ‘ ‘ He can sound sophisticated and artistic, edgy and inventive or strangely animated. Andrew Bird sometimes sounds very much like how 400 human-like instruments twirling in the throes of complex, choreographed dances with tiny cartoon birds warbling away as if Walt Disney himself just declared it was Anthropomorphic, Folk-loving Instrument and Cartoon Bird Day at Disney World would sound, if that were in any way possible. I’ll bet Bird wishes it was. ‘ ‘ ‘ Maybe that image is a little bizarre. When music inspires strange cartoon dance celebrations in your head, at least you know it’s definitely not dull. Even if Bird only manages to delight you with his motley collection of sound, Noble Beast has done its job. ‘ ‘ ‘ Plus, it’s perfect snow music. The soft notes and string plucks go with the weather like knit caps and UGGs. ‘Oh No’ embodies the feeling of stepping into a foot-deep puddle, but whistling heals all wounds. With the winter we’ve been having, there is no better time to sync up some Andrew Bird with the never-ending flakes and slush.