Inside Problems

by Andrew Bird

Overview

The political and social problems of the larger world were troubling Andrew Bird on his 2019 album My Finest Work Yet, and three years later, he's decided it's time to shift his thematic focus. 2022's Inside Problems finds him looking inward, claiming as inspiration the random thoughts that drift through his mind as he lies in bed, trying to get to sleep. Given the often impressionistic nature of his lyrics, occasionally it's not immediately obvious that Bird is describing what's in his head rather than what's happening outside his door, but that's probably part of the point; as he wryly asks in the song "Atomized," "Is each of us an island, or more like Finland?" Bird's musings are his own, and they're also relatable, rooted in the very human struggle to find some sort of positive purpose in life's mammoth unpredictability. They aren't always perfect aphorisms, but Bird is smart enough (and emotionally healthy enough) to be asking the right sort of questions about who we are, what we do, and why we do it, and he manages to sound smart, thoughtful, and playful at the same time. His musings are a welcome match for the graceful blend of folk, indie rock, R&B, and jazz he and his band summon on this album. Bird's violin work is virtuosic when he wants it to be, but he's musician enough to know when to be subtle. The interplay between his fiddle (both bowed and plucked) and the easy, comfortable grooves created by his bandmates is never less than pleasing, making the most of his melodies while giving everyone the latitude and dynamics to explore the space around them. In its way, Inside Problems deals with weighty themes in a modest, manageable way, and that's one of its greatest virtues; here, Andrew Bird is a mildly quirky regular guy with some thoughts to share and a fiddle to help carry them across, and self-analysis is rarely as fun and rewarding as this. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	06/03/2022
Label:	Loma Vista
UPC:	0888072422001

Tracks

1. Underlands
2. Lone Didion
3. Fixed Positions
4. Inside Problems
5. The Night Before Your Birthday
6. Make a Picture
7. Atomized
8. Faithless Ghost
9. Eight
10. Stop n' Shop
11. Never Fall Apart

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Andrew Bird   Primary Artist,Guitar,Violin,Vocals
Mike Viola   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Bass)
Jimbo Mathus   Banjo
Alan Hampton   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Bass)
Madison Cunningham   Vocals
Abe Rounds   Drums,Vocals,Percussion

Technical Credits

Andrew Bird   Composer
Mike Viola   Engineer,Producer,Recording,Recording Producer
Jeremy Ylvisaker   Composer
Matthew Daniel Siskin   Creative Director
David Boucher   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
Andrea Troolin   Management
Eric Boulanger   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
David Black   Photography
Taylor Giali   Design,Typography
Victoria Roe   Management