Au Revoir Simone : Bird Of Music

  Adam Crystal - Violin
  Cameron Bird - Percussion, Vocals
  Christian Owens - Percussion, Vocals
  Doug Marvin - Drums
  Graham Parks - Percussion, Vocals
  James Cecil - Shaker
  Josh Abbott - Tambourine
  Julia Kent - Cello
  Keith Murray - Percussion, Vocals
  Kit Pongetti - Percussion, Vocals
  Maya Kishi Okolovska - Percussion, Vocals
  Rod Sherwood - Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals, Drum Machine
  Ryan Keberle - Trombone
  Shane Endsley - Trumpet

The first full-length by Brooklyn's all-girl Au Revoir Simone enchants in a way the trio itself once captured best: the music is the perfect soundtrack to 'exploring a secret garden at night with a flashlight,' as they told British Vogue in 2006. Though that description made its way to newsstands before this album took shape -- the girls were discussing earlier tracks and sessions -- it holds: The Bird of Music presents dreamy, image-mad synth pop with a sparkly magic quality; it's the perfect album for contemplating unicorns to. Vocally, there's a sweetness to the songs that's nicely tempered by honesty -- when Au Revoir Simone sing 'You make me wanna measure stars in the backyard with a calculator and a ruler, baby,' on the infectious 'Stars,' for instance, you believe them, even if you find the idea a little odd. Musically, they make a mountain of sound out of three keyboards and a drum machine, but it's a mountain of sound you'd never attach the word 'quirky' to. Au Revoir Simone are serious if highly idiosyncratic musicians. Their album should find favor with listeners who love Stereolab and the Waitresses but don't mind a little Bananarama thrown in the mix, either. ~ Tammy La Gorce, All Music Guide

Brooklyn's Au Revoir Simone are specialists in bringing out the heart from within the machine, conjuring a gorgeous, child-like effervescence via pieces of plastic, metal and wires. While their music is created through the medium of electronics, their songs resonate with an organic warmth that defies their instruments of choice: three keyboards and a drum machine. That's right. Three keyboards and a drum machine. Layers of synths anchored by palpitating drum machine blips and frosted by ethereal vocal melodies, The Bird Of Music displays that the subtle moments in human interaction are the very ones the band enjoys describing most.