Hannio wrote: 
Actually, there are steppes (vast and mostly treeless plains) in Ukraine, in Russia, in Kazakhstan, adjacent -stans, and in the Asian part of Russia dubbed Siberia. Millions of square miles of steppes across a few time zones. Inhabited by tribes of the ultimate horsemen, parts of Scythia were in the Persian Empire. 
I've heard the song only once. Interesting, but it seemed to be abstract and a tad pretentious. I'm not sure Bird sold the concept of the song to me.  

 Hannio wrote: 
Well, "alien autopsy" turns up About 1,060,000 results.

 alezz_ua wrote: 

A google search turned up almost 2.5 million references to "Russian steppes".    You've got a lot of work to do.

God save us from pop musicians trying to be profound beyond their intellects.

The strings on the right track sound like my neighbor's dog barking in time to the song..!

This song will be over soon!

bump 


Honeyman wrote: 

 danagle wrote: 
I can see that. It's the nonsense lyrics - they just don't sound right, and really grate. It sounds unnervingly wrong and I'm usually at the end of my tether halfway through one of his songs, so an entire concert would drive me nuts, too.

 danagle wrote: 
I've seen Andrew live three times and the crowd is ALWAYS cheering madly and raving about thisthis amazing and unique virtuoso performer. I really can't imagine what anyone could find unpleasant about this stunningly talented and Suzuki trained violinist/multi-instrumentalist. Maybe it's because I played in a band for 30 years and true and stunning talent is so obvious to me.

Andrew Bird is one of the most amazing performers on the msuic scene today. If you have a chance to see him live, DO IT!

I had the pleasure of photographing his show a couple years a go in Denver and it blew my mind, you can see photos of the show on my concert website here; http://gonzoshots.com/archives/139

son of

I heard a live version of this performed with Calexico at the Newport Folk Festival. Absolutely stopped me in my tracks with its beauty.

 membeth wrote: 

 RadioDoc wrote: 
Yep. 4 -> 1. Nice budgie on the cover, though. It surely does go on and on and on....

Wearing thin.

7  6

 danagle wrote: 
Don't you remember? He burned the flag, insulted your grandmothers, and his intense pyrotechnic show misfired and half the audience was showered with burning debris.  (those things did not actually happen)

I try not to be a hater... but this guy really drives me nuts for some reason.  He opened for Nickel Creek a couple years ago and I absolutely couldn't stand him.  I was pulling my hair out during his whole set.  Most of the people near me were complaining as well.

Wish I could put my finger on what exactly he did to evoke this response from us.

Fun trivia: Bird was a member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. As for Scythian Empires, Bird was fascinated with the Scythians in middle school, and made this into a songwriting exercise.

 rdo wrote:I always hear Red House Painters.

I enjoy this song for different layers in the soundscape, but there's one effect I just figured out why it sounds familiar to me. Remember that giant apparatus they built in "Contact"? When the outer arms are revolving around the sphere, they sound just like that! It's really appealing. What is Andrew Bird using to make that sound?

I love this album.  However, the first several times I heard this song, I understood "Sithian Empires" and couldn't figure out what the Russian steppe had to do with Star Wars.

Looking forward to his new album coming up in January.

I'll join the empire, thnx

This really brings to mind Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah, as well as Neutral Milk Hotel

Among Bird's best, and that's saying a lot.

 Honeyman wrote: 
bump

 alezz_ua wrote: 

correction -it's outstanding

 Baby_M wrote: 
Thanks for the laugh! I needed one just about now.

"Scythian empire, horsemen of the Russia steppe"
It never was Russia steppe. Ukrainian steppe if modern analogue required.
Another thing - Scythians had no empire neither emperor.

Those artists... facts are not worth their attention usually.

Nevertheless song is exactly "quite likeable"