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| Like the city from which they hail, Chicago's Lesser Birds of Paradise are deceivingly and achingly gorgeous. Formed in the winter of 1998 around the beautifully sparse acoustic songs of singer-songwriter Mark Janka, the quartet-which only implies members and not instrumentation, as fellow Birds, Tim Joyce (guitars, vocals, lap steel, 4-track manipulation, accordion, dulcimer), Greg Thomas (drums, percussion, musical saw), Tony Bianchi (bass, ukulele, banjo) and Janka himself (vocals, guitars, musical saw, harmonica) span the spectrum musically-occupies a unique space like none other in the musical cannon. The Lesser Birds employ a tender acoustic affection augmented by a sonic otherworldliness. Their songs are resplendent with intricate rhythms, a wistful, whimsical lyrical grace, and delicate textures that sneak up like a lost memory in musical form, and linger in one's senses like the exalted feeling of holding the hand of your ̃rst love.
After recording their debut full-length entitled "A Suitable Frame," released in 2000, and their follow-up ep "It Isn't the Fall" in 2001, both for Chicago-based indie Loose Thread Recordings, the Lesser Birds have established themselves securely in their hometown, playing shows with the likes of American Analog Set, AM/FM, Crooked Fingers, the Fruit Bats, Gorky's Zygotic Minci, Melochrome, Owen, Radar Brothers, Sinister Luck Ensemble, the Trouble with Sweeney and the Zincs, and have established themselves securely in their hometown, playing shows with the likes of American Analog Set, AM/FM, Crooked Fingers, the Fruit Bats, Gorky's Zygotic Minci, Melochrome, Owen, Radar Brothers, Sinister Luck Ensemble, the Trouble with Sweeney and the Zincs, and have extensively toured the eastern and southern parts of the U.S. After ̃nishing their last round of east and south coast touring in the summer of 2003, the Birds returned to the studio with their previous engineer Barry Phipps (The Coctails) to focus on what is now the elegantly confident and astoundingly gorgeous, "String of Bees.
Rounding out the delicacy of their distinct song-craft with an informed sense of their American musical ancestry via Harry Smith's "American Folk Anthology," lush string accompaniments, subtle experiments with recording and digital manipulation, and a slew of superb guests that include Barry Phipps (The Coctails), Mark Greenberg (the Coctails), Max Crawford (Poi Dog Pondering, The Sea And Cake), and Darlene Poole (Melochrome), among others, the Lesser Birds of Paradise have achieved a startling, singular maturity with "String of Bees;" a record destined to resign itself to the most treasured parts of your musical memory. For more information, visit their website: http://www.lesserbirds.com
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