Birdsongs of the Mesozoic

2001 Live Birds

Label: Nearfest Records Country: USA

"A volcanic cauldron of melodic chamber rock, "2001 Live Birds", oozes with virtuosity allthewhile bubbling with humorous overtones. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Birdsongs of the Mesozoic took the stage to open NEARfest 2001 and captivated the enthusiastic crowd of over 1000 people, hungry for progressive sound and spirit. This energetic live album, the first ever for the band, covers the full range of their discography, all of which is available on Cuneiform Records. Ample samplings from the then-new "Petrophonics" and "Dancing on A'A" dominate the set, but the band reach back to "Faultline", "Beat of the Mesozoic" and even "Magnetic Flip" to round out the selection. One of the most refreshing aspects of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic is their sense of humor, and they brought it along in full force to this live show. Their renditions of the themes to "The Simpsons" and "The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show" are twisted, hilarious and amazing all in one. The packaging for the album bear mentioning as it featuring a breathtaking painting by Edward Gordon. The elegance and beauty of the scene call to the craft, talent and style which Birdsongs of the Mesozoic apply to their tightly arranged compositions. The cameo of the pterodon in the window reminds one that this is a Birdsongs album and that primoridal joviality also patrols these lands. This inspred performance provides an excellent cross-section of the band's repertoire and truly gives the listener a great feel for the electricity in the hall that Saturday morning."-Nearfest Records