Bill Baird

Silence! (Autobus)

Prolific local pop savant Bill Baird sure has a lot going on in his head, and latest effort Silence! pours some of the left brain out. While not completely a solo effort – Baird had several collaborators throughout – it’s definitely a storyboard affair, an experiment in textures and layers. The typed liner notes inside offer insight into his compositional mind and help explain how each song came to be. Minimal intro “Slow Implosion” and “Softly” lead into “Cloud Breath,” which offers experimental guitar trickery. “Surfing” flows easily as a shimmering sound check to 1970s drone. A follow-up nod to Philip Glass’ “Koyaanisqatsi” is the only real misstep here, as the avant-garde composer’s influence already ripples through the eight songs. The nature sounds of closer “Ringtail vs. Whiptail Triolgy” proves Silence! requires close listening, best done with your mind off.

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This article appears in October 22 • 2010.

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