Audio Mixer: David Boucher.

Recording information: Beachwood Studios, Nashville, TN; Chateau Boucher, Culver City, CA; Mayfair Studios, Chicago, IL; The Barn; Wall To Wall Sound, Chicago, IL; Zeitgeist Studios, Los Angeles, CA.

On THE MYSTERIOUS PRODUCTION OF EGGS, Andrew Bird's second studio outing for Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe label, the classically trained violinist presents another set of charmingly quirky chamber-pop. Easily one of Bird's most spare and stripped-down albums, EGGS find the Chicago-based singer-songwriter handling many of the instrumental duties, resulting in an intimate and often hypnotic atmosphere, as best evinced on the woozy "Measuring Cups" and the mesmerizing, Beatlesque "Opposite Day." (Bird also shows off his wonderful whistling talents on "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" and "Masterfade.") Though diehard fans swear by all of Bird's records, THE MYSTERIOUS PRODUCTION OF EGGS stands out as a top-tier offering by this unique and inventive artist.