Earlier this spring we saw Andrew Bird strum his violin, ukulele-style, for a live take on the great Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.” A highlight of recent tours, that rendition and other standouts from the jaunt later landed on tape for an addendum record to this year’s Break It Yourself. Today brings the studio recording of Bird’s faithful cover, following up last month’s glimpse at Hands of Glory opening track “Three White Horses.” Just as we’d hoped, Bird and his band have kept the open acoustic vibe of the live version intact, adding some sweet backing vocals this time and gathering around a single microphone in a barn. Hear their fine homage to Van Zandt’s bittersweet masterpiece above. The 8-track set comes out on October 30th.
