“I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” feat. Phoebe Bridgers Track Review

Andrew Bird, known for his expansive catalog of music spanning over three decades and numerous genres, released a new track “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” a quiet, ghostly, droning duet with indie artist Phoebe Bridgers. The song is a rendition of Emily Dickinson’s poem from 1861 by the same name.

There couldn’t have been two better minds for a project like this than Andrew Bird and Phoebe Bridgers. Dickinson’s poem uses the metaphor of a funeral to represent oneself losing a sense of reality. Both Bird and Bridgers are no strangers to these introspective topics in their work. These themes are especially prevalent in Bird’s most recent album Inside Problems from earlier this year. 

Since the release of her sophomore album Punisher in 2020, Bridgers has taken a break from releasing her own music to collaborate with various artists, such as Taylor Swift, Lorde, Kid Cudi, Paul McCartney, and The Killers. Finding her featured on another track—while not surprising—is always welcomed.

The accompaniment, composed of violins, acoustic guitars, and an upright bass, slowly pulls listeners through the song while Bird and Bridgers deliver strikingly powerful vocal harmonies. The track’s quiet verses layered with simple guitar chords and violin fills lead into loud room-filling choruses that highlight the chemistry of the artists’ voices. The song also features a middle 8 that is filled with a beautiful high-range whistling performance from Bird that sounds like it is coming through a barren canyon, a trademark element of Bird’s music. This collaboration showcases both of these artists’ strengths in a medium they have mastered.

Listen to the new track here: