The Wooden Birds

Andrew Kenny, the driving force behind American Analog Set, began working on a new side project, the Wooden Birds, after pulling up stakes and moving back to his native Texas in 2008. Sounding something like a rustic, Neil Young-influenced spin on Kenny's previous work, the Wooden Birds nodded to likeminded acts like Bon Iver and Iron & Wine. The debut effort Magnolia, which featured appearances by Ola Podrida, David Wingo, Leslie Sisson (American Analog Set), and drummer Michael Bell (Lymbyc Systym), arrived in May 2009 via Barsuk Records. By the release of the group's second album (Two Matchsticks) in June of 2011, the line-up had stablized around the core of Kenny and Sisson, and new members Matt Pond and Sean Haskins. Also appearing on the album was Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard.