HANDS OF GLORY

In 2010, singer/songwriter, crafty violinist, and unstoppable whistling machine Andrew Bird released Useless Creatures, a nine-track set of instrumentals that were originally paired with the deluxe edition of 2009's Noble Beast. Released in 2012, Hands of Glory follows a similar trajectory, though far less reliant on instrumentals, arriving less than a year after the release of Bird's sixth studio album, the sweet, ornate, and occasionally ramshackle Break It Yourself. The eight-track companion piece includes alternate versions of album cuts like "Orpheo" and "Spirograph," a handful of classic country covers, and one brand-new track.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Internal ID: JITRE
• Released: 12/18/2012