Reviewed by non compos mentis....

Iain Archer's eagerly anticipated second album was released in the summer of 1996. Again under the wing of Sticky Music, the production is more understated, more acoustic and intimate than the polished sound of Playing Dead. The songs are presented simply and honestly, and the fact that they still sound beautiful is testament to the quality of writing.

Sinking Like A Stone opens the album and sets the vein for much of what is to come. Richly poetic, each metaphor strikes an emotional chord and yet it's hard to determine exactly what the song's about, which may be both its greatest strength and the reason why this and many of the songs on this collection appear less immediately accessible than those on Playing Dead.
To describe the second track Promises Promises as a space filler would be harsh, since it's a charmingly delicate instrumental number, but it gives the impression that there were lyrical ideas for it that didn't quite get finished in time for recording, and it feels oddly out of place so early in the album.
Magical is unashamedly romantic, and probably the only song in history to be inspired by a coat button, and ushers in the incredible title track Crazy Bird. It's been said that if James Taylor had written this song, it would rightly be hailed as a classic, and many people still regard it to be Iain's finest song to date. With a poignant lyric, flowing Celtic melody and a spine-tingling key change midway, it's worth the price of the album alone.
Iain's observations of growing up amid the troubles of Northern Ireland inspired the next song Flat Earth about attitudes of bigotry and incomprehension, a theme to which Iain has returned since. This song marries angry lyrics with melodic sweetness and has been a favourite in concert since its release. Working Up A Storm and All That You Are appear to belong together more than simply as consecutive tracks on the album, both being love songs, although the first is more bright and uptempo than the ballad which follows. All That You Are remains the only studio track Iain has released to feature Miriam Kaufmann's vocals, despite her presence on stage in many live performances.
Hedge Hopping is the second instrumental on the CD, and shows Iain's guitar skills to the full, in a pacy song remeniscent of the accompaniment to his early song Take My Time. Moon On Tuesday is a beautiful poetic recollection of a contemplative walk by the shores of Iain's homeland "....as I float the thoughts I've harboured out to sea".
The album ends with two very different songs, but both of a spiritual theme. Ancient Drums tells of religious conquests over ancient spirituality to an insistent backbeat of sampled drums, and Aching Hearted is a quietly despairing song with a gorgeous tune.

Crazy Bird continues many of the themes from Playing Dead, but in a less glossy fashion. It demands more from the listener than its predecessor, but once you reach into the songs and discover their depth, there are some real gems to be found.