Those who saw the Wooden Birds the last time they played Great Scott in August were treated to a sneak peak of many of the songs that would become the band’s second album, Two Matchsticks.

MP3 // The Wooden Birds // “Two Matchsticks” (via Barsuk)

With that completed album in tow, Andrew Kenny and company return to the Allston club on Tuesday, July 12. Matchsticks is a breezy collection of understated pop songs that feels tailor-made for summer. It’s a more compelling, well-rounded effort than the band’s debut, which Kenny finished writing after his lengthy run with the American Analog Set wound down – before re-relocating to Austin and before the Wooden Birds even existed as a band.

FiTi recently caught up with Kenny for some insight on his new band’s live approach and what could develop into a brief reunion with the Analog Set.

You covered Kenny Rogers and Hall & Oates on the free EP that preceded the release of Two Matchsticks. Were there any other fabulously unlikely contenders to receive the cover treatment?

We also tried “Always A Relief” by Radio Dept. and Metallica’s “Orion.” We never got a good feel for the Radio Dept. song. That is to say we could make it sound like a Radio Dept. song but not a Wooden Birds song. It’s a great number though and I haven’t given up on it yet. “Orion” is a great song, too, but we couldn’t pull it off because we never tried it – and I also just made that one up.

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