Bird Wood Cage remains one of the most pivotal records in the
Wolfgang Press catalog; here, the trio begins to incorporate the dance and funk elements which would ultimately emerge as the dominant facet of their work. The lead single, "King of Soul," with its female backing chorus, is the first tip-off, while the
Talking Heads-like "Kansas" adopts a wah-wah guitar line; a bit of dub even underscores "Hang on Me (For Papa)." Michael Allen's forbidding vocals are also warmer and more soulful, and while the group's trademark gloom hangs over the proceedings, a significant transformation in both musical and emotional outlook is clearly afoot, leaving
Bird Wood Cage as the bridge from
the Wolfgang Press' past to their future. ~ Jason Ankeny