Fish in a Birdcage

Fish in a Birdcage is the idiosyncratic solo project of singer-songwriter and cellist Dusty Townsend, who uses folk music as a starting point in exploring a variety of tones and textures as he goes beyond traditional folk and low tempo ballads, heading into renaissance music, dipping into jazz and country, even touching on tropicalia when the mood fits. His cello is typically at the center of his production, and he gets a lot of mileage from the instrument's natural range and versatility. Other times, a small string section or an accordion may appear in the line-up to broaden the sound. He has an easy-going, relaxed, and smooth voice and his music has a nice melodic flow. The songs are often lively, except when he turns to subdued romantic ballads. His songs are sequentially numbered as "rules".