For years, Andrew Bird would add a cover song to his set from one of his favourite bands, and good friends, the Handsome Family. It seemed only a matter of time before the songs made it onto an album. And, well, yeah, that happened.

His new covers album, Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of… was released on June 3, and Bird will be in Toronto this month as one of the headlining acts at the Toronto Urban Roots Fest, running July 4 to 6.

“They mean a lot to me, musically, and they, you know, inspired me quite a bit,” says Bird. “Not many people know them or can get past their image or whatever is associated with them to really hear how brilliant the writing is. One of my life’s missions is to show the world that they are on a level with some of the great songwriters, I think — John Prine, Leonard Cohen, in that category.”

Bird first met up with Brett and Rennie Sparks of the Handsome Family while living in Chicago in the ’90s when people would put on shows of other people’s songs, often as benefits.

“It was that kind of community: if someone was sick, we’d play all their songs in one night,” says Bird. “Now they’re in Albuquerque, which is a bit far-flung, but I think their songs are almost like mine. There’s not much difference.”

Not that Bird makes a habit of imitating other musicians. Instead he reinterprets most of the songs he covers on the new album.

“I don’t see much point in doing faithful covers of anybody,” he explains. “I tend to insert my own melodies in any cover that I do. And, I mean, there’s a couple that are pretty close to what they do, “Drunk by Noon,” is one, pretty much the rest is unrecognizable.”

Bird recorded the album at his home in Illinois, as opposed to his barn where he made his last two records.

“I did it in my living room this time, which is barn-like with a big, high wooden ceiling,” he says. “I do insist on having very high ceilings when I record. There is just something about it; it makes you sing better in an old school sort of way.”

Bird, a multi-instrumentalist, grew up in Chicago and was trained in the violin from a young age. His early work includes a violin-heavy album, called Music of Hair, as well as a collaboration with the band Squirrel Nut Zippers. He followed this up with his own project, Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, before going completely solo in 2003.

Bird has never been one to follow the industry standard. He releases material when he wants and is always tinkering with new sounds, taking his career in varied musical directions.

“I never really liked the industry schedule: 12 songs every two or three years, then tour songs to promote the record,” says Bird. “Now, it all seems out the window anyway, as far as making sense economically. I’m just taking advantage of that now, putting out stuff whenever I feel like it or have some shows lined up.

“It’s working for me. I just like how it goes with the flow of when you write songs and feel ready you get them out there,” he continues.

“The traditional model never really made sense. It always led to some sort of congestion of creativity. I don’t know. It’s been a sort of collapse of the music industry that I’m kind of enjoying.”

Bird plays at the Toronto Urban Roots Festival on Friday, July 4 at 5:10 p.m. Check out the album below.