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Live Local Music

Let me tell you about the Bird and the Bee

Posted by Brittany Barth on 09/06 at 04:25 PM

No, we aren’t going to have a repeat of that awkward conversation you endured with your mother and father on your living room couch in the sixth grade. I wouldn’t do that to you. Instead I’ll be introducing you to a band that’s been on repeat on my iPod for the past two weeks.

Chances are you’ve never heard of the LA based indie pop band The Bird and The Bee. And you’re not alone. If it weren’t for the Spotify Radio App, I never would have experienced the band myself, which would have been tragic. How is it that this band has flown under my radar for so long?! How is it that I haven’t heard even one person mention them yet? Maybe it’s because I don’t run with an indie crowd, but it may be something worth looking into, if it means discovering bands like The Bird and the Bee.

The band is a musical duo between Inara (the lead singer) and Greg (the keyboardist and producer). Together they make The Bird and the Bee, a band you wish you had heard about back when they debuted in 2006. Spotify has a complete list of every song, EP and album the band has completed thus far, providing you with as much of The Bird and The Bee as you could ever want.

And you’ll want everything they’ve got.

In this modern world of music, I find that it’s a rarity to discover a band where you enjoy every song on their album. The Bird and The Bird is one of those bands.

They came onto the scene in 2006 with their EP Again and Again and Again and Again. The album is very emotionally driven, with song titles such as “I’m a Broken Heart” and “F-cking Boyfriend”, which are referring to a repetitive, selfish, torturous relationship. And while the subject matter remains heavy throughout the songs on the EP, the actual music is kept quite light, creating an interesting juxtaposition between the sound and the lyrics.

Since 2006, the band has released an album or single every year up until 2011, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there is one currently in the works. Every album is just as good as the one that came before it, which further increases my appreciation for the band, and is a testament to how talented they are.

Their second album, the self-titled The Bird and The Bee, includes the three tracks that were on their first album intermixed with new songs. This album has shifted from being so emotionally intense, to a balance of both heavy and light. But it’s their album in 2009, Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future, that showcases the most dramatic transformation and evolution the band has displayed.

Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future describes the songs on the album perfectly. Every song is incredibly futuristic sounding and unique. It would definitely be my record of choice if I were ever on a rocket ship to outer space. In fact when you listen to it, that’s exactly where you feel like you are. On Mars, Venus, Jupiter, a million years into the future where our means of getting around are hovercrafts and we eat full meals the size of a pill like in the Jetsons. The songs vary between being ethereal, making you feel as though you’re gliding along the Milky Way, to robotic. All of the songs are unique to one another while still creating a cohesive album. And though this album is definitely one of my favorites from the band, it’s their tribute album Interpreting The Masters, Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates that truly takes the cake for me.

I must admit that I’ve never listened to Hall and Oates a all that much in my lifetime. While I’ve heard their songs on the radio, I never appreciated their music until The Bird and the Bee released this album as a tribute to them. Some of the songs the band covers include, “One on One” a truly other-wordly yet electronic interpretation of the song, “Private Eyes,” and my favorite, “Rich Girl”. The combination of Inara’s vocals, which are smooth as butter, and Greg’s production, creates an album that is respectful to the original versions, but unique and masterfully done.

Everything the band has released since Interpreting The Masters, Volume 1: A tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates has been singles, but I am expecting (and anxiously awaiting) a new album to be released this year or next.

The Bird and The Bee is truly one of the most distinctive bands I have heard in a long time. Their sound is totally unique to several of the indie bands that are on the scene presently, and I do hope that they receive more exposure. You can read the latest news, get a list of their upcoming shows, and access to their full discography on their website: http://www.thebirdandthebee.com/news/. You can also find their work on amazon.com here. Be sure to check them out, and spread the word to your friends. A band like this shouldn’t be missed.