The Bird & The Bee
self-titled (Blue Note)
You might be forgiven for thinking that the bird and the bee come across as too, too cute on their self-titled debut, but surprisingly the most pretentious thing about them is their lower-case name. The duo of vocalist Inara George (daughter of Little Feat’s Lowell George) and instrumentalist Greg Kurstin craft music as clear and refreshing as a sunny Spring day, with George’s bell-like voice meshing perfectly with Kurstin’s bubbling synths. The resulting work on this album beautifully combine ’60s affectations with a modern edge. “I’m a Broken Heart” sounds like what might have happened if Lesley Gore collaborated with Ennio Morricone on one of his moodier soundtracks; “La La La” has all the effervescence of a vintage Pucci print. Despite the album’s distinctly retro feel, however, mostly it’s marked by contemporary electro-pop which calls to mind Scandinavian dance diva Annie. This is never more evident than in the self-explanatory “Fucking Boyfriend” and the brilliantly layered “I Hate Camera”. Athough brief (35 minutes) and concluding with a trio of so-so songs, the bird and the bee has already been shortlisted for my year-end Top 10. It’s excellent, and I can’t wait to hear what they’ll do next.
Buy the album at Amazon.com.