24 Jan 09
The Bird And The Bee
(Wiki) | (Last.FM) | (Myspace)
Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future
[January 27, 2009] | [Blue Note Records]
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8.0/10
So what do you get when you cross Inara George and Greg Kursten? You get The Bird And The Bee, an electronic pop duo that has been rising to fame over the past couple years very quickly. Their sound is incredibly unique with Kursten being a pop producer and multi instrumentalist and George who comes from a rich background in jazz and indie rock. The two met while George was recording her debut album which Kursten happened to be producing. The two hit it off and decided to bring a brand new element to the world of electronic pop….jazz. The Bird And The Bee’s new album entitled Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future builds and blends on this technique, using the varying genres as eminent beats and melodies.
The album is incredibly fun from track to track throughout the entire album. The record itself seems to celebrate love and relationships and instead of just playing up the normal formula of love, romance and happy endings that we are all so accustomed to seeing, on the record we are given a break up and a feeling of independence for the artist, ending happily but not completely.
George’s blue note vocals may be some of the most soothing vocals I have heard in years. Her deep voice fits so perfect with the high note melody from song to song, making each track relaxing yet exciting and amusing at the same time. The track “Ray Gun” shows us a glimpse of jazz oriented music but includes a poppy melody that keeps our attention. “Meteor” shows us the electronic skills that Greg Kursten possesses as he has worked with bands such as The Flaming Lips. “Meteor” has to be my favorite track on the record mostly because of its terrific chorus that is so catchy you won’t be able to forget it for weeks. “My Love” is probably the most traditional pop song on the record and is somewhat beautiful do in most part to George’s self harmonized vocals.
There is something about Inara’s lyrics and voice that is just too cute to not listen to and all it can do to me is bring a smile to my face and stash a warm feeling in my heart. It’s very comforting. On one track in particular, “Baby”, every single lyric is presented clearly and it almost sounds as if she’s in the room right next to you, whispering in your ear softly. And then on another, “Witch”, I can’t help but notice that the song should be a James Bond theme. Being a big 007 fan, this song takes me back to some of the classic intro songs from the old movies because of that jazz attitude within the song. Try listening to the song while picturing the psychadelic animation from the beginning of the movies. Doesn’t it just seem….right? “Birthday” is the most electronically induced track on the record but still reminds us that they have a huge pop influence. One argument with the record though, could be that the lyrics come across a bit too cliché at points and some might even say “corny”. This doesn’t necessarily hurt any of the music though and actually, it being simpler might strengthen it as a whole. There is nothing about The Bird And The Bee that is complicating but this straightforward sound that they put out is both enticing and fun, making the record a rather enjoyable listen.
Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future is not a concept album purse but it does arguably tell a simple love story that ends in heartbreak, something that most of us are able to easily connect to. This personal touch that reaches out to us and grabs our emotions is beautifully done and very inspiring at the same time. The record makes you want to be in love and although you might not be there, it gives you the hope that you one day will be. The blend of jazz, electronics, and mostly pop is very interesting and at times made me actually want to get up and…well, we’ll say “move” for readers sake. Although it’s early in the year and this may be a bold statement, I think this could possibly end up being the best pop album of the year. Look for it among the lists of best albums of the year by the end of 2009!
-Eric
