Music of the Moment

I haven’t posted much about new music lately, and that’s mainly because I haven’t been much inspired by what’s out there at the moment. This year has certainly gotten off to a slow start.

Yeah, The Shins’ album is pretty great, but it leaked last year. Same with Lily Allen, who hit it big via the UK (and MySpace) far before her official U.S. release. Arcade Fire’s much-anticipated album is okay, but nothing special. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah dropped a sophomore bomb. As did The Kaiser Chiefs. And Air’s latest is a huge letdown – definitely their worst LP to date.

One album I have been digging is the self-titled debut by The Bird and the Bee. I’ve been playing it a bunch for the last month or two and really enjoying it, but last night I had the good fortune to see them play live for the first time, and now I’m completely, madly, adoringly obsessed.

Comprised of L.A.’s Inara George and Greg Kurstin, the duo call their sound “psychedelic jazz”, although it’s more like lackadaisical space pop. And it kills.

George’s vocals are sometimes ironic and tongue in check, sometimes utterly earnest and naked. Her soothing voice has a way of inducing a trance-like state of empathy. Kurstin is a multi-instrumentalist who mainly crafts lush – yet, at times, spooky – soundscapes, largely with Wurlitzers and the like. Together, they write exceedingly catchy sugar pop melodies, enveloped in kitschy and warm shag carpet for the ears.

I expected to somewhat enjoy seeing them live, but I was not ready for what I witnessed last night. My fear was that their mellow stylings – their music is ideal for breezy springtime listening while sprawled in a hammock – would not translate to the stage. I feared I might find a couple of slightly over-the-hill, pretentious hipsters sliding through their music whilst peering down their noses at their audience. I couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

The pair were exceedingly warm and open and enthusiastic, and put on a fantastic show. Backed by a drummer, guitarist and three back-up singers, The Bird and the Bee is one big ball of fun. And that smile! Inara shows her teeth and next thing you know you’re gallivanting with her on a Moon bounce.

Do yourself a favor and grab the album. Next, check out this live set recorded a couple weeks ago in D.C. when they opened for Lily Allen (B&B's Kurstin co-wrote a number of songs on her hit album). Finally, meet me May 4th at The Echo for their next show – what I describe above cannot be discerned from their recordings; you must experience it in the flesh.

UPDATE: A friend of mine who was at the show took this vid. This was their last song, a cover of The Bee Gees' "How Deep is Your Love". That's Sia (from Zero 7) off to the side flopping around. She's apparently close with the band, and definitely a big fan. She spent the whole night right next to us, drinking like a sailor, giggling like a school girl, and jumping up and down like a fish trying to get back into its bowl. She was hilarious and extremely friendly, if only barely intelligble.