Free The Bees

by

The Bees

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Uh-oh, a follow-up to a much-loved Britpop album. That can only spell "high expectations." And that's the major problem with "Free the Bees," an otherwise lovely sophomore album by the British pop band. They shift their sound a bit, but retain the lush 60s influences and bright melodies.

Their first album was pieced together in much rougher circumstances -- in fact, it was stuck together in a garden shed. So the Bees get to make their sound a bit more polished this time around. It's perhaps not coincidental that they recorded "Free the Bees" at Abbey Road, since they seem to have soaked in the summery psychedelic vibe of the sixties.

That's most evident in songs like "Wash In The Rain," a summery pop tune that is washed in Hammond organ, or "One Glass of Water," a charmingly retro sound that is completely catchy and sweet. And they stray a bit from the sound with "Horseman," which is more influenced by harder rock from a decade later on. And "Chicken Payback" is nothing but hilarious.

The Bees (formerly "Band of Bees") are not known for their originality. They're known for making good pop music. Their music absolutely reeks of the summer of love, and they obviously are influenced by plenty of older bands, wandering happily from sixties psychedelica to seventies rock. But with that in mind, their music is warm and refreshing.

The best word to describe the music is bouncy -- the Bees call on snappy drums and cheery basslines and guitar riffs for their sound, as well as some deeply moving Hammond organ. To finish off the sound, they inject some harmonies that would make the Zombies wipe away a tear of pride.

Those looking for a bit of sun in the middle of winter might need this. The Bees sound very retro in their second album, but seem to be having plenty of fun as they travel back in time.

My initial reaction to The Bees was that this sextet blacked out on rank 60's psychedelica and woke up with a post-punk hangover. Further exposure to their second release, Free the Bees, righted what came to seem a grave misconception. Multi-instrumentalists Paul Butler and Aaron Fletcher expand their band to a talented sextet that reigns over the history of British rock at will, from the late 60's homage "These Are the Ghosts" through the music hall blues stomp of "No Atmosphere" though the waltzing "The Start". What really hooks you in, though, is "Chicken Payback": a rollicking track you'd swear had a 50's copyright until you check the fine print. It sounds like the kind of authentic dance cut you'd swear you've heard on a John Waters' soundtrack. And from that point on, it's only rock and roll, and you'll like it.