A BAND OF BEES

OCTOPUS

       Since releasing their debut, Sunshine Hit Me, in 2002, A Band of Bees have expanded from two to six musicians, each displaying their multi-instrumentalist talents to full effect on Octopus. Comparisons between these Isle of Wight natives and the sadly defunct Beta Band have been numerous: both bands signed to Astralwerks label; both became quickly known for their aptitude in easily bouncing back and forth between musical genres; and both deserve much more popular acclaim than they presently receive. This reviewer promises that her nostalgia for the old Beta Band days in no way influenced her critical judgment while listening to the BeesÕ latest album. Octopus incidentally happens to be perfect for your late summer listening, thanks to its winning take on 60s psychedelic pop, reggae and other styles.

       Octopus starts off with the delightful ÒWho Cares What the Question Is?,Ó an easygoing gem peppered with touches of both country and psych. A slight Ringo Starr intonation is detected in Aaron FletcherÕs blurred voice on the track as he chants ÒYouÕve got your character / YouÕre not up and down like a temperatureÓ over a sighing slide guitar. On the hook-laden ÒGot to Let GoÓ the Bees utilize jazzy horns and a sweeping Hammond organ, while the deadpan singer describes his job of "cutting grass before breakfast / saving up for a Lexus.Ó A bit after the songÕs midway point BeesÕ Paul Butler pulls outs his trumpet and lets loose with a fun, animated solo. Lyrically speaking, the Bees tend to favor nonsensical word pairings and lyrics that are not too emotionally overwrought. This lyrical lightheartedness suits OctopusÕs overall mood well.

       The Bees manage to capably interpret musical genres that this reviewer typically dislikes – blue-eyed reggae, ska, etc. – on tracks such as ÒListening ManÓ and ÒStand.Ó A dub-influenced bassline appears on ÒLeft Foot Stepdown,Ó as do vocals that are heavily weighted in reverb and other production effects. Ò(This Is for the) Better DaysÓ is a surprisingly loose funk track, more riff-oriented than what you would expect from a band hailing from a small island off the southern English coast. The bandÕs origin may lend to the subtle oceanic theme that appears throughout the album. On the Tropicalia-influenced ÒThe Ocularist,Ó Butler sings a likable Portuguese ditty, while jaw harp, sitar and the remaining Bees chime in with the chorus ÒItÕs good to get back to the sea.Ó This listener could only nod in agreement.

       A weaker band could have fallen flat on their face in attempting to take on such a diverse selection of music, but the multitalented A Band of Bees pass the eclecticism test with flying colors. Even the reggae-influenced tracks impressed this hard-nosed reviewer. Although it is wrong to pigeonhole the Bees as successors to the Beta Band throne, this band is much more successful in creating palatable, feel-good songs than the former Betas have in recent releases (see The AliensÕ Astronomy for Dogs). The mellow interpretation of 60s pop on Octopus is not difficult to love. Unlike more challenging albums out there full of ÒgrowersÓ that require multiple plays before the listener Ògets it,Ó the straightforward Octopus easily wins over its audience. (Sara Peterson)

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