If I had my own record company, this is the type of band that I would be after to sign. From the Isle of Wight comes this group of six talented and well researched musicians. Through all 14 tracks, it’s evident that A Band of Bees not only draws from the sounds of the British pop movement of the early to mid-1960s, they have a full understanding of what made these bands great.
Five of the six members of the group are versatile in multiple instruments and it comes through in the eclectic sounds and various styles spread throughout the album. Bees prove that they are students of 60’s music in general, not just rock or pop. While many of the songs recall early Pink Floyd from the Syd Barrett years as well as The Beatles (pre- Sgt. Pepper’s), The Animals, and the rest of the early British Invasion, there are a few tracks that bring other movements to mind. For instance, the tracks “I Love You” and “The Start” are brilliant odes to Motown. The background harmonies can rank with The Temptations and Four Tops. The opening piano on the track “Go Karts” is reminiscent of The Beatle’s “She’s Leaving Home.” “Chicken Payback” is a fun track that conjures up memories of The Beach Boys and the surfer music coming out of California before the San Francisco scene took over around 1965. The lead singing of Paul Butler is reminiscent of Eric Burdon of The Animals.
There is no one standout song on “Free the Bees.” From start to finish this album delivers as a great tribute to, what some call the greatest musical era. The British Invasion of the 1960s produced music that has stood the test of time. In the forty years since, it has been rare to find a group that has been able to come close to duplicating this sound while still adding their own sense of originality. A Band of Bees is able to pull this off almost perfectly. For any fan of this era, “Free the Bees” is a must have as a reminder that in this day of manufactured bands and, gasp, American Idol, there are still some decent, talented bands around getting by on their merits. |