British band the Bees (as they were originally known) debuted with
SUNSHINE HIT ME, which mixed a palpable 1960s influence with some
contemporary electronic flavoring and a fair amount of R&B-influenced
rhythm. For their second record, FREE THE BEES, two major changes
occurred. They were forced to change their name to A Band of Bees to
accommodate the US group the Bees, and they amped up their '60s sound to a fever pitch.
Hearing FREE THE BEES is like listening to an air check of a progressive FM rock station from 1968. One moment there's a sunny, harmony-laden, Beach Boys homage, the next a fuzz tone-seared Blues Project-style moment, abutted by a moody, Zombies-esque British Invasion-sounding tune. Four decades down the line, A Band of Bees offer a free-wheeling crash course in the psychedelic pop verities. Additionally, they come armed with a knack for strong songwriting and an unerring skill for infectious arrangements that keeps things from getting too retro.
