Interview - The Bird And The Bee

The Bird And The Bee just released their steller second album "Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future" and began their supporting tour yesterday in San Diego.
Greg Kurstin was nice enough to answer a few of my questions before they went on tour. Find out who Greg would replace himself in the band with and get the juicy details about The Bird And The Bee's upcoming Hall and Oates cover record that may or may not exist!

Check http://www.thebirdandthebee.com/ for tour dates in your area.


Atlas and the Anchor: Are either of you working on any side/solo projects we should know about?

Greg: I've been working on the Little Boots record. Inara and I have been working on our Hall & Oates covers record.
(Ed. note: Check out Little Boots here: http://www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk/)


AA: People compare you to other bands and make assumptions about your influences but who do you say you are influenced by?

Greg: Prince, Serge Gainsbourg, Os Mutantes, Olivia Newton John, Gal Costa, Muppets.


AA: Name one current and one older song you wish you had written.

Greg: "Jump" Van Halen, "Crazy in Love" Beyonce.


AA: What are you listening to in the tour van?

Greg: Ipod on shuffle. Try to guess the song after hearing 2 seconds of music.


AA: Who are some of your favorite bands to play with and/or who would you like to collaborate with?

Greg: Touring with Obi Best. Would love to collaborate with Prince.


AA: Though the new album has just been released, are you working on ideas for a new album?

Greg: Mostly working on Hall and Oates covers record.


AA: What inspired the cool artwork for "Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future"?

Greg: Saw some art work on a 60's or 70's Steakhouse menu.


AA: It sounds like you have complete control over your artistic vision, describe working with Blue Note Records.

Greg: They are very supportive and really let us work it out ourselves.


AA: If you could replace yourself in the band with another musician, who would it be and why?

Greg: Probably Steven Drozd from Flaming Lips. He's a great musician. Amazing drummer.


AA: What is your favorite song on "Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future" and why?

Greg: My fav is Meteor. Really enjoyed working on the chorus chords. Love Inara's melody.


Atlas and the Anchor would again like to thank Greg for taking the time to answer my questions!

Check out my review of the new album here: http://atlasandtheanchor.blogspot.com/2009/01/bird-and-bee-ray-guns-are-not-just.html

Download "My Love" here: http://www.spin.com/audio/download/41585/Bird_Bee-My-Love.mp3

Contest: Win "Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall & John Oates" by the bird and the bee

As referenced in the Atlas and the Anchor interview with Greg Kurstin from Feb. of last year, The Bird and The Bee are set to release their "love letter" to the soulful 80's radio kings Hall & Oates. The album, Interpreting The Masters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall & John Oates includes eight covers and one original, titled "Heard It On The Radio".

Tracklist:

Heard It On The Radio

I Can’t Go For That

Rich Girl

Sara Smile

Kiss On My List

Maneater

She’s Gone

Private Eyes

One on One

The album will be released on March 23rd but you can win a CD from Atlas and the Anchor, Blue Note Records and Filter Music Magazine now! Just email me and tell me your favorite Hall & Oates song. atlasandtheanchor@hotmail.com

Read the Interview with Greg here: http://atlasandtheanchor.blogspot.com/search?q=bird+bee

For more info click here: www.thebirdandthebee.com/ and www.myspace.com/thebirdandthebee

One winner will be drawn and notified by email on Friday 3/12. Good Luck!

The Bird And The Bee - "Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future"

The Bird And The Bee return tomorrow, when Blue Note Records releases “Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future”, the follow up to their acclaimed self-titled debut. Vocalist Inara George and multi-instrumentalist/producer Greg Kurstin expand on their melodic mixture of ‘60’s psych-pop, Tropicalia, and electronica, this time focusing in on the pop element and creating more dance friendly beats to bring more energy to their live show.

Greg creates a musical space that is filled with so many different rhythms and styles from the past, it sounds like you have been warped to a ‘60’s Bachelor pad and Inara fills the space with her sly, humorous lyrics and sweet and stylish soprano. Together, they easily switch from a sappy, jazzy tribute to David Lee Roth on “Diamond Dave” to “Love Letter To Japan”, a bubbling synth-pop homage to the country itself, and the ragtime influence and honky-tonk piano of “You’re A Cad” into the tongue-in-cheek, apologetic, hip-hop inspired “Polite Dance Song”; The Bird And The Bee have created an interesting and fun record worth wearing out.

Check out “My Love” here:
http://www.spin.com/audio/download/41585/Bird_Bee-My-Love.mp3

For more info check out: www.myspace.com/thebirdandthebee

Stream It From The Mountain: Wolves At The Gate – “VxV”

The Dayton-based Christian metal band Wolves At The Gate released their stunning sophomore album, VxV (five by five) last week via Solid State Records.  Armed with this new release and their two EPs and promising debut, the band has quickly solidified their spot at the top of the Christian metal scene’s food chain.              

With well-regarded pastor John Piper piping in on the introductory title track, “VxV”, Wolves At The Gate set the tone right from the start.  Frontman Steve Cobucci pulls no punches leading the band as they preach the Gospel.  They are not merely focused on creating the most brutal breakdown for the mosh-pit; their metal is laced with more melody and lyrical substance than their peers and standout track “Wake Up” is as anthemic as its title suggests with a call and response refrain and an impassioned plea that speaks to believers that are just going through the motions - “actors without action”.  Following that is “Dust To Dust” with its unrelenting rhythm and swirling vocal melodies that reach for the rafters.  Later, “Relief” marries propulsive heaviness with emotional heaviness as ringing guitars and emotionally-charged vocals set the scene for the uplifting, depression-themed lyrics to take effect for another standout moment.  Next, “The Bird And The Bee” weaves a dark yet truthful tale with vivid Biblical-based imagery that sounds like a newly discovered Aesop’s Fable.  The twelve-track album closes out with the hopeful message of “The Father’s Bargain” which was inspired by a short story of the same name by a 1600’s Puritan writer, John Flavel and is accompanied by the most dynamic and ambitious arrangement on the album.                              

Stream VxV here:

For more info: http://www.wolvesatthegate.com/ and http://www.solidstaterecords.com/