The Bird & The Bee

In October 2006, The Bird & The Bee (Inara George and Greg Kurstin, respectively) released their four-track EP Again and Again and Again and Again, including a Peaches remix of “Fucking Boyfriend” that topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart the week of December 2, 2006 (my preference is for the original).

Now, George and Kurstin have a complete jazz-influenced and often retro-sounding long player, The Bird And The Bee, released on Blue Note Records. The three tracks from the EP - “Again & Again”, “I’m A Broken Heart”, “Fucking Boyfriend” - found their way onto the debut, along with seven new creations.

One thing I read somewhere (I can’t remember where, but it must have been The Album Club notes accompanying the CD) is something you should listen for. In the chorus of the languid R&B-like “Because” the word prostate nearly slips past you. Prostate? Did Ms. George mean “a gland surrounding the neck of the bladder in male mammals and releasing prostatic fluid” lying on the ground? Methinks, instead, she meant “lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward.” Accidentially mixing up the two in a presentation? Oops. Conceivably having this digitally preserved for all eternity? Priceless. Naturally, because I knew about it my brain searched it out like a tongue to a sore tooth. Now, you, too, can share. It’s my gift to you.

In all seriousness, prostates aside, The Bird And The Bee is a lot of fun. The mix of tracks is different enough to suit whenever you’re likely to listen to it. Over the past few days I’ve listened to the entire album a number of times in an effort to see if the languid, chillout tones of a few of the tracks wouldn’t work for me. I really couldn’t find a time and place the album didn’t leave me satisfied. Early in the morning? Good. At work? Good. In the evening while reading or tapping away on the laptop? Even better.

The duo doesn’t have a MySpace page! Sike! To sample four of the tracks from the album head over to The Bird & The Bee at MySpace.