The Bird and The Bee on TV! (And in Concert, Too!)
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The vigilant MOGger, producer and music-biz insider Robin Danar alerted me that my beloved Inara George and her musical partner Greg Kurstin - über-hip, jazzy, techno-poppy Los Angeles-based duo The Bird and The Bee - will be appearing this evening on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." The aim is, no doubt, to promote their delightful new album Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future, which is scheduled for official release tomorrow, January 27. (Heard it. Love it.)
The Bird and The Bee Have You in Their Sights.
I heartily encourage anyone to check 'em out, seek out their video clips on YouTube, and dig the genre-transcending magic of vocalist George and instrumentalist Kurstin. Insofar as I am a Letterman fan, I doubt that I'll be watching Mr. Leno's show as it airs. But there's always the Tivo, and, thanks to the magic of the Interwebs (in this case, nbc.com and hulu.com), I believe I'll be able to catch the performance online with no problem.
By the way, Kurstin is the clever fellow who produced and co-wrote antic British pop singer Lily Allen's soon-to-be-released album It's Not Me, It's You - which features the incredibly addictive single "The Fear (I Don't Know)." Kudos, Greg.
To whet your appetite for The Bird and The Bee's televised performance on Leno's program (and a February 4 late-night appearance on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live") and the national concert tour that will follow (details below), give a listen to the sweet parry-and-thrust of "My Love" from Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future - available at a MOG Player near you (the one at the top of this post).
The Bird and The Bee in Concert:
Feb. 5 - San Diego, CA - Casbah
Feb. 6 - Los Angeles, CA - Natural History Museum
Feb. 7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Soho
Feb. 9 - San Francisco, CA - Independent
Feb. 11 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir
Feb. 12 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
Mar. 3 - Fairfield, CT - Stage One
Mar. 4 - Vienna, VA - Barnes at Wolf Trap
Mar. 5 - Philadelphia, PA - Tin Angel
Mar. 7 - New York, NY - Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall
Comments (26)
Mike,
I'm also a Bird and the Bee fan. Wish their tour was heading a little closer to the Carolinas.
Thanks.
über-hip, jazzy, techno-poppy - didn't exactly sound like my cuppa, but boy was I wrong. I loved this. Turns out I have one other B&B track - "Again and Again" off of Paste #27 sampler. Man, do I love her voice!
I will be checking out that new CD. And they're in Philly on Mar 4? Hmmm...
Oe, good news, thanks for the heads up! I'm sure it'll make its way to Youtube. As you know I've jumped on this bandwagon with this release.
i hear you on the Letterman/Leno thing, man--i watch Dave as well. I usually tivo a couple of musical guests a night though. I will say, however, it's quite fun working on both shows and good catering!
For those that dig Inara's voice, you might check out a song she sang for me on my Altered States CD. Since the whole disk is about doing things a little different, I worked up a version of an old Johnny Mathis song (Chances Are) the way Patsy Cline might have done it. We cut it in a garage and Inara's vocals are both live and awesome. You can hear it on
robindanar.com.
I really love her voice. AND I love that nice clappy sound.
Danke to both you (and Sir Danar) for this most excellent heads up. The DVR will be pressed in to service at once... (also agree with you guys on the Leno vs. Letterman thing...)
Leno doing standup in the early years, was hilarious - now, not so much - he's kind of on auto-pilot. But I did see an amazing show that he did at The Bottom Line, back in the day, that had me laughing so hard down front, that I was the only person in the first three rows of tables, that didn't get my chops busted by him. Those were the days...
Mike,
I couldn't get the audio to open this time so I went to YouTube and found "Again and Again."
I like it! (Lots better than their "Love Letter to Japan" song.)
Nice lounge-type retro sound yet with a contemporary edge to it. (In "Again and Again" is that a xylophone, I wonder?)
Okay, I found "My Love." Nice tune- apparently it got a lift from being included in a recent Grey's Anatomy episode (like Lost recently featured Cheap Trick's "Dream Police" in a very clever way) but check out "Again and Again."
Also- I see they are coming to Fairfield CT in March- at the same theater I am seeing Graham Parker at this weekend.
redmiller1: At least, you've got the recordings to tide you over until you get your chance.
dermahrk: Labels and genres aside (and they're hard to precisely pin down), I've totally embraced all of their releases so far - and Inara's solo album and her collaboration with Van Dyke Parks deserve a listen, f'sure. That Tin Angel date might be worth a ticket, too.
SA: Yep! It'll be on the web, but the best video file will probably be at nbc.com or hulu.com - which have the rights to stream NBC clips.
Robin: Mmmm. Craft services! And I'll second your promo. That "Chances Are" is a beauty.
ongoingly: Clap off! Clap on!
van: De nada! And Dave rules! But, from first-hand experience, I can say that Jay was one of the great stand-ups - and, even today, is a very nice, genuine guy one-on-one.)
Fasted7: The "My Love" stream is just fine at my end. Hope the kinks are worked out at your end. And I'm happy you finally discovered "Again and Again." Been crazy about it since it was released. It was, in fact, my key into the duo's music.
It took me two listens to get it. This duo is forging new ground. It sounds right, inevitable, newfangled.
The B&B AGAIN? S'ok w/me, lol. I might be seeing them in SF on Feb. 9th, I haven't decided yet. Great song & I just finally picked up their debut album which I'm loving oh so much.
Spike: Retro-futurist! Pretty nice, huh?
August: As much as I favor them, I probably wouldn't have gone to the B & B again so soon - except that the TV appearances and the tour dates were news that needed to be spread throughout MOGville. And it was a nice excuse to stream another of my fave tracks from the new album.
wow, how did leno grab these guys. I would expect to see them on a different channel if you know what I mean
Rawk: I do. But TBATB are L.A.-based, so the talent people at "The Tonight Show" (in "beautiful downtown Burbank," as Johnny Carson used to say) could trump Dave's bookers. It's geography, baby!
Yeah, just the right pop to grab my attention. A little on the saccharine side, but inventive and with a nice voice. Liking the claps too.
Oatmeal: It's the only kind of clap I like...
Ha, that is a good one.
Really liking this, very ethereal...
They're like to have a fan like you :)
oh my, oh me. that piccie is so comely. i hope i catch the said Leno ep, it should reach my tube in a few days. we're a teensy bit backward like that. ;d
Yesterday I bought the album from 7 Digital. It was you who hipped me to The Bird AndThe Bee. It was the delicious track on Robin's album that made me want to hear more. Result all around, I'd say.
Anna: And they were so adorable on the TV broadcast. As far as I'm concerned, I'm lucky to be able to enjoy their music, and be their fan.
poe: They do look quite sophistcated, even dangerous, in that shot. As for their segment of the show, I'll bet you get a kick out of it - when it finally reaches you.
Jonh: Again and again, I say "Yay, verily!"
Never heart of those guys, but sounds pretty good.
"Mar. 4 - Vienna, VA - Barnes at Wolf Trap". I saw 'Vienna' and thought Europe but nooooo.
Hermes: You've gotta figure that Europe would love them. I'm sure they'll be there soon, if they haven't toured there already.
I'm coming to this late, but better late than never. I heard the Ken Tucker very favorable NPR review of this a few minutes ago and recalled this in the pile of posts I've been wanting to get around to. Glad I did!
I agree with all of the above. I love the ironic juxt of what sounds like it should be a sports arena stomp-clap, but syncopated, with the shiny music that builds on it. And the lyrics are so keen. That sly musical and lyrical reference to Helter Skelter blooming out into really haunting lyrical spirals. Woo!
Thanks, Mike!
Spike 1: You're most welcome. It's more than a month later, and I'm still enamoured of the album - and still relishing their first one. Just caught a live clip from the Ellen DeGeneres afternoon chat show that might be the band's best performance of their current run of TV appearances. You can YouTube it, if you like.
Thanks, Mike. I saw these dates and realize we are going to Philadelphia on Saturday, one day after their show at the Tin Angel. We're taking our daughter there to check out the Culinary School at the Art Institutes (just in case she decides not to go to the CIA, where she's already accepted) and see Cézanne and Beyond at the Phila. Museum of Art. Not sure if we can go Friday and stay over. But I'm bound to check out the videos. My daughter will dig B&B too.
The family that rocks together...