Lazy day music.

The Bird and the Bee

* The Bird and the Bee

* Metro Blue

Thanks to the united front of Inara George and Greg Kurstin, summer daze is here again. Whimsical electronic experimentation and studio wizardry makes The Bird and the Bee an utterly lovable neopop sensation--ABBA meets Stereolab for the kind of hipster who plays with tech toys. Kurstin, already renowned as a multi-instrumentalist and savvy man behind the boards, has lent his uniquely easygoing cleverness to the likes of the Flaming Lips, Lily Allen, Beck, and Peaches. With his roots deep in virtuoso jazz piano--he trained with Mingus pianist Jaki Byard--Kurstin is a man who both understands the deeper nuances and sees the beauty of sweet simplicity. His arrangements are layered but never overbearing or grandiose, resulting in a sound inspired by bubblegum beats and Beach Boys symphonics. Lead singer Inara George is the unlikely spawn of Little Feat front man Lowell George--born of nitty-gritty rock and roll and now a swan-necked chanteuse whose vocals continually float high up into the ether. The combination is intoxicating, but if you're looking for meat, this isn't the place. The Bird and the Bee's little numbers are slim and pleasing, meant to back tasks like sipping lemonade while dipping your toes in the backyard pool. There's nary a grinding guitar or booming acoustic drumbeat in the mix, and George's voice is a crystalline thing, so if you're in the mood for lilting keyboards and pop prettiness, The Bird and the Bee comes up smelling like roses.