Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Check out Sea of Bees

NEW SEA OF BEES MP3 FOR THEE:
"MARMALADE"
http://riotactmedia.com/artists/mp3/marmalade.mp3

Julie Ann Bee (referred to by most everyone as, simply,"Jules") is an epically rare musician who has crafted Songs For The Ravens, her first LP and follow-up to Sea of Bees' debut Bee Eee Pee EP, with the kind of intuitive knowing and organic talent that defies logic and defines great artists.

The strength, innocence, honesty and purity of intention that flows throughout all 12 tracks manifests itself compositionally and technically-most immediately with the laser beam pull of Jules' captivating voice. She's so versatile, not only as a vocalist but as a songwriter, that Songs For The Ravens finds her masterfully navigating Americana-tinged stompers ("Sidepain"), heavy, trotting expanses ("Marmalade"), soaring harmonic rock sorrow ("Wizbot") and keyboard-brightened musings ("Willis"). Aside from the drums and a few other instrumental lines, Jules wrote and played every single bit of the entire album-including handheld percussion, glockenspiel, guitar, bass, keys, marimba and slide. Many of the tracks on the record are first or second takes, with nothing edited in; no screw-ups to hide.

These facts, understandably, blew publisher of Tape Op Magazine and producer John Baccigaluppi's mind. John met Jules when she was at his studio, The Hangar-she was singing in a room, he heard her in the hall, and immediately stopped to see who it was. "She's incredibly talented and intuitive in a way that I've only seen in a small handful of musicians," John, who has worked with countless thousands, explains. Shortly after meeting, John showed Jules how to use the recording software ProTools in a B-room of the studio, and by day's end, she had recorded the entirety of the five-song Bee Eee Pee. The recording of Songs For The Ravens was a different story, being a completely fleshed-out work that builds upon the stellar songs Jules started with.

This is a record that will soothe your broken heart, commiserate with you when you're angry, befriend you when you're lonely and celebrate life with you through the pure joy of its being. Longing is expressed with hope; sadness with understanding. Its scope, intensity and solidity would be considered stunning for any weathered artist; it's simply astounding here. Get ready to hear a lot from and about Sea of Bees from here on out. It's her time.

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