The Bird and the Bee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Bird and the Bee | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles |
| Genre(s) | Indie pop Indie rock |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Label(s) | Blue Note Records |
| Associated acts | Geggy Tah |
| Website | www.thebirdandthebee.com/ |
| Members | |
| Greg Kurstin Inara George |
|
The Bird and the Bee is an indie/pop/alternative musical duo from Los Angeles, consisting of musicians Inara George ("the bird") and Greg Kurstin ("the bee"). Kurstin, a producer and keyboardist who has worked with Lily Allen, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Beck, The Flaming Lips, Kylie Minogue and Red Hot Chili Peppers, is also a member of the band Geggy Tah. Inara George and Kurstin met while the two were working on her debut album and they decided to collaborate on a jazz-influenced electro pop project. Their debut EP, Again and Again and Again and Again, was released on October 2006 and their debut album was released on January 23, 2007 on Blue Note Records.
Contents |
[edit] History
According to their MySpace page, "Greg and Inara met a few years ago. Discovered a common love of jazz standards... nerded out for a couple of hours playing every song they knew... and then wrote and recorded a record together."
That record was the 3-song EP Again and Again and Again and Again, released by Blue Note Records on October 31, 2006.[1] Included on the EP was a fourth track, a remix version of "Fucking Boyfriend",[2] and it was that track that took less than a month to create a buzz about The Bird And The Bee. December 2006 a remix of "Fucking Boyfriend" topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, although because of its title, radio stations only played the edited version of the song in their club mix shows.[citation needed]
The bands' first full-length album, the self-titled The Bird And The Bee was released on January 23, 2007[3] to positive reviews; Allmusic for example described it as "irresistible" and "charming and delightful at every turn".[4]
Summer of 2007 found the band touring as opening act for performer Lily Allen,[5] while their music was heard twice that year on the ABC drama Grey's Anatomy, with "Again & Again" featured in the April 26 episode titled Desire, and "Polite Dance Song" featured on the October 25 episode Haunt You Every Day .[6] With the holiday season came additional exposure for the group, when Apple Inc.'s iTunes web store chose "Carol of the Bells" to be the featured "Free Single of the Week" for the week of November 27.
In 2008 the band released One Too Many Hearts a "digital EP", exclusively for purchase online. Its February 12, 2008 release timed to coincide with Valentines Day, the four-song collection featured a rendition of the 1920s standard Tonight You Belong to Me.[7]
The Bird and the Bee appeared repeatedly in TV and movies during 2008, with "Fucking Boyfriend" appearing in the film Forgetting Sarah Marshall and "How Deep Is Your Love" included in Sex and the City: The Movie.[8] In July a performance recorded at The Palms in Las Vegas was released as an EP titled Live At The Palms. The EP included live versions of "Again & Again (Bossa Nova Version)", "Fucking Boyfriend", "Autumn Leaves", "Man", and "Preparedness".[9]
The Bird and The Bee marked the release of their second full album, Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future with two national television appearances, January 26 on NBC's Tonight Show and February 4 on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[10] Following its January 27 release, the album debuted atop the Billboard Magazine Top Heatseekers chart on sales of over 5,000 copies.[11] In support of the new album the band went on a brief 11 performance U.S. tour, which concluded with a March 7, 2009 performance at New York's Carnegie Hall.[12] On March 14 The Bird and The Bee played the Tricot Showroom in Los Angeles as part of a FMLY show.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US [13] |
||
| 2007 | The Bird and the Bee
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— |
| 2009 | Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future
|
78 |
[edit] Extended plays
| Year | EP details |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Again and Again and Again and Again
|
| 2007 | Please Clap Your Hands
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| 2008 | One Too Many Hearts
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Live From Las Vegas at the Palms
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[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart position | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Dance [14] |
JPN [15] |
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| 2006 | "Fucking Boyfriend" | 1 | — | Again and Again and Again and Again (EP) |
| 2007 | "Again & Again" | — | — | The Bird and the Bee |
| 2007 | "La La La" | — | — | The Bird and the Bee |
| 2007 | "Polite Dance Song" | — | — | Please Clap Your Hands (EP) |
| 2009 | "Love Letter to Japan" | — | 90 | Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future |
| 2009 | "My Love" | TBR | TBR | Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future |
| "—" denotes singles that did not chart. | ||||
[edit] Contributions
- Stockings By the Fire (2007, Hear Music) - "Carol of the Bells"
[edit] See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
[edit] References
- ^ "Bird and the Bee, The Discography". Blue Note Records. http://www.bluenote.com/ArtistDiscography.aspx?ArtistId=921910&PromoId=&UPCCode=094637368121.
- ^ "Bird And The Bee, The - F*cking Boyfriend (Ralphi Rosario n' Jody dB Versions)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/876101.
- ^ "Bird and the Bee, The Discography". Blue Note Records. http://www.bluenote.com/ArtistDiscography.aspx?ArtistId=921910&PromoId=&UPCCode=094636825120.
- ^ Jurek, Thom. "The Bird and the Bee". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:9e5e8qcfbtm4.
- ^ "The Bird and the Bee Got Buzz A-Plenty". Spin. April 12, 1007. http://www.spin.com/articles/bird-and-bee-got-buzz-plenty.
- ^ "The Bird and the Bee". IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2534758/.
- ^ Rosenbloom, Etan (February 14, 2008). "The Bird and The Bee One Too Many Hearts EP". Prefixmag. http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/the-bird-and-the-bee/one-too-many-hearts-ep/17256/.
- ^ Li, Danica (2009-02-04). "You can't say the kids lack style". San Francisco Bay Guardian 43 (19). http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=7970&catid=107&volume_id=398&issue_id=417&volume_num=43&issue_num=19. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
- ^ "Bird and the Bee, The Discography". Blue Note Records. http://www.bluenote.com/ArtistDiscography.aspx?ArtistId=921910&PromoId=&UPCCode=5099921565250.
- ^ "The Bird And The Bee Announce Tour Dates; New Album Out Jan. 27". Starpulse. January 25, 2009. http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/01/25/the_bird_and_the_bee_announce_tour_dates_27.
- ^ Jenison, David (2009-02-04). "Bruce Springsteen Shows Taylor Swift, Ticketmaster Who's Boss". E! Online (E! Entertainment Network). http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b82375_bruce_springsteen_shows_taylor_swift.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
- ^ "Retro pop music duo The Bird and the Bee performs in Zankel Hall on Saturday, March 7 at 8:30 P.M. as part of the WFUV Live at Zankel Series". Carnegie Hall News. January 27, 2009. http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/press/press_release/111831.html.
- ^ "Artist Chart History Albums". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=778762&model.vnuAlbumId=1198161. Retrieved on 2009-04-24.
- ^ "US Hot Club Play Charts". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=778762&model.vnuAlbumId=1198161. Retrieved on 2009-04-24.
- ^ "Japan Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/searchResult.jsp?configType=BBCOM_SIMPLEDEFAULT&pubList=Billboard&an=bbcom&action=Submit&kw=&exposeNavigation=true&keyword=the+bird+and+the+bee&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=Submit&searchType=ARTICLE_SEARCH. Retrieved on 2009-04-24.
