"Please Clap Your Hands" follows up The Bird and The Bee’s self-titled debut. The initial disc struck a balance between George’s dulcet harmonies and Kurstin’s pop-melody sensibilities. "Please Clap Your Hands" follows suit and proves their first disc was no fluke.
Inara George, the Bird, and daughter of Little Feat’s Lowell George, has a deep understanding of her voice and finds successful complexity in its use. Few modern vocalists can match George’s range and grasp of harmonic structure. Feathering layered vocals atop one another, George successfully melds harmonies and melodies that are becoming increasingly uncommon in modern pop.
The Bee, Greg Kurstin, has built a name for himself separately, boasting a resume that includes: The Flaming Lips, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley fame). Each have all benefited from Kurstin’s production and song-crafting.
Highlights begin with the opening track: Polite Dance Song. It’s distraught lyrics and delivery float above the disco-pop background. The result is a duality that is pop-sensible but stress-laden, giving way to oxymoronic humor: “Would you please clap your hands / And get up on your feet / I’m begging you to get up and dance / It’s such a crazy kick-ass beat.”
Music can be commanding at times. Lyrics like “Throw your hands in the air / and wave them like you just don’t care” are more demanding than inviting. George is sensitive to this. Maybe we don’t want to be told what to do? Maybe we’d prefer to be spoken to, instead of at. Better to ask than just assume that we’ve come to party. So she politely pleads: “Pardon me, the music is moving / Moving from left to right / Apologies for losing my cooling / Losing the day tonight.”
The closing track, The Bee Gees’ How Deep Is Your Love, continues to show George’s vocal range as she sweetly swoons across the familiar melody. Though unlike the Brothers Gibb, George’s solo vocals are all that is needed to affect a warm, sweet feel. Backing vocals by Sia are a nice touch, if not a little underused.
The EP is chock full of musical nuggets leaving listeners wishing their were more than just 5 songs. Hopefully, more EPs are on the way.
On a scale of 1 to Enjoyable; it’s right there at a 7. I’d buy it if I hadn’t done so already.
Inara George, the Bird, and daughter of Little Feat’s Lowell George, has a deep understanding of her voice and finds successful complexity in its use. Few modern vocalists can match George’s range and grasp of harmonic structure. Feathering layered vocals atop one another, George successfully melds harmonies and melodies that are becoming increasingly uncommon in modern pop.
The Bee, Greg Kurstin, has built a name for himself separately, boasting a resume that includes: The Flaming Lips, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley fame). Each have all benefited from Kurstin’s production and song-crafting.
Highlights begin with the opening track: Polite Dance Song. It’s distraught lyrics and delivery float above the disco-pop background. The result is a duality that is pop-sensible but stress-laden, giving way to oxymoronic humor: “Would you please clap your hands / And get up on your feet / I’m begging you to get up and dance / It’s such a crazy kick-ass beat.”
Music can be commanding at times. Lyrics like “Throw your hands in the air / and wave them like you just don’t care” are more demanding than inviting. George is sensitive to this. Maybe we don’t want to be told what to do? Maybe we’d prefer to be spoken to, instead of at. Better to ask than just assume that we’ve come to party. So she politely pleads: “Pardon me, the music is moving / Moving from left to right / Apologies for losing my cooling / Losing the day tonight.”
The closing track, The Bee Gees’ How Deep Is Your Love, continues to show George’s vocal range as she sweetly swoons across the familiar melody. Though unlike the Brothers Gibb, George’s solo vocals are all that is needed to affect a warm, sweet feel. Backing vocals by Sia are a nice touch, if not a little underused.
The EP is chock full of musical nuggets leaving listeners wishing their were more than just 5 songs. Hopefully, more EPs are on the way.
On a scale of 1 to Enjoyable; it’s right there at a 7. I’d buy it if I hadn’t done so already.
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