On October 18th, the Wicked Bees put out their first album in 7 years, and their first after a 5 year hiatus as a band. It’s mostly a nice, laid back brand of ska that stands out for finding a niche of its own as a unique blend of influences and in an era of ska that is diversifying in many different directions, the Wicked Bees managed to find a sound that is uniquely their own. If I had to describe the sound of the album I would include 1950s and early 60s influences like maybe Buddy Holly, some 80s ska influences like the Police, maybe a little bit of surf rock and touches of reggae, and perhaps a little of punk like the Ramones, and maybe even a little bit of the Monkees. While I have a hard time pinpointing the sound, I have no problem saying that it works for them.
My favorite song on this album is probably “Emily”. I typically don’t like a lot of love songs. They are nice, and I appreciate expressions of joy and happiness as an integral part of the human experience we want to share, I rarely find them engaging. “Emily” does not break the mold, but I love this song for how closely it sticks to the conventions. The drums, vocals, and the story telling, even the backing vocals make this song feel like it belongs in a 1960s sitcom. This is a ska version of something that would feel at home on the stage at a prom dance in the Brady Bunch, and yet, it also feels somehow current and modern and fun.
I think the most fun on the album is actually the final song, “Life on Mars”. The rhythm is a little more ska punk than the rest of the album, the keyboard features a little heavier, driving the rhythm, and the lyrics feel like a science lesson that might have been written by They Might Be Giants- about the history and naming of the planet Mars, the atmosphere, the size and the length of the day and a year on Mars (although they are off by a day on the length of a year). This is a beautiful, catchy hybrid between a Wikipedia article and an Aquabats song, but with the smoother sounds of the Wicked Bees.
I’ll say it. I really didn’t want to. I tried to refrain. But this album really is the Beer’s Knees. The Wicked Bees Knees. Go stream it and try to tell me I’m wrong.
Written by Gimp Leg
