Sunshine Hit Me

I expected nothing. I got a sun-drenched palette of lazy days lounging by a pool with a margarita and a good book. Refreshing. Possibly not life-changing but the best vacations usually aren’t.

Fantastic songwriting and arranging. Would’ve given an extra star if the album had the production quality and musicianship it deserved.

Thank you 1001 for introducing me to do many new albums. Except for all the crap ones like the one after this.... Music is meant to be fun. To press a musical pleasure button. Bring about a wanted emotion or distract from an unwanted one. This one is a very, very out there version that. This is at the DEADPOOL end of the spectrum. Soothing quirky irony is track one. I gird myself for the 2nd. Oooh, funky. I like the kettle. Oh shit I might be hooked on a new album. And wildly new genre that feels created all for me. I'm in a good mood with this. Immediately added this to my "grooving mornings" playlist.

Sweet little record, too gentle for this world, baffling to see on this list though.

Remember The Bees? No, of course you don’t. They were a flash in the pan and unless you were reading Mojo or Uncut in 2002, you’d have no fucking clue who they are. It’s cool they covered Os Mutantes, that’s about it.

Album art suggests hipster garbage. It has fuck all plays on Spotify; unless it was only added yesterday, there's no way it's important or influential in any way whatsoever. It has to be from the UK - nothing so unknown would ever make this list from any other country - but a wrestler on the cover? That's not so British. Maybe that's the gag and it's just the ultimate UK hipster statement? Yep, UK and wussy annoying hipster pop. I could FEEL the cynicism coming through the speakers. It felt like it wanted to be clever, but it was just painful. I outright hated it. Music hard to describe, like an art school kid with no talent trying to do things like reggae and jazz? Singing was horrendous. Absolutely no reason for this to exist. 1/5.

Have you ever seen those shows where Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver or whoever go to some distant country and try all the food, then cook their own version and claim it's better - basically because it was done by brits? This album is the musical version - a bunch of technically proficient facsimiles of styles and genres that these chumps presumably love, but can't stop themselves from trying to "improve". They presumably hope this makes them seem cultured and worldly, but to me it just reeks of entitlement and privilege. Not the worst album, but one of the most irritating. Car adverts have a lot to answer for - why didn't they use the original Brazilian song? (read the wiki!) These lot would have been better setting up a label or becoming radio presenters, if they actually wanted to promote and celebrate the music they are instead ripping off. Good luck to them i guess, but very much not for me.

Short and sweet, interesting arrangements. Got a little tired of it towards the end, but happy I listened to this cause I ain't heard of em before. Light 3.5 Fav track: sunshine

This is absolutely my favorite McCartney album of the 21st century.

Chill vibe. Enjoyable, though actually disliked the Minha Menina one that was so popular

Our second noughties latte-lounge album of the week, a reggae-fan’s one this time, playing in the corner, staring at its feet; go get me an espresso, and grab yourself a 2 while you're at it! I imagine this is the LP that the “pretty annoying” guy in Limmy’s sketch would have on vinyl. This record has some sharp glints, Sunshine followed by A Minha Menina making my ears wiggle before the dozy vibes returned and did their somnolent magic. The instrument sounds are frequently divine. Yet most of it doesn’t so much waste my time as evade it.

Drifted past aimlessly, the only moment of note being a half-arsed version of A Minha Menina. Hopefully "Os Mutantes" appears later on; The Bees certainly do not deserve distinction being on here instead. 1* for wasting my time

Super eclectic and a super enjoyable listen

Not my type of music going into it but man was I pleasantly surprised. A minha menina is great, I had to listen to that one twice, it was so good. The album is really great. I'm probably going to have to get more restrictive with the 5 star ratings pretty soon. It's been like 3 in a row. Well, anyway. Albums dope, will definitely put it on again as background while studying or working.

This FUCKED

Really enjoyed this listening experience. A good flow to the album, with instrumental tracks between the main tracks.

Fun, sunny and chill indie pop from 2002. I caught on to the accents quite quick but didn't initially expect this to be a British band - It has a very west-coast US feel to it in my opinion. Certainly doesn't suit the shitty weather the UK has once again blessed us with on this cold November morning but I needed something like this to raise my spirits. I loved this album a lot, it may not be the most exciting but I just appreciated getting to vibe with it. Another great introduction to something right up my alley! Also I went and listened to the original Os Mutantes version of A Minha Menina after this. I can't decide which one I prefer more, but The Bees certainly did it justice in their cover. Either way, Jorge Ben wrote it so of course it was good. Favourite: A Minha Menina

Good

Chill ass album. This reminded me of Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy to Call Me If You Get Lost run, laid back and summery, big focus on production over vocals.

Great album. Chill consistent indie rock. Interesting and enjoyable.

Mellow. Lo-fi. Spans many decades.

Fun, funky, smooth, pretty, jut a great time

what a wonderful album, endlessly original and full of diversity I loved this so much, I gave it a relisten two more times after it ended- 10/10

Sehr geiles souliges Album. Klingt sehr gut im 3. Zimmer.

hasta el momento uno de los mejores discos que he escuchado, con una variedad de ritmos que transportan en viajes en el tiempo.

nice rustig!

These guys are great and I don't just say that because I keep bees.

Rounding up for nostalgia, I still love this

mint

whopper

Indie rock. Muy interesante.

Smooooooooooooooooth… garden shed energy.

Joyful without becoming too twee. Best track: A Minha Menina

Zomers inderdaad. Kon er wel van genieten

Buenísimo. Me gustó que esté en la lista.

mimi

C'est rafraichissant

Surprisingly pleasant

Smooth and fresh

Totally dug, perhaps because one listened during a lazy afternoon, during which one was (unfortunately) not stoned, lest one would have liked even more. One plans to listen again sometime, when lazy, stoned or, ideally, both.

Þetta er og hljómar heimagert, en er um leið ljúft og sjarmerandi. Renndi tvisvar, gæti oftar.

Wat een chille zomersound, heel erg lekker. Kan me voorstellen dat dit ook vrij origineel was toen het uitkwam. Op een gegeven moment een beetje saai.

Pues en general, bastante bien. En verdad, la canción "más grande" es la que menos me ha gustado...

I liked this more than I thought I would 3.5 stars

When I saw that this album was a early 2000s indie album I went in expecting at least a decent album and it exceeded my expectations. This album started off really strong and mostly kept up the momentum throughout the whole thing. I liked the first song and I was really surprised by the cover of A Minha Menina like I never expected to hear that anywhere beside that os mutantes album. It was also weird and fun to hear a waltz come out of nowhere near the end. I loved the overall vibes but some of the songs near the end kinda let me down so I'm not quite sure if this gets a 5. I listened to this the whole day and I still not idea if I should give it a 4 or a 5 but I’m giving it a really solid 4 only because I didn’t get that excited feeling that I get when I’m listening to most of the other albums I’ve given a 5 to.

Really really nice surprise ! Don't know how to put it in other words but this album sounds really fruity

This band is completely new to me, but I'm an instant fan. I loved all the great keys and organ parts, the raw-sounding vocals gave it a kind of timeless quality, and the variety in style over the album all made it great for me.

J'ai passé un bon moment c'était smooth une belle musique en fond pour une soirée relax / pluvieuse avec un feu peut être.4.25

Very calming music. Not too bad.

I have a method now to these UK bands of assuming they will be garbage based on the trends we have so far, but this one was great! Lots of fun tracks on here, almost felt like a low fi hip hop album mixed with some pop.

I was pleasantly surprised with this pretty modern sounding summery album. 7/10

Ooh, I like this a lot. Missing a real shine factor, but I wonder what the rest of the discography looks like.

Essential Tracks: A Minha Menina (Playlist) Punchbag Sunshine Sky Holds the Sun

I like it. It’s a little weird, a little silly, and an eclectic mishmash of styles. I also like the album cover. It made me want to listen to more of their music—which is a compliment to the album as it is. I’ve started listening to their second album and I think it’s clearly superior—I’m finding that the 1001 Albums seem to overvalue debuts. I must also admit that I’m surprised that this album made the cut and I’d be curious to know the reasoning. In any case, this is a solid album that was fun and surprising and left me wanting more. That earns a solid 4 stars.

This was so good! Put me in a good mood. Perfect for chilling out. I'd rather not type the eight songs I liked here, it would be too much. What I found funny was that I only had heard Os Mutantes a few days ago and remembered A Minha Menina!

I'd never heard of The Bees (and sort of surprised they made this list when I first started to listen through) But I actually quite enjoyed most of the tracks - feels like would be a sunny-afternoon-gardening kind of vibe. Some of the tracks felt like they just had a few too many instruments trying to do too much, but overall I would listen to again for some chill background music. The track Sunshine scratched my brain in a way I didn't know I needed and I ended up listening to it on repeat Buzziest track: Sunshine

Relaxing Indi pop

Pleasantly surprised, will add it to the rotation

6.6/10 fav: Punchbag

Indie, but different influences, and more nuanced than expected. A soft on the vocals, but good harmonies. Really good. 3.8

I really liked this album. It's kinda muffled and subdued in a very chill way. Some of it reminds me of Jack Johnson. Really good to listen to while doing a repetitive task with your hands, like stretching a canvas or doing the dishes.

Wow I'm not sure how I've never heard of these guys. Reminds me heavily of stuff like The Unicorns and of Montreal which is my JAM. This is super funky and fun. I want the vinyl.

Very chill

Yeah! I dug it! Never heard of these folks before, but I might have to check out more of their stuff.

Never heard of this band before but the album was decent, laid-back indie rock. Good stuff

Electro-dream pop. Very chill.

Awesome album, very chill

Nice easy listening with Standouts in Punchbag, Angry Man, Sunshine, A Minha Menina, This Town, Sweet Like A Champion, and Sky Holds The Sun. The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because of how fatiguing listening to the album cover to cover can be.

Kaikki meni niinkuin luvattiin auringonvalo osui, mehiläiset asialla.. ei talvesaikaan uskois heh.. mutta niin siinä kävi 8/12/2023 hyvä päivä kuunella pakkoalbumi..

Didn't immediately register that this is the same group as "A Band of Bees". I love these guys! I'm more familiar with their 2007 album Octopus, but this was a joy as well.

Very refreshing! Like eating a lovely, perfectly ripe citrus fruit after a week of eating nothing but meat and potatoes. Like a gentle breeze on a humid afternoon, or discovering an oasis in the midst of a desert of monotony. Will listen again. 4 stars.

Enjoyed the vibes of this. Punchbag was a good tune. Will check them out more.

first listen a fun little artsy thing

Surprisingly entertaining and unique album. Some of the instrumental songs are a bit boring though.

Delightful and lovely and pretty interesting, too. One likely heard (and got annoyed) by "Ah Minha" in real time that summer and, annoyed, chose to ignore the rest of this, which has aged terrifically well. So that's one loss – otherwise this is one's genre and era and remains up for eccentric/offbeat indie rock/pop with a kaleidoscopic, genre-hopping bent. It seems both spicier and less slight, not at all a novelty or a gimmick, which one could see less refined listeners mistaking this for. The overall, relaxed vibe is a clear throughline, which makes the variety that sits atop even more of a wonder. Each microgenre works well, and non-dilletantishly – that is, they add to it while remaining respectful. Every cut has its merits, but "No Trophy" and "Sweet Like a Champion" and "Lying in the Snow" and "Zia" and "Sky Holds the Sun" are personal raves. "A funky little curio," indeed (as the indexed review has it). And seems as good a time as any to recommend not sleeping on The Books, a similar (if not quite as good or fun) group from same era US.

If you're a music critic formulating a list of 1001 classic albums you must hear before you die, you can probably do the 1960's and 70's in your sleep. But once you get to the last five years or so, it gets a lot more difficult to know what will stick in the long-term. The Bees' debut album, "Sunshine Hit Me", was released in 2002, featured on the 1001 list in 2005 and 2008, and then disappeared without trace. But I knew about it because my girlfriend's dad adores this album, and it's been nice to give it a proper listen here. The title (and accompanying album art) capture the sentiment and feel of the music very well: we're hit, stroked, walloped, biffed and tickled by sunshine in all its musical variants across the whole album. Featherweight electronic piano and whistling organs dominate, with the tone veering from sleepy to jaunty (but always cheerful). The Bees don't sound remotely interested in pursuing fame and notoriety: instead, they're quietly content in their own little corner of the world (presumably much like anyone else living on the Isle of Wight). "Punchbag" introduces things appropriately enough, with some drowsy, electric piano arpeggio and crisp, straightforward drums under a crawling melody. "No Trophy" is some light and airy reggae, complete with a shuffling drum beat and organ comping. "Binnel Bay" is a simple vocal refrain structured around some calypso percussion. And soon afterwards comes a cover of Os Mutantes' "A Minha Menina", which I'd heard before: it naturally doesn't live up to the original, but is reasonably faithful to the song's spirit. Even when the band tear through a classic like this, or lean more into rock or funk (see "Angryman") they retain a chilled and breezy feel throughout, owing to uncluttered arrangements, spacious production and lighter-than-air vocals. In the second half of the album, the individual songs feel a little less distinct, but the blissful vibes continue: the instrumental codas of "Sweet Like a Champion" and "Lying in the Snow" - and especially "Zia" - have very heavy undertones of Rick Wright playing some early, pastoral Pink Floyd (circa 1969-70). And "Sky Holds the Sun" is a lovely mellow note to end things on. "Sunshine Hit Me" is simple, unpretentious and not groundbreaking whatsoever: think middle of the afternoon at a family friendly festival and you aren't far off. That said, I have enjoyed listening to it quite a bit, and if it were some long-lost 70's release I know I'd be absolutely raving about it. I'll give it its due: sometimes it's nice for music to be nice.

This was a complete surprise. It almost felt like a Wes Anderson movie. Fun, fresh, with just enough weirdness to make it enjoyable.

4.5 Another album full of bangers that I probably never would have discovered but for this project. Also super excited to get some more stuff that isn't classic rock or adjacent. Eclectic is the perfect word to describe the album as a whole, almost to the point that it feels disjointed. Regardless, I have a feeling most of these tracks will make it into my regular rotation. Angryman and Sky Holds the Sun are immediate favorites.

Not what I expected. Good stuff.

I really liked the album.. Will listen again

Favorite tracks: Sky Holds the Sun Rating: 4/5

Ah, it's one of those albums with an ideally-suited title. "Sunshine Hit Me" brings warm energy to the listener. I do not know if The Bees' ambition was limited to inducing good vibes, but that's what I got from this album. That and a strong influence from the 60's pop bands: The Byrds, The Hollies, etc... Overall, a decent album that deserves your time.

Behagelig indierock, har en lille smule 60’er rock og lidt psykedelisk over sig

Good good 4/5 so far

An eclectic but inessential tribute to good music. Still good music though. Especially enjoyed the slower, jazzy beats at the end of the record.

Cool esoteric album.

Lovely eclectic album - and excellent addition of A Minha Menina cover - all in all fun and colourful.

Mellow and tropicália infused psychedelic indie pop. I appreciate this a lot more now than when I first heard it honestly, it's a nice album. Not like OMG THIS IS THE SHIT, but definitely easy on the ears. I'll need to check out their other stuff.

Really enjoyed this one

I had no clue what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. A beautiful, calm, short and sweet album blending an array of different genres. There are som jazzy brass, soul-esque chord playing on the rhodes, indie-style vocals and an overall aesthetic from electronic music.

Relaxing chill out vibes here. This one was fun with its sound and lyricism. It isn’t really anything that special, but it had highlights and was fun to listen to. Cool!

Nice! Could really see this be hyped like hell if the mainstream starts would align. Lacks some edge to make it perfect

This album was decent, but not spectacular.

I spent much of the first half of the album thinking that it was okay, but that was about it. Then I suddenly warmed to it. Not sure why, but because it ended on a warm note…

I enjoyed this quite a bit, especially the second time, even if I didn't find it especially remarkable. I sometimes thought of Jack Johnson and wondered why we haven't heard from him in this project.

This was a lot of fun. I absolutely loved it. Smooth and easygoing vibe, with rich arrangements and solid musicianship. Fave Songs: Sweet Like a Champion, Zia, Sunshine, Angryman, Binnel Bay, Lying in the Snow, A Minha Menina

Nice chill music with some innovation, I liked it!

Never heard of them, but will definitely listen to more.

This was a cool album, loads of stuff going on that you probably wouldn't notice unless you tune your ear into it. I'd never heard of The Bees, but am pleased to have changed that

At first, I was like, "Oh, no! Not the bees! Oh, they're in my eyes!" But this was actually really solid. The album is pure vibes, and really represents why I wanted to start using this generator. Find out more about the less well-known bands that have their niche little brand of musical magic.