Sunshine Hit Me

Very hard to think of a reason for this to be on the list I mean the only decent bit is the Os Mutantes cover which is on this list proper anyway

Genuinely thought the opening line was "You smell like a punchbag", which on continued listening may have improved things. Angryman sounds a bit like if Ian Brown had been asked to soundtrack a blaxploitation flick. I kept waiting for Zia to do what it clearly wanted to do and turn into Time by The Alan Parsons Project, but was left disappointed There's nothing wrong or bad about the album, but it's not groundbreaking, and I can't see it being influential. I fully expect at least one of these tracks to have been on Made In Chelsea. I can't really give it a 2, but it's a very, very low 3.

it’s 2002 and he’s found psychedelica again

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.

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

I really liked the album.. Will listen again

Not what I expected. Good stuff.

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.

It’s fine I guess. Fairly dull indie psychedelia.

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

This passed through one ear to the other!! Some decent stuff in there damn!

Behh

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

Hmmm. Yet again an album, where I wonder why it is on the list.

Good

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

This was a real mixed bag. Some of the first tracks were worth coming back to but later tracks were a little more in the take or leave it basket.

This sounded like a novelty record at times. I enjoyed the vibe occasionally but I left it not really knowing what they were trying to do.

Just finished listening and I can’t remember a single track

somewhere between a 2 but closer to 3..rounding up.

Not really into this at all.

General thoughts: This album got me very mixed feelings. The beggining is pretty bad it left me bad impressions, not really my style at all to be honest, Reggae + Pop is not a wining combination for me. Bit before the middle of the road there are some good songs, bit slow but they are interesting, "Sunshine" is jazzy cool, "Binnel bay" is a good bridge. Then they turn max the already slow vibe and makes the songs so plain and boring, worse than the first part of the album. I liked all the influences, there's Reggae, Jazz, Alternative Pop, Pop Rock, Lo-Fi. But the sound feels with no passion, that plus the sloow pace makes some songs hard to listen. Outstanding songs: Sunshine, Punchbag. Cover: Really cool. Would have loved a full image of the wrestler. Real rating: 2.54

Was vaguely aware of the bees but hadn’t hear this album. Pretty good.

3.0 The last couple album reviews were a bit of a slog, this was a good change of pace

This was alright. Never heard of this band nor the album until today.

Eclectic and not too bad

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

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.

Thought before listening: Ah yes. Another completely forgotten 2000s release that made the list cause the editors wanted recent entries. So far these have been less than stellar. 2002 was the height of my music nerd days and I have no recollection of these guys. My guess is Brit pop with dance beats. Review: So apparently these guys were known as Band of Bees in the US. I have at least heard that name. This isn't dancey Britpop...it's got a laid back, almost reggae vibe to some of the songs with others having more of a psychedelic 60s meets lounge sound. This isn't my thing and I definitely don't think it warrants inclusion on the 1,001 list. 2 stars.

Mellow. Lo-fi. Spans many decades.

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.

Yawn

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

Intriguing collection of songs. Quirky but not in a bad way and I ended up listening a few times.

Sunday morning chill music

Put it on in the background and it just faded itself away into nothing. Pretty dull stuff, Jamaican dub influences sounded better on paper than it did in real life. 2 stars.

first listen a fun little artsy thing

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.

I put this one before bed and was pretty much asleep by the end of it. However this kind of exactly what I wanted it to do, so can’t complain.

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

There's a bee?!

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

SHACK eats bees. lures them to him using his nipple pollen and then uses his remarkably lizard like tongue to snaffle them up.

Did you know? SHACK eats bees

Some happy sounds. Some less than interesting.

Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: Field Music - Them That Do Nothing Xo La Tengo - periodically Double or Triple Julian Cope - Jellypop Perky Jean Luna - Broken Chair Noonday Underground - Go It Along

Ágæt afþreying.

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.

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.

Hifi indie beats to study to. Sie vo isle of wight da isch no cool? Find sie singed mega schön und angry man isch recht cool. Gungu tschi tschi nöd nötig aber. Finds no cool und wirds fix nomol lose. Eifach en beat und chli gsang tuets mengmol. Ein stern abzug wegem gungutschitschi sorry aber mach ihm nöd

punchbag. fangt geil ah de beat mega unerwartet. blöser schön und so. no nice. gspannt wies witergoht. angryman. cooli bassline. orgle nice. klavier mega schö, schellechranz guet igsetzt. No Trophy. reggae mässig, aber sochli 16tel groove und chords wo öpis mached. sehr tolerierbare reggae. Binnel Bay plätscheret chli. aber isch immerno schön. mehrstimmige gsang sehr schön. sunshine. geile leslie gitarresound. schls rhodes. sweet like a champion. mega moody aber no nice. gefällt. nöd fantastisch aber gefällt. s klavier tönt seeehr geil. Lying in the Snow. drum machine und wonk gitti sehr e gueti kombi. d sounds wos us ihrem home studio useholed sind super geil. tönt sehr noch tape. Zia. come mi zia?? monicatime?? wieder geils klavier und e orgle wo guet brucht wird (isch selte). schöns stückli. Sky Holds the Sun. mh de a avatar zupfndtrumentli cute. tönt sehr noch tom misch und has öppe glich gern. aso nöd.

ok bin jz öppe ide hälfti und ich finds sehr cute und verspielt, au wenn mich na nüt "richtig" packt het muss au sege, dass ichs album nöd mega aktiv glost han jaa ah dem het sich nüt gross gänderet, punchbag hani recht cool gfunde und a minha menina iwie goofy funny musikalisch hets mich komischerwiis mengisch chli ah von wegen lisbeth eri neret?

pretty delicious to listen to getting ready for school and wanting to go back to bed and never wake up very mellow i liked most of the songs

This was fun, sometimes more fun than others. Summer indie

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.

Rating: 5/10

Good

completely unassuming and instantly forgettable.

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

Not my normal listening but nice to have on in the background.

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.

Eclectic indie pop. Had it's moments.

Solid

Awesome album, very chill

I hadn't heard of this band or any of the songs off the album before, so I was going in blind, which means I wasn't really expecting much.  And that's what I got. This album made me feel sleepy Might listen again if I'm struggling to sleep

It was fine. Nothing too write home about

Was fine; nothing too exciting except the famous song I didn’t know was them

3.5

Pretty good, nice and chilled

Electro-dream pop. Very chill.

I kind of hate using this term in this way, but this album is straight up vibes. Absolutely perfect for a beautiful sunny day in the summer. Sadly the weather where I live during this time of year doesn’t exactly fit that very well. But that doesn’t take away from how fun this album is. From front to back, it’s a good time. Sunshine Hit Me is a great title, as this does really capture the feeling of rays of Sun hitting your face on the beach. I did find that after This Town, the tone got ever so slightly darker. It felt like it was leaning more into the psychedelic baroque side of things. I liked that switch up, and thought it added more variety to an otherwise simple album. This album probably does wear its influences on its sleeve, but it also takes those influences in a new direction. A more modern one at that. And also combines those pop sounds with other genres such as reggae, like on No Trophy, with that signature snare sound. They didn’t allow themselves to fall into the category of just another 60s-inspired psychedelic pop album, as many artists in the same vein do, and I respect that. Rating: 6/10

Música generalmente instrumental y tranquila. Ha pasado sin pena ni gloria. Agradable de escuchar, pero muy monótono

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

Fine. Decent vibes overall. I actually bought this album 18 years ago (at an Amoeba in San Francisco on August 5, 2005). I think my reaction then was similar to now. If I recall correctly, I think I bought this album because a review said fans of Beta Band might enjoy it. My copy of the CD says their name is “A Band of Bees”. There was probably already a band called “The Bees” in America when it was released.

I was worried this was going to be another dull 2000s British arena rock band kinda thing (looking at you, Muse and Elbow) but it was quirky and charming. The Os Mutantes cover was nice as well.

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

Very chill

Fucking Awful!!!!

I liked the music, didn’t care for the singing/lyrics.

Drinking beer outside in the summer music. Aptly named. Relaxed but has respectable musicianship.

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

Not my kind of music

Groovy laid-back 60s-style rock and roll, but from 2001!

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.

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.

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

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

The Bees is an ironic band name since this music is so laid back it has almost no sting. Bad? Surely not. Unobtrusive? Surely. Interesting? In a way. Zach Braff has certainly never heard of this band, as had he then they certainly would have been on the soundtrack of "Garden State." It's an incredibly pleasant album and I would listen to it on a sunny day, but there is a good chance I would fall asleep to the lo-fi indie lullaby it presents to the listener. Does not deserve a place on this list, though it is less of a criticism and more of an observation the music plays so well in the background you may not even know you have heard it before you die.

What? Why? This is just modern pop. The hit track “A Minha Menina” has nice commercial value, but I heard nothing that set this album apart, and made it essential to listen to before death.

Good vibes.

I generally have some idea who most of the artists are on the 1001 list but know nothing about this band. Playful album that is super easy to listen to. Very much enjoyed it.

I like what's going on here, the multitude of influences making their way into an album that feels remarkably cohesive in spite of it. After reading a mention of Devendra Banhart on their wikipedia page I can't unheard the "freak folk" thing as well.

First track is strong and it's no wonder they wanted to lead with it. Second song fits the mood of the first nicely, but when they suddenly attempt reggae on track 3, I start to question things. Track 4 sounds like outright filler. Track 5 has a little more going on, but just feels like slightly more ornate filler. They're more like "themes" than songs. The Os Mutantes cover adds nothing to the original, nor this album. They're simply musically globetrotting now. If the moniker weren't already taken by a much more deserving band, they should've called themselves The Tourists. The rest of the album is slow, boring, and forgettable. The vast majority of tracks feel like they were whipped together to support their opening single, rather than being a proper album. They should have spent more time developing things, and hired someone besides their goofy friend from high school to design the cover.

Started off strong with tracks 1 and somewhat of 2 then started to waver. If it was all like track 1 I could have seen this going into my rotation. It's a coagulation of styles that doesn't make a great soup.

It's eclectic enough to be interesting but still some filler

6.6/10 fav: Punchbag

Pleasantly surprised, will add it to the rotation

Relaxing Indi pop

Something completely new to me, and interesting - eclectic, it might be said, to a fault - s little unfocused. But of really I liked it.

This got old pretty fast. Good first track but faded.

Good album, very much of a specific time and place though.

I liked this album, very easy to listen to. Not my ‘go-to’ elevator music but I’m glad I heard it.

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

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 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.

Sweet, nice, forgetable.

I’d have probably enjoyed this better if I’d heard it in summer, but it was two days off Halloween. Also, I’m not a huge fan of just vibes, which is what this album seems to be going for. It’s all very, turn off your brain and just chill, which again is great for a stoned summer, but not so much in the middle of autumn

Pretty smooth

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

This FUCKED

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

I saw the Bees support Oasis at Pool Lighthouse in 2004. It was a great gig and I remember quite liking the buzzy little blighters in the support slot. I never knew they were rated as anything other than a standard early 2000s indie outfit, though. As it turns out, this is a really nice, eclectic, arty indie pop record. Lots of interesting and experimental sounds going on and a cover of Os Mutantes. Also cool to learn that the Bees are from Ventnor on the Isle of Wight - a lovely town with the warmest microclimate in the UK. The Botanical Gardens are well worth a visit and have an exceptional cafe. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Punchbag Date listened: 25/10/23

Bad

Generally good but who are these guys???

Almost so eclectic that it starts to be less cohesive, but still has its moments

A step above elevator music and not much else. Only memorable song is a cover. Not feeling this one whatsoever.

eh

Nice, but I don't think I'd make a point of listening to it

5/10. I feel like there was enough boring music out there already by 2001 that you wouldn't need to make this album, but I guess it's pretty good for what it is

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

Fairly sterile and boring. It felt like I was in a dentists waiting room. Not my cup of tea in the slightest.

Quite enjoyed it

mellow and enjoyable

weird but cool back story

If I were to make a list of one million and one albums to hear before you die, this album would fall about 450 short of the cut line.

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.

UK indie shit, like no plays on Spotify, did not need to hear before I die

I guess what makes this album special is that it's an album? Because I fail to detect anything else.

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 liked this, some low-key alt-pop is how I'd describe it. Never heard of this group or album, and I can kind of understand why. Not an insult, they just seem like an unsung type of band. But the music is very pleasant, I enjoyed this one. Favorite tracks: Punchbag, BInnel Bay, This Town. Album art: Really like this picture, a cartoon luchador. This one looks familiar to me, not sure if that's just from seeing the albums that are on this list. But it's memorable, I dig it. 3.5/5

Very calming music. Not too bad.

Ok

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

At times it was cool. Then it wasn't.

Have never even heard of them. Beginning to question myself re music. I mean, it was pleasant. The second half was better than the first half which was pretty boring. I may listen again but it’s not life changing

I was liking the percussion and reggae flavours. It was weird but cool. The beats and the album seemed to fall off a cliff after A Minha Menina

Bees draw upon different styles and genres and it holds together well, more or less. I like the two tracks that include a keyboard player, “Sunshine” and “Zia”. There’s a jazz influence that surfaces every once and a while and a few more songs like those two, or the final track would have been to my liking. On the other hand, the old-time reggae of “No Trophy” sounds way out of place (I was sure Spotify was on shuffle), as does the Jorge Ben cover “A Minha Menina”, but that track getting licensed for a Citroen car commercial is why we are listening to these guys today.

Somewhat scattershot with a mix of genres, but it all seems to mesh together somehow. This album would probably serve well as the soundtrack for an indie film. Interestingly, the most popular song, a Minha Menina was my least favourite and I liked the more low-key and chill songs like Zia or Sky holds the sun and Punchbag the best.

Nice, pleasant indie music from the early 2000s. I loved their Os Mutantes cover. Though I enjoyed listening to it, it's nothing extraordinary so I don't think it should go above 3 out of 5.

Quiet and sweet

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.

This was something. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't very engaging for me. I'm having to skim it again this morning to remember what it sounded like yesterday. 2/5

Decent enough indie rock. Not really my thing, but it’s brief and works well for background noise. Hardly essential but far from trash. C

Never heard of it, and can't see any reason for it to be on this list - even though it is pleasant

Dit is een beetje een flauwe hap... gauw doorslikken en naar de volgende snack.

Dit vond ik te onsamenhangend

Het klinkt allemaal best ok, maar ik snap niet zo goed wat dit nou eigenlijk is. Beetje vanalles wat, zonder duidelijke lijn. Maar ach ik ben in een goede bui dus 3 sterren voor de moeite.

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

This is fine. No strong feelings one way or the other.

Confused them with BeeGees lol. Feels just like a warm ray of sunshine, aptly named. Nice songs, but nothing really stuck with me

I'd never heard of this band and had no idea what to expect. I definitely think this album was only included because somebody writing the book has a nostalgic soft spot for it. My husband and I listened during a drive to pick up his new car. We both felt the front half of the album was boring but that the back half was more engaging. I REALLY liked "A Minha Menina." I'm not surprised it's the only cover on the album since it was a departure from the rest of the album. This lands somewhere in the fog between a 3 and 4 for me.

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.

ok, but forgetable

This had some chill '70s vibes, and vacillated between bad kooky and decent kooky. It's not something I'm in a hurry to listen to again, but I guess I'll round up from 2.5.

I liked this more than I thought I would 3.5 stars

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

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.

Lost in a sea while trying to be The Beach Boys. This didn't scratch any itch I had.

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.

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

I'm totally unfair and the Bees are totally forgettable. The discovered-here and still mysterious anti-British bias doubtless rears its head: I'd be fine with this as a contemporary discovery on Bandcamp, say.

Melodic sunshine-y music that's enjoyable at the time, and entirely forgettable afterwards.

Kind of whimsical, jazzy, soft rock, poppy?

Flowed over me without touching at all. I wouldn't recognise a single bar if I heard it again tomorrow. No idea of even what genre it might be. Totally forgettable (and I already have).

a perfectly pleasant album, but to me, ultimately, nothing really to write home about. it's a very good vibe album, very chill, but unfortunately just not incredibly interesting songwriting-wise or otherwise. i can't see myself listening to this one again, unless i am really in need of some chill-sounding background music, and even if so, i think there's other stuff i would prefer to listen to.

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.

this was not a bad album, and i was not bored by it. at times, i struggle to pinpoint other genres' influences on an album, but with the bees' sunshine hit me, the reggae came through well. there were even some classical notes. on the whole, this album was forgettable. i was at times reminded of an unrefined beach boys. the vocals were very eh and could be drone-y at times. i'm not a huge fan of the early 2000s indie for the fact that not all indie needs to be published. indie music should not be a synonym for "not very good", and i don't know why this album is here. the bees were not the only to use reggae with indie music.

This felt very lazy and sunshine-y. Everything about it suggests a warm, relaxing day. It was short and sweet and to the point. Overall, very listenable and chill -- not bad at all! But at the same time, I wasn't wowed by it, either. You don't hear Jamaican/reggae-inspired indie everyday, so it was unique, but not sure it needed to be on this project. And when it comes to things on this project, I expect to be wowed.

Smooth and fresh

Surprisingly pleasant

A lil Jack Johnson, a lil White Stripes. Not unpleasant but not for me.

Curiós si més no. Banda indie pop de començaments de mil.leni, filosofia lo-fi, arranjaments preciosistes per decorar unes cançons que pretenen portar-nos a un capvespre d'estiu recostats al sol; ajudar-nos a no pensar en res més que la vida és bonica, de vegades

Confession time: "Punchbag" and "A Minha Menina" were the first MP3s I ever downloaded, probably illegally via Limewire. I listened to them a lot, in the same way that I watched "Spaceballs" a lot because it was the only VHS tape we had. So I was kind of dreading this album, but I actually liked it. It has a lot of variety and it's definitely straddling multiple genres without losing its balance. Still not sure why some white middle-class guys from England are trying to be Mexican though?

Poopoo

C'est rafraichissant

mimi

Lovely background fluff

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

I love the dreamy sound a lot of these songs have, but the lyrics are really meh.

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

Very very chill, but nothing remarkable.

Decent but unremarkable Indie rock album that went places on some of those songs

Not sure about this one, but I think I need to stick with my first reaction and describe it as aimless and meandering. I question how it made the list and have no desire to listen to it again.

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

Cute I guess? A couple of tracks I really disliked and some of the more pared back ones that were smooth and I got into. Can see some inventiveness here but never felt essential. Two and a half. Fave track: Sweet Like a Champion

Failed to do much to win me over - didn't feel all that compelling and sometimes a bit too sweet for my tastes. There can be times where white guys infusing reggae or ska into their rock band can produce an interesting or good sound, but this just seemed cringey to me. Fave track: Zia

Indie que apresenta a felicidade com toques jamaicanos e ainda fez uma versão para "A Minha Menina" do BenJor.

Loose, like a record written after smoking a good bowl and kind of just... letting it out. There's a good mash-up of genres, with a wide variety of instruments thrown around. It's nice, but fails to capture my attention a ton. Favorite tracks: "Punchbag", "Lying In the Snow"

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.

I remember being at a party in Enmore one night in the noughties & asking the hostess who we were listening to on the hi-fi. It was The Bees, who I’d never heard of. I was quite smitten by them. I couldn’t tell you which album it was. In the years that followed I picked up their 2nd & 3rd cd’s, but I’d never heard this, their debut album, before now. It’s totally engaging. And well named. There are so many summery melodies here. Maybe that’s an Isle of Wight influence. But they (there were only 2 of the band on this recording) were not confined to one approach. The dub sound on No Trophy; the almost calypso approach on Binnel Bay; and the wonderful cover version of Os Mutantes’ A Minha Menina, which forced me to drag out my Best Of O.M. cd, to compare the 2. The Bees do a great job with it. I really enjoyed this.

Pleasant enough. Sunny, relaxed, fun to listen to. But the clear standout track is A Minha Menina, which is a barely-altered cover of a track by Os Mutantes Mutantes. Why is this album a must-listen? 2.5 stars, rounded up for being fun.

Buenísimo. Me gustó que esté en la lista.

Es un 2.5. Los temas que más me gustaron son los menos experimentales. Me guardé This Town.

Zomers inderdaad. Kon er wel van genieten

3.5

Cool background jazz that never calls too much attention to itself

I vaguely remember hearing the Bees on KEXP, mainly because they had to go by A Band of Bees in the US. Strikes me as another indie-rock flash in the pan from the early 2000s that made it on this list because they were from the UK. They were ok, I didn't dislike them. They just didn't strike me as some kind of must-listen experience.

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

Smooooooooooooooooth… garden shed energy.

Très relax, mais un peu trop molasse

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.

so, it has a song from, maybe, a wes anderson film? or a tarantino film? or was it just an indie darling in 2002? the song im talking about is portuguese, they are british, there is dub, jazz, and postrock on this album. wtf is going on? for seers (serious)? it was pleasant enough.

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.

1/11

Indie rock. Muy interesante.

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

Super eclectic and a super enjoyable listen

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

Bees record was good. Relaxing all the way through. Very zen