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When your music sounds like a collective soundtrack from a motion picture, that’s probably when you know you’ve created a solid conceptual hit. A Band of Bees masters this without breaking a sweat. Every Step’s a Yes, moves very nicely from song to song as if each was meant to accompany rising action, climax and conclusion fittingly.
Its resemblance traces back to decades ago, as the band cites Curtis Mayfield, Burt Bacharach and The Kinks—an eclectic mix—as its influences. It truly shows here, with the band’s fourth studio album, gathering sounds from a wide spectrum to come together for a truly refined output. A Band of Bees (known in England as just The Bees) seems to have got it all down by now, reaching a point where the tunes seep naturally from their minds and notebooks to their recording studio.
Sometimes that awesome moment happens where artists detail the concept of their album by using its title in the lyrics of one of their songs. With Every Step’s a Yes, the theme is referenced in the first line during “I Really Need Love” as they proclaim, “You know that you love me/When every step’s a yes.” This pays a favor to the listener, eager to piece together what the band has to offer. This starting song is heavily acoustic, sounding like a classic Rolling Stones chimer. It might be partially because of their British flare, but it could also be their hounding vocals that are carefree alike.
After “I Really Need Love” reels in the audio attention with its instantly likeable fixings, the band allows itself to express its taste of variety. Further sounds show their inspiration with obvious traces of rock, contemporary, grunge and even world music abundantly mixed in. As always, interesting takes on the keyboards and brass make for a rousing spin on broader indie rock or indie pop.
“Silver Line” represents a very optimistic attitude, and it showcases wonderful songwriting abilities early in the mix before dampening into “No More Excuses” and introduces a filling instrumental section with very wholesome trumpet sounds. Soon, we see more jumpy beats paired with harmonic melodies in “Change Can Happen” and “Island Lover Letter,” which eventually turns itself into a dreamy instrumental piece.
Even “Gaia” ends the groove with a full instrumental with a tap on the cymbal to fade in and out. It’s an unexpected, almost Mariachi, tune a la DeVotchka.
Although they’ve been around for a little while, this release couldn’t have come at a better time. Every Step’s A Yes’s sounds are so in right now. People will really like this. If fans appreciate their musical forefathers, and still have a taste for what’s good in the world of music, then this is for them.
The band is our most modern throwback to the 1960s and ’70s, bringing back psychedelic pop and heavily produced sequences to acquire a rare, vintage sound. It sits well with an audience, providing easy-to-please melodies that stay positive throughout. Props to A Band of Bees for being a little bit of everything without being too much.
A Band of Bees – Every Step’s a Yes tracklist:
- “I Really Need Love”
- “Winter Rose”
- “Silver Line”
- “No More Excuses”
- “Tired of Loving”
- “Change Can Happen”
- “Island Love Letter”
- “Skill of the Man”
- “Pressure Makes Me Lazy”
- “Gaia”
