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Sunshine Hit Me
 
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Sunshine Hit Me

~ Band of Bees
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
Price: £4.98 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Sunshine Hit Me + Free the Bees + Octopus
Price For All Three: £24.84

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  • This item: Sunshine Hit Me ~ Band of Bees

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Free the Bees ~ Band of Bees

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    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Octopus ~ Band of Bees

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Product details

  • Audio CD (8 Sep 2003)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: We Love You
  • ASIN: B00005YXNQ
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 4,325 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

    Popular in this category:

    #42 in  Music > Indie > British

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
1. Punchbag
2. Angryman
3. No Trophy
4. Binnel Bay
5. Sunshine
6. A Minha Menina
7. This Town
8. Sweet Like A Champion
9. Lying In The Snow
10. Zia
11. Sky Holds The Sun

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Sunshine Hit Me is the fearlessly individual debut album by The Bees, two close friends from the isolated community on the Isle of Wight that write and perform their material in a shed, using their own gradually-amassed treasure-trove of home recording equipment. They may not actually listen to The Beta Band, but Paul Butler and Aaron Fletcher have certainly come to the same eccentric conclusions: that basically, in the field of music-making, truly anything goes.

Where the Beta Band are something of a law unto themselves, however, Sunshine Hit Me has some clear reference points. On "No Trophy", the pair have a shot at replicating the thick dub grooves of old-skool reggae, and impressively, get the vintage Jamaican production sound almost spot-on, while "Angryman" finds them cheerfully ape the moog-laden falsetto groove of Funkadelic. Of course, there's a few tunes that simply defy description, laden as the are with the sound of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink being bashed with drumsticks in the background, and throughout, the lyrics sound like nonsense, save for the odd beautifully hippy-dippy couplet--"I want to hold you/ Like the sky holds the sun," they shiver on the album's tearful closer. But unlike many of their tirelessly zany peers, The Bees might be teaching some lessons that will stick.--Louis Pattison



CD Description

Debut album by the eclectic Isle Of Wight act whose sound has been described as encompassing many genres including jazz, reggae, psychedelic rock, soul and easy listening. The singles, 'No Trophy' and 'Punchbag', are included.

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (5)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The sunshine hit me square in the face!, 26 Mar 2002
I read some reviews about the bees before buying this album, and all the reviewers were making a point about it sounding like funk mixed up with reggae and motown, now I don't really know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this! Maybe it's the spring weather, but this record seems like pure sunshine distilled onto half inch tape, beach boys harmonies, vocoders, dub basslines and even what sounds like a load of pots and pans on one song make this record a shambolic anarchic mess of a beach party where everyone sings along even if they don't know the words. They kinda sound like the avalanches would if they played real instruments, or the beta band on happy pills. The bees sound like they were having loads of fun recording the album and it can't help but make you smile when you listen to it!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Quite simply the sound of summer 2002!, 5 April 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Sunshine Hit Me [VINYL] (Vinyl)
As I perused the record racks of my local record shop (ok, Imperial on Park Street Bristol!), this amazing record was wafting through the speakers - laidback shuffling dub influences, traces of funk, a bit of afrobeat-esque horn, falsetto vocals - weird yet poignant lyrics, a track that sounds like the Pixies busking(!?)- its all here. Needless to say I purchased it on the spot and even got away with dropping a couple of tracks down the pub later that evening! Basically if you like the Beta Band, Earl Zinger or even Turin Brakes(?!) then you should dig this - especially if you like funk and reggae too. Just buy it, its ACE.
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20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Laid-back but still very engaging, 28 Jul 2002
A lot of reviews of this record (that I've read) make it sound as if the Bees are just some MOR, easy-listening affair. Well, they aren't.

Sure, the overall sound may be chilled and laid back, but folks, we ain't talking about Dido here.

This record grabs your attention from the very first songs, and keeps hold of it right up until track 11.

Stylistically, the Bees are all over the place, there are bits of prog, folk and traditional "indie" sounds mixed up with bits of reggae and funk and all manner of other weird sounds. It all makes for a very distinctive sound, and when songs like No Trophies and Sky Holds the Sun start, you can't help but smile and pay attention.

...Their music is very honest, despite it's stylistic confusion.

If you want something *interesting* and *refreshing* to listen to this summer, then you won't go far wrong with Sunshine Hit Me. It truly is fantastic, and a very promising sign for things to come from the Bees.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Sunny!
The songs on here sound sun-burned/drenched, whatever. Theres a sense of surrealism that you get when you've been out in the sun too long, the spaced out feeling. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mouthpiece

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Amazing!
I can't even begin to describe how amazing this album is in words, but i'll try my best :)

The emotion and dedication put into this record is what makes it so great,... Read more

Published on 6 Jan 2006 by por-el-bando-rudo

5.0 out of 5 stars Summer in a Jar
I bought this album having heard the second Bees one "Free The Bees", and must say this is better. I cannot really think when I heard a more beautiful, fun-filled summery album... Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2005 by William Warren

4.0 out of 5 stars impossibly smart pop
a shot of star-dust, this album is a cleverly thought out sound - pop in the pure beatles/beach-boys sense of the word, in that it is rammed with melodies that are catchy but... Read more
Published on 15 Nov 2004 by Adam Green

5.0 out of 5 stars As beautiful as it sounds
After hearing a friend raving about this cd, i decided to take my chances and buy it, not actually ever hearing any of the songs. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2004 by Olivia Ford

3.0 out of 5 stars Try Os Mutantes
Haven't heard this album, but anyone buying it on the strength of that car advert single (A Minha Menina) may want to try the original of the song by Os Mutantes, a Brazillian... Read more
Published on 20 Aug 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars A great summer album
First heard this last and have rediscovered it. Fantastic album, real quality mix of styles.
Just a quick point of fact A Minha Menina is in fact Portuguese, not Spanish and... Read more
Published on 25 Jul 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars reminds me of the summer...
i love this album...if u haven't got it then buy it. it's an interesting mix that creates something different, a refreshing sound. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2003 by lucy gibson

4.0 out of 5 stars Ela E Mia Meninha
I first got into the Bees after seeing an advert for their EP in NME magazine. I thought 'yeah I'll give this random band a try'. Read more
Published on 19 Nov 2002 by P. A. Hurford

5.0 out of 5 stars Two blokes in a shed making glorious music
True! This is a fantastic album and it has been keeping a number of other good albums that I've purchased recently out of the CD player. Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2002 by Paul Blaney

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