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 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.The Bees are back and ready to rock’n’roll. “When we wrote Sunshine Hit Me, our first album, we had no idea we were going to be a band. We were just making music on the Isle Of Wight,” says Aaron Fletcher. “And then we got interest from labels and journalists. That’s what got us to put a band together and go on the road. And where we’ve got to now - recording as a band - we’re really happy with it. We’re stoked.”He and musical partner Paul Butler produced their fabulous 2002 Mercury-nominated debut album, a soulful, dubbed-out collection recorded in a shed. Now they’re back with the follow-up, Free The Bees, and at pains to point out that they are now only two-sixths of The Bees. “The Free The Bees album is about recording as a band,” says Aaron. “Writing as, living with and just being a band.” So how would they describe the new record? “It’s quite an up record,” says Paul. “Playing Sunshine Hit Me live – we really had to energize it a bit. This record helps us out because we can go and play this and it’s got all the energy that we need.” The famous shed has been left behind (“It’s my dad’s tool shed, he reclaimed it,” says Paul) and the pair now own a house on the Isle Of Wight, encompassing their own studio. However, after Paul mixed fellow Isle Of Wighter Drew’s album at Abbey Road, he couldn’t resist a return visit. “The difference between recording in our shed and recording in Abbey Road was quite big,” he smiles. “But the production styles didn’t really change, and we didn’t want them to because how we record at home is very similar to how music was recorded ‘back in the day’. Before, we worked on tracks and every day did a bit more. This time it was about writing the songs, rehearsing and then going to Abbey Road. Everyone plays as a band and we do it all in one take if we can. The whole album is played live.”  Free The Bees shows a band who have grown in confidence, who haven’t tried to replicate their staggeringly good debut but have retained the essence, or “the chug” as Paul puts it, that is The Bees. “We’ve had time to write music and now we feel we’re ready,” he explains, “We’ve felt like we needed two years to rehearse and get to a new level. It feels proper now.” This is also apparent in his newfound soul vocal: “Now I’m prepared to shout and scream about it. Tracks like I Love You, I’m alright about having the vocals sitting up front,” he enthuses. “Anyone can sing, it’s just about getting the right amount of air in there and blowing it out proper.” That may be, but to produce a second album that oozes the confidence, enthusiasm and damn good tunes like they have is no mean feat. And that’s what so likeable about The Bees. You can really hear how much they love what they’re doing, which in turn makes you love it.
Matt Walton
The Bees - Free The Bees, released 21 June 04 on Source Records. Wash In The Rain is out now..
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