T on the Fringe: The Bees @ The Liquid Room

There's quite a buzz [oh that's witty – Ed] surrounding the imminent release of the Bees third album, 'Octopus', due out in January. The Isle of Wight's finest obliged by using this T on the Fringe gig to play numerous tracks from that LP. Their Myspace site has been a hive of activity [No really, where did we get this guy?] as versions of those songs have been made available for the public to sample. In general, the indications are they've expanded their palette somewhat (as expected), as they continue their admirable quest to avoid pigeonholing. Who Cares What The Question Is? was partly sung, Wayne Coyne style, through a loudspeaker, whilst Listening Man was rendered all Miles Davis by the use of a melancholy trumpet. The trademark eclecticism that defines the Bees sound won't be abating any time soon, yet tonight, something still lacked. The subtle cleverness and ingenuity of their recorded material somehow seemed to get muffled in the carnival atmosphere of the stage at The Liquid Room. New songs came across more like the Coral covering the Rolling Stones fronted by Tom Petty and somehow it seemed, the finest moments came from tracks from second LP 'Free the Bees'. An admirably silly Chicken Song, and as an encore, the sublime These Are The Ghosts rounding off a honeyed [OK, stop it now] if ultimately underwhelming routine.