“Songs for the Ravens,” Sea of Bees’ 2010 debut, was an understated, overlooked gem of a record, showcasing singer Jules Baenziger’s voice, which we described at the time as being “capable of singing with swooping authority and with supple subtlety, in tones that are clear in the middle and a little fuzzy around the edges.”

It’s as true now as it was then, judging by the first single from Sea of Bees’ second album. At its core, “Broke” is a compact indie-rock tune, anchored by acoustic guitar and adorned with punchy, overdriven guitar, swooping electronic effects and riveting double-tracked vocals.

As she did on the first album, Baenziger played most of the instruments herself, though we’ll have to wait entirely too long to hear the rest: “Orangefarben” isn’t due until May 1 on Team Love.

January 24, 2012 at 12:46 pm | Share |