We Brave Bee Stings & All

Thao

Product Details

• Vinyl (August 19, 2008)
• Original Release Date: January 29, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Kill Rock Stars
• ASIN: B001B92EN0
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #339,223 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Beat (Health, Life and Fire)

2. Bag of Hammers

3. Big Kid Table

4. Swimming Pools

5. Geography

6. Feet Asleep

7. Yes, So on and So On

8. Fear and Convenience

9. Violet

10. Travel

11. We Go

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On Thao Nguyen's second album and first for Kill Rock Stars, the young singer's delightful voice draws you in. She sings in a wispy manner that recalls Sinead O'Connor at bedtime, employing the cottonmouth phrasing of Beth Orton, Chan Marshall (Cat Power), and Jolie Holland to great effect. This is downright happy music with brooding lyrics, an approach that's worked well for Belle and Sebastian and Cardinal. Nguyen and crew have it down pat. Bee Stings has been expertly produced by Tucker Martine, a long-standing collaborator of Laura Veirs. Veirs actually introduced the two, as well as hooking Nguyen up with her label after getting an unsolicited recording in the mail. On Nguyen's MySpace page, she describes her music like this: "Tangles of guitar, knots of singing, threads of beat and thump make a rope fit for hauling the heavy machinery of your day." Who can argue with that? --Mike McGonigal

Product Description

On her 2008 Kill Rock Stars debut, WE BRAVE BEE STINGS AND ALL, singer/guitarist Thao (a.k.a. Thao Nguyen) leads her ensemble, the Get Down Stay Down, on an immediately engaging set of indie-rock tunes. While Thao shares obvious similarities with Cat Power--particularly her charming, slightly raspy voice and Southern roots--the young Virginia native trades in a more energetic and playful aesthetic, as evinced on the bright, jangly "Beat (Health, Life and Fire)" and the breezy, nostalgic "Big Kid Table." Though indie artists come and go with the wind, Thao reveals undeniable talent and appeal on BEE STINGS, boding well for her creative future. While her music feels buoyant, even giddy at times, Thao Nguyen endows her lyrics with a curious juxtaposition of gripping personal detail and saucy humor. This is a subtly powerful album concerned with admissions of guilt, life revelations, and failed domesticity.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Album, February 13, 2008

By	Wolf Am I! (New Hampshire, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We Brave Bee Stings and All (MP3 Download)

This is simply a great album. Don't be put off by the one-star review. The reviewer complained about the quality of the recording and songwriting. Listen to the previews of the songs and you can hear there's nothing wrong with the quality of the recording. The simple fact is that some people can't enjoy any music if it's not artificial, over-processed Barbie-pop. This is a very tasteful album with solid performance and solid songwriting. It deserves much more than one star.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thao Nguyen's Trailblazing Talent Grows, February 17, 2008

By	Charlie Young (Down in Old Virginny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We Brave Bee Stings and All (Audio CD)

My daughter introduced me to Thao Nguyen's music with her first CD a couple of years ago and I am greatly impressed with the growth young Ms. Nguyen shows on this second fine collection of original songs. It's certainly aimed more at the generation of listeners who have made the "Juno" movie soundtrack a bestseller than at people my age, but I find Thao's music extremely personal and original, and the addition of more musicians and an obviously sympathetic producer make this disc a big step forward.

David Dye of Public Radio International's prestigious "World Cafe Live" broadcast sang the praises of Thao Nguyen and her band last week and music critic David Malitz of THE WASHINGTON POST recently wrote that "a refreshing vibrancy permeates Thao Nguyen's splendid sophomore album." My only complaint personally is that the total time of the disc is a bit short, so maybe next time around Ms. Nguyen and her band can relax a bit and stretch out the songs to add a few minutes.

On the other hand, her "less is more" approach works well with a fragile, spare delivery that draws the listener nearer. The songs not only benefit from repeated listenings, they demand as much.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sophomore Album Success, February 7, 2008

By	C. Bobal (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: We Brave Bee Stings and All (Audio CD)

Thao Nguyen's second full-length album has anything a music-lover could ask for: catchy guitar-playing, clever lyrics, and most importantly, feeling. Thao's voice conveys emotion like few other singer-songwriters can. Her backing band, the Get Down Stay Down, add depth and interest to the sound without overwhelming the focal point of the songs - Thao's lyrics and the amazing voice she sings them with. It might take a few listens to figure out what the lyrics are saying, but it feels more like an intriguing mystery to solve than a chore. Is she talking about her childhood? Is it a metaphor for a relationship? What is this "Bag of Hammers" that the second track (and one of the best on the album) is named for? No matter what conclusions you reach, I guarantee that the listening process will be an enjoyable one!