She Keeps Bees

She Keeps Bees

She Keeps Bees is a Brooklyn-based blues rock group active since 2006. The band consists of Jessica Larrabee on vocals and guitar and Andy LaPlant on drums. Their sound is also associated with garage rock and indie rock.

Formation and lineup

The group forms in Brooklyn, United States, where it records its music at home. Jessica Larrabee originally records under the name She Keeps Bees as a solo project, with “bees” taken from her surname. Andy LaPlant meets her while she is working as his bartender, then helps produce her music and begins attending her shows. She later suggests that he play with her, and the two form the band in 2006. Larrabee teaches LaPlant to play drums, while he works as a recording engineer and producer.

Style and reception

She Keeps Bees is compared to Patti Smith, The White Stripes, The Kills, PJ Harvey and Cat Power. Larrabee also acknowledges comparisons with Cat Power. Descriptions of her singing emphasise vocal control and contrast, with references to a voice that can sound fiery, reserved, seductive and rough. Other criticism highlights the group’s stripped-back and soulful approach, and their work on Nests is described as songlike material for anger, weariness and sensuality.

Career and releases

The band supports The Joy Formidable and appears at SXSW in 2010. It signs to Domino Publishing in July 2010. Its discography includes Minisink Hotel (2006), the Shhhh EP (2007), Nests (2008), Revival (2009), a UK release of Nests (2009), SKB-005 (2010) and Dig On (2011). Dig On is recorded in November 2010 in a log home in the Catskill Mountains.

Other work

Jessica Larrabee also appears as a guest vocalist on Groove Armada’s Grammy-nominated album Black Light. She is described as a singer-songwriter and guitarist who has played in other bands.