The Bird and the Bee

The Bird and the Bee evokes dreams in songs that exist in a lucid, semipermeable space. Often bringing new-age production to decades-old inspiration, the synth-pop duo heightens fluidity with its rejection of genre divides: In early August vocalist Inara George and keyboardist-producer Greg Kurstin released the second of their “Interpreting the Masters” albums, following their 2010 transformation of Hall & Oates classics. The new work, which this fifteen-date tour celebrates, applies their smoky, living-room-rave sheen to Van Halen, a longtime lodestar for the duo. Its 2009 track “Diamond Dave” featured a genuine paean to lead singer David Lee Roth. On the album, The Bird and the Bee adapts hits like “Panama” and “Eruption” sans electric guitars, the instrumental restriction forcing a slew of inspired choices. But whatever the source material, the duo’s soundscapes are fun hangs, infused with warmth. Even when inching toward the strange and subconscious, the joy of the duo’s layered works is undeniable. —Lucas Hubbard