{{Short description|American rock band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} thumb|She Keeps Bees performing at the Beachland Tavern in Cleveland in 2014 '''She Keeps Bees''' is a rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2006 and consisting of Jessica Larrabee on vocals and guitar and Andy LaPlant on drums.<ref name=newband>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/11/new-band-she-keeps-bees|title=New band of the day: She Keeps Bees (No 566)|last=Lester|first=Paul|date=11 June 2009|work=The Guardian|accessdate=25 November 2010}}</ref> They have been compared to Patti Smith, the White Stripes, The Kills, PJ Harvey, and Cat Power.<ref name=newband/><ref name=contact/><ref name=artsbeat>{{cite news|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/she-keeps-bees-in-the-footsteps-of-p-j-harvey/|title=She Keeps Bees — In the Footsteps of P.J. Harvey|last=Pareles|first=Jon|date=22 October 2010|work=ArtsBeat|publisher=The New York Times|accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref>

==History== Larrabee was recording an album as a solo artist under the name She Keeps Bees ("bees" coming from her surname) and met LaPlant when she was his bartender. He helped record her music and began attending her shows, until she suggested he play with her.<ref name=spinner/> They formed their band in 2006.<ref name=drowned>{{cite news|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/14571/reviews/4137575|title=She Keeps Bees - Nests|last=Saraceno|first=Brianna|date=11 August 2009|work=Drowned in Sound|accessdate=3 February 2011|archive-date=13 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213172247/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/14571/reviews/4137575|url-status=dead}}</ref> They record their music in their home in Brooklyn.<ref name=newband/> Larrabee has also been a guest vocalist on Groove Armada's Grammy-nominated album ''Black Light''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.themusicfix.co.uk/content/singles-of-the-week/10168/singles-of-the-week-3rd-may-2010.html|title=Singles of The Week|last=Belton|first=Greg|date=3 May 2010|work=The Music Fix|accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref> They have supported The Joy Formidable,<ref name=sentimental/> and played at SXSW in 2010.<ref name=spinner>{{cite news|url=http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/2010/03/13/she-keeps-bees-interview-sxsw-2010/|title=She Keeps Bees Interview: SXSW 2010|last=Rose|first=Kelly|date=13 March 2010|work=Spinner Music|accessdate=3 February 2011|archive-date=July 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728101236/http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/2010/03/13/she-keeps-bees-interview-sxsw-2010/|url-status=dead}}</ref> They signed to Domino Publishing in July 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dominopublishingco.com/publishing/news/28-07-10/new-signing-for-domino-publishing--she-keeps-bees/|title=New signing for Domino Publishing--She Keeps Bees|date=28 July 2010|work=Domino Publishing|accessdate=3 February 2011|archive-date=July 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717055856/http://www.dominopublishingco.com/publishing/news/28-07-10/new-signing-for-domino-publishing--she-keeps-bees/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Their third album ''Dig On'', recorded during November 2010 in a log home in the Catskill Mountains, was released in July 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.addictmusic.co.uk/downloads/she-keeps-bees-saturn-return/|title=She Keeps Bees – Saturn Return|date=31 January 2011|work=Addict Music|accessdate=3 February 2011|archive-date=September 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903074240/http://www.addictmusic.co.uk/downloads/she-keeps-bees-saturn-return/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://strangeglue.com/news/she-keeps-bees-dig-on-in-2011/10009475|title=She Keeps Bees 'Dig On' In 2011|last=Riley|first=Gavin|date=1 February 2011|work=Strange Glue|accessdate=3 February 2011|archive-date=February 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204193737/http://strangeglue.com/news/she-keeps-bees-dig-on-in-2011/10009475|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Members== right|thumb|Jessica Larrabee playing in 2009 Jessica Larrabee is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been in other bands. She taught her partner Andy LaPlant to play drums; he is a recording engineer and producer.<ref name=newband/> Larrabee says of their playing that "I sing until my stomach hurts while Andy beats the shit out the drums"<ref name=spinner/> and has acknowledged comparisons to Cat Power.<ref name=sentimental>{{cite news|url=http://www.sentimentalistmag.com/2010/05/11/the-joy-formidable-and-she-keeps-bees-at-mercury-lounge-05-10-10/|title=The Joy Formidable and She Keeps Bees at Mercury Lounge, 05.10.10|last=Alison|first=Carrie|date=11 May 2010|work=Sentimentalist Magazine|accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref>

==Reception== ''The Guardian'' said that "they're like the White Stripes in reverse."<ref name=newband/> Drowned in Sound said of Larrabee that "she has amazing control over her vocals, able to simultaneously be fiery and reserved, seductive and vaguely crude",<ref name=drowned/> and fellow Brooklyn musician Sharon Van Etten said "she has one of the best voices I have ever heard and she has more soul in one finger than most female singers have in our scene."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americansongwriter.com/2010/10/writer-of-the-week-sharon-van-etten/|title=Writer Of The Week: Sharon Van Etten|last=Schlansky|first=Evan|date=11 October 2010|work=American Songwriter|accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref> ''The New York Times''{{'}}s ArtsBeat compared her to PJ Harvey, but added that "far from Ms. Harvey’s theatrical poise, Ms. Larrabee is loose, vehement and unchoreographed, jittering around the stage."<ref name=artsbeat/> The Quietus said of ''Nests'' that "the album does its duty, forms a songbook for the pissed off, the heavy-lidded and the sultry."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/02428-she-keeps-bees-nests-album-review|title=She Keeps Bees - Nests|last=Trussler|first=Meryl|date=7 August 2009|work=The Quietus|accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref> ''The Observer'' said it was "sparse, soulful and defiantly retro."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/aug/02/she-keeps-bees-nests|title=She Keeps Bees: Nests|last=Carnwath|first=Ally|date=2 August 2010|work=The Observer|accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref> Contact Music argued that "in some parts the album isn’t an easy listen but once you’re in to it, it’s very rewarding."<ref name=contact>{{cite news|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/albumreview/she-keeps-bees-nestsx13x11x08|title=She Keeps Bees - Nests Album Review|last=Rea|first=Mike|date=13 November 2008|work=Contact Music|accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Albums=== *''Minisink Hotel'', self-released, 2006 *''Shhhh EP'', self-released, 2007 *''Nests'', self-released, 2008 (UK release, names Records, 2009. 2016 BB*Island) *''Revival EP'', UK (names Records), 2009 *''Dig On'', self-released, 2011 *''Eight Houses'', Future Gods (US) and BB*Island (EU), 2014 *''Kinship'', Ba Da Bing (US) and BB*Island (Europe), 2019

===Singles=== *"SKB-005", 7" single, 2010 *"SKB-007" 7" single, 2012 *"Our Bodies" 7" single, 2017 (Charity Single)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{official website|https://www.shekeepsbees.com/}} *[https://shekeepsbees.bandcamp.com/ Music on Bandcamp.com] *{{cite web|url=http://www.discordance.fr/she-keeps-bees-1462-1500|title=She keeps Bees (interview)|last=Lemaire|first=Clara|date=3 February 2010|work=Discordance|language=French|accessdate=3 February 2011}} *[http://www.secretly-important.com/interview-excerpt-with-she-keeps-bees/ podcast/interview]

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Category:American blues rock musical groups Category:Musical groups from Brooklyn Category:Musical groups established in 2006 Category:American rock music duos