The Bird and the Bee Sides

This sprawling flea market of an album offers a little bit of everything Relient K has to offer. Acoustic folk pieces, frenetic punk workouts, silly effusions, and prayerful expressions are tossed into the mix. The surprising part is that The Bird and the Bee Sides works as a whole, bolstering Relient K’s stature as cheeky yet thoughtful Christian rockers. The album kicks off with a set of newly-recorded tracks, including several showcasing the individual talents of each band member. Among these tunes, bassist John Warne’s galvanizing “The Last, The Lost, The Least” and guitarist Matthew Hoopes’ buoyant “You’ll Always Be My Best Friend” are standouts. Lead vocalist Matt Thiessen rises to the occasion with several fine efforts, including the music biz critique “The Scene and Herd.” The rest of the album is devoted to demos, remixes, and alternate takes of mostly superior quality. Worthy of notice is the band’s joyful salute to the defunct Five Iron Frenzy, as well as stripped-down renditions of “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been” and “Hope for Every Fallen Man.”