The duo the Bird and the Bee is made up of multi-instrumentalist Greg Kurstin and singer Inara George (daughter of Little Feat's Lowell George). Together they filter classic vocal jazz, lounge music, and tropicalia through a modern pop electronica sound. And RAY GUNS ARE NOT JUST THE FUTURE, the group's third full-length release, is even more ambitious and accomplished than its predecessors. Lush, richly detailed sonic landscapes create the backdrop for most of these tracks. The breezy cocktail hour vibe of the Bird and the Bee's earlier work is still intact, but there's a more complex musical imagination at work in the programming, arrangements, playing, and songwriting. Yet RAY GUNS never feels heavy or overwrought. Instead, a bright, sunny feeling dominates, merging perfectly with the duo's smart, psychedelic pop. minimize