Brian McBride - The Effective Disconnect (Music Composed for the Documentary “Vanishing of the Bees")

I love me some Stars of the Lid, and for this solo effort, Mr. McBride has truly improved upon his craft. Read my entire review on The Silent Ballet.

McBride was asked by the George Langworthy and Maryam Henein to consider four different themes: “the gloriousness of the bees, the endurance and hardships of traditional beekeepers, pesticides and the holistic nature of non-industrial agriculture.” Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Piece of cake! In all seriousness, though, he attempted to focus on the gloriousness of the bees, to give the sad narrative a balancing serenity. A butterfly or a bee is beautiful to behold, but its life is temporary and fragile. McBride expertly captures this delicate aspect of life. His music hurts the heart, not in a bad way, but in a way that lets you know it’s still there. He felt that his tendency to make his pieces more mournful won out in the end, but these forty three minutes are too beautiful to wallow in sadness.

We depend on bees and other insect pollinators to have the varied diets and beautiful worlds that we do. While the documentary gets into the agricultural and political severity of this matter, it also celebrates humankind’s relationship with bees as well as honoring the benefits of “Colony Collapse Disorder”. The film is an earnest look at such a crucial facet of a fundamental part of our lives, and Brian McBride’s soundtrack is a worthy match, capable of fully resonating with a listener even without the benefit of seeing the film.