L.A.’s The Bird and the Bee drop catchy, grad-schoolish pop with a hipster-ific set of influences ranging from bossa nova to Bee Gees to Bacharach. The duo, Inara George and producer Greg Kurstin, recently released their second LP, Ray Guns are Not Just the Future, which features coolly restrained tracks that play like the sci-fi soundtrack to a 2009 imagined in 1967. Front-woman Inara George took a moment off from their current tour to answer to Stranger Dance.

Stranger Dance: Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future seems a bit sleeker and more futuristic than The Bird and the Bee? What’s been the progression between the albums?
Inara George: When we made the first record we hadn’t really played live much. And once we toured a little with that 1st record we started to notice how the audience would react to different songs… so we decided to make a record that had a few more danceable songs. There’s nothing like getting a crowd of people moving… it’s pretty fun.

SD: You’ve shot videos with a few different directors. How did the Barney Clay (”Love Letter to Japan”) experience compare to working with Eric Wareheim (”Polite Dance Song”)?
IG: Very different, but both really cool… Eric has such a unique sense of humor… and the cast he gathered was incredible. All of Barney’s shots were really good looking. And our on-camera time was pretty minimal with both videos, which was great!!

SD: You guys get a ton of love from KCRW in L.A. What’s been the impact of their support?
IG: I’m sure it’s great. It’s a hard thing to quantify, but they have been extremely supportive.

SD: Do indie bands need consideration from such a taste-making entity (like KCRW) to become or remain viable?
IG: I think it’s important but not necessary… there are a lot of ways for bands to get heard these days.

SD: Does easy access to music via the internet make it easier or harder for smaller bands to get noticed?
IG: I think it’s a little of both. People from all over the world can hear your music, but there are millions of bands doing the same thing you are… so you have to figure out how to jump out of the crowd.

SD: How’s the L.A. music scene compared to San Francisco? Compared to New York? Is there a U.S. city you would deem more musically vibrant or relevant?
IG: Not sure if I am a good person to answer that question. I’m really only familiar with LA. But I think every city has a pretty cool music scene… you just have to look around for it.

SD: Was Coachella 2008 your first festival experience? How did it compare to smaller venues? Do you think your music translates in such an expansive setting?
IG: Our first festival was actually in Japan at Fuji Rock. And as for it translating, I think it does… you just have to turn up your energy a little… put on a show. We had water guns at Coachella, I think that helped.

SD: What’s your ideal venue?
IG: Sonically, Carnegie Hall is amazing… but I also love places like El Rey or the Wiltern where the crowd is up to the front of the stage.

SD: Your tour schedule is fairly concise, wrapping up after slightly more than a month in New York. What are the plans for March and beyond?
IG: We are sort of taking things as they come… not sure what we’re going to get up to.

SD: Bee Gees or The Carpenters?
IG: That’s a hard one… but I would have to say the Bee Gees… they have so many good songs.

SD: Why bird and bee?
IG: We name ourselves after a song off our first record. Seemed like it fit.

SD: Swarm of bees vs. flock of birds. Who wins?
IG: It’s a tie.

SD: Is there an overriding emotion in your music? Is there a specific type of place or gathering that you think the music is appropriate for?
IG: I think we deal in love songs primarily. As for good places, anywhere is fine by me.

SD: Your sound is rooted in retro lounge and pop. Are there current acts you relate to? Who do you like? Who can’t you stand?
IG: I think that playing a certain kind of music doesn’t really make you like that kind of music exclusively. We relate to all kinds of music. Right now, Greg and I are big fans of the Flight of the Conchords.

SD: Is “Love Letter to Tokyo” a literal account? How has travel influenced the music?
IG: “Love Letter to Japan” is really just a love letter to Japan. They were the first country to really take a shine to our first record… so we thought it was fitting to devote a song to them.

MP3s: