Relient K's new album, The Bird and the Beesides, which hit stores July 1st, contains Relient K's most ambitious efforts yet. This CD contains 26 songs, and while most are previously unheard and from Relient K's past, some songs are acoustic versions of beloved songs such as “Up and Up” and “Hope for Every Fallen Man” (the original song named “Fallen Man” on their 2007 album).

This eclectic CD contains everything from Relient K's typical alternative style, as found in “The Last, The Lost, The Least” and “The Scene and Heard” to the ska remix, “Five Iron Frenzy is Either Dead or Dying”. Their reflective near-indie style in shown in many songs, “There Was no Thief” included: “For a time I thought there was a thief among us […] to my disbelief there was no thief, cause it was me that lost you.” The mellow sounds of guitar and piano can be found accompanying Matt Theissen's melodic voice, providing a soothing atmosphere before changing to a heavy beat and rocking bass on the following track.

While this CD contains more songs than their previous album, “Four Score and Seven Years Ago”, there are fewer potential hit songs. Several songs have the possibility of making the charts, such as “The Scene and Heard”, but overall most songs are humorous one minute or less shorts – which are found to be amusing and entertaining by their fans, but are less likely to be picked up by radio stations.

Overall, Relient K impressed its fans with this ambitious new release, with the exciting variety while still keeping true to their style, proving that Relient K will continue to thrill their fans with their myriad of surprises.