Heroes to Zeros

**Heroes to Zeros** (2004) is the third and final studio album by Scottish avant-indie collective **The Beta Band**, released on Regal Recordings and later included in the book *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* . Produced by the band themselves and mixed by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck), it represents both a consolidation of their eclectic sound and a frustrated attempt at commercial breakthrough before their eventual dissolution. Here is an in-depth review across all requested dimensions. --- ### Music & Production The album marks a deliberate pivot toward **song-based rock structures** while retaining the band’s signature sonic patchwork. Where earlier work like *The 3 EPs* (1998) reveled in meandering lo-fi dub and *Hot Shots II* (2001) leaned on breakbeat loops, *Heroes to Zeros* cranks up the guitars and introduces tighter arrangements . **Key sonic elements:** - **"Assessment"** opens with an insistent, buzzing guitar riff and deep rolling bass before exploding into a three-part horn-led wig-out, earning comparisons to the best of Ian Brown’s solo work . - **"Space"** layers squelching synth bass against dreamy, counterpointed vocals with a krautrock rhythmic clatter . - **"Out-Side"** (titled "Pot Pissin'" in the lyric sheet) is uncharacteristically aggressive, verging on mosh-worthy rock dynamics . - **"Liquid Bird"** samples Siouxsie and the Banshees’ "Painted Bird" and filters it through a hectic, disco-inflected pulse . - **"Wonderful"** and **"Troubles"** retreat into the stoned, swelling psychedelic balladry the band excelled at, reminiscent of Spiritualized . The production is notably **dense and echoey**. Nigel Godrich’s mixing touch—while technically proficient—has been criticized for lending a strangely unemotional, mid-period Pink Floyd sheen to the multi-tracked vocals, occasionally smothering the band’s organic quirks . Frontman Steve Mason later expressed regret over the band self-producing, stating, *"We shouldn't have produced it ourselves, and if you think we did a bad job of producing it, we made an even worse job mixing it"* before the label handed the masters to Godrich . --- ### Lyrics & Themes The album title itself—**Heroes to Zeros**—signals a central anxiety: the fear of irrelevance, of fading from cultural memory. This is visually reinforced by the Kaare Andrews cover art, which depicts the band as cartoon superheroes on the front, while the reverse shows four piles of clothes on a beach, discarded *Reggie Perrin*-style—a longing to shed identity and escape expectation . **Lyrical preoccupations include:** - **Alienation and self-doubt**: Mason’s lyrics often explore isolation, though they are frequently delivered with such deliberate affectlessness that emotional connection becomes oblique. - **Escape and reinvention**: The tension between the heroic front-cover persona and the abandoned-clothes narrative suggests a band uncomfortable with their own myth. - **Psychedelic introspection**: Tracks like "Space" and "Wonderful" drift between inner and outer space, less narrative than atmospheric. The vocal approach is crucial here. Mason’s voice is almost always double or triple-tracked, filtered, or masked—deliberately **without strong personality**, which Paste Magazine argued is a virtue: *"His voice is almost entirely without affectation... that absence of vocal personality really makes the whole Beta Band sound work"* . This creates an emotional evenness—detached yet strangely moving. --- ### Influence & Legacy *Heroes to Zeros* sits at an awkward historical intersection. It was the band’s **swansong**—they broke up shortly after its release, with Mason going on to form King Biscuit Time and later releasing solo material. The album’s commercial underperformance (despite inclusion in *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die*) cemented The Beta Band as a **cult act** rather than the mainstream force some predicted after *High Fidelity* (2000) famously featured "Dry the Rain" . **Influence on subsequent artists:** - The album’s **genre-hybridity**—merging folk, electronica, krautrock, and indie rock—prefigured the 2010s wave of indie-electronica acts. Reviewers have noted The Beta Band as an evolutionary bridge between Britpop (Blur) and later art-pop (Alt-J) . - Its **"more is more"** eclecticism, while sometimes criticized as unfocused, demonstrated that sustained aesthetic discontinuity could work outside the Beatles framework . --- ### Pros | Strength | Evidence | |----------|----------| | **Eclectic inventiveness** | Constantly shifting instrumentation—horns, strings, clavinet, samples—keeps the listener engaged without feeling random | | **Standout tracks** | "Assessment," "Wonderful," and "Liquid Bird" represent the band at their most focused and melodic | | **Sonic ambition** | The move toward rock dynamics while retaining electronic textures showed genuine evolution | | **Atmospheric cohesion** | Despite genre-hopping, an emotional evenness and detachment holds the record together | | **Cultural footprint** | Inclusion in *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* and the *High Fidelity* connection ensure lasting curiosity | --- ### Cons | Weakness | Evidence | |----------|----------| | **Overproduction / muddy mixing** | Godrich’s echo-heavy touch and the band’s self-production regrets left some tracks sounding smothered rather than expansive | | **Aimless mid-section** | Tracks like "Lion Thief" and "Easy" meander without the fascinating production tricks or structural ingenuity of earlier work | | **Emotional distance** | The deliberate vocal flatness, while artistically coherent, can prevent genuine connection—some listeners find it "boring" or "forgettable" | | **Patchy quality control** | For every "Assessment" or "Wonderful," there is a "Troubles" that feels like an underdeveloped sketch or an overproduced snip of an idea | | **Commercial failure / band breakup** | The album failed to convert critical respect into sales, leading to the band’s dissolution shortly after release | --- ### Verdict *Heroes to Zeros* is a **frustrated near-masterpiece**—an album of genuine ambition and sporadic brilliance that ultimately demonstrates why The Beta Band remained cult heroes rather than conquering stars. It is tighter and more song-focused than their earlier work, yet the very act of tightening seems to have cost them some of the spontaneous magic that made *The 3 EPs* and *Hot Shots II* so beloved. The production, while professional, lacks the warmth and clarity the material needed, and the lyrical themes of fading relevance proved prophetically self-fulfilling. For fans of eclectic, boundary-pushing indie music, it remains essential listening—a fascinating document of a band trying to evolve while simultaneously dismantling their own mythology. For newcomers, it is perhaps best approached after *The 3 EPs*, with adjusted expectations: this is not the heroic breakthrough it wanted to be, but it is far from zero.

Sorprendida La pasé re bien muy bueno

naprosto odvratan omot! u top 3 najlošijih među omotima albumâ koje sam dosad slušao (uz »illinoise« sufjana stevensa i onaj glupi album nekog afrikanca). najgore je što uopće ne odgovara glazbi (mislio sam da će ovo biti neki anime sauntrek ili nešto slično), no zato je dobro što je album znatno bolji od dvaju spomenutih! više nego solidan alternativni rok s folk i elektroničnim momentima. kratko traje, ugodno se sluša i bilo mi je žao kad je završio! tako da je zaslužio jednu finu četvorku, unatoč ogavnom omotu svim cviliteljima koji na ovoj stranici bacaju hejt poručio bih da mnogo serendaju te da su nebitni dečkići puni goričine

Honestly kind of loved it … great mix of folk rock / electronic. Some upbeat music with chill vocals. Had no idea these guys existed or that I had another liked song from them. Really solid listen. 4

It's charming, albeit a little tatty at the edges. The album ticked along pleasantly enough, then Liquid Bird kind of came out of nowhere. That's a bit of a banger of a track, that.

A nice discovery! Great album with interesting arrangements and melodies.

Enjoyed this more than the other album! :)

I was honestly surprised by how good Heroes to Zeros was. Apparently this was produced by the band themselves which they think that they did a terrible job at it and an even worse job mixing it to the point where their mixes weren't even used which if they aren't exaggerating was the right call since the poor mixing probably would have brought my opinion of this album down. I did end up enjoying it though, the songs had that nice creative edge to them which made a lot of them really stick out in the best possible ways. I also think i like this more than the last album i did by them due to the lack of flow issues. It's not perfect but it was shockingly very good. Best Song: Space Worst Song: Wonderful

Wasn't bad. Interesting genre

I'd always known of them but never got around to knowingly listening to any of their albums. I enjoyed this - I wouldn't necessarily want to listen to it repeatedly but I did enjoy the experience.

This isn't usually my bag, but this was a pretty interesting listen. Its a nice mix of electronica and rock, they have a pretty distinct sound that gives a cool sci fi vibe to their music. This kept my interest the whole way through, and while I probably wont revisit this, I wouldnt mind hearing more from them to see how their other albums stack up. It's got this strange dreamlike fantasy quality to it that keeps it from being nailed down stylistically, and maybe thats the point? I dunno, whatever it is I liked it.

It was fine! I dig the Beta Bands sound and this was a good example of that. This list better have The Three E.P’s though otherwise I will be revising this rating down one star

Pretty good but idk when i would listen to this

So much better than Hot Shots--I'd actually recommend this album. They got out of their repetition repetition repetition box and have some good sound, nice variety. Made me like them again!

I love it it`s so cool

Yoo they made another album

Enjoyed it. Nice sound, different to the music that was being released alongside it. Really liked the vocals and the laid back feel. Very enjoyable listen. However, didn’t flow too well for me.

De todo mi gusto este nuevo descubrimiento, perfecto para una buena tarde

3.9 3x not as good as it was when i first was getting into this when it came out (was probably my favorite album at the time).

Fun and engaging

I enjoyed this type of pop rock. I wasn’t keeping an eye on the songs but I enjoyed this.

New album for me that I enjoyed.

Non volevo dargli un bel voto, però è bello, precursore della wave indie degli anni '10

Cool album, lots of musicality and variety, with the exception of the vocals which, tbh, is kind of The Beta Band's m.o. Not complaining, this one is good

On another day I might have hated this. But today it worked for me. 4 stars!

Electronic, rock.

Good one have listened before

I tried to do my own thing But the trouble with your own thing Is you end up on your own 3.5

Not what I expected at all, really good.

Did not expect to enjoy this

How can an album be both all-over-the-place and perfectly composed? I know I have heard to this album before but I don’t think I listened to it, regretfully. I appreciate so much about this album: the long transitions; the changing oddity of the instrumentation; the continued uses of dynamics in the writing; the interweaving vocal harmonies; I even liked the Stevie-inspired electric piano on Easy that immediately made me Superstitious. I have to say the opening three songs-Assessment, Space, and Lion Thief-we’re my winners because they are so well constructed and help build the anticipation for the rest of the album. I plan to come back to this album again soon…like tomorrow after I’m caught up.

Better than the last beta band album we had. 90s influenced indie with a touch of the Midwest emo about it too, a mix I'm on board with. Unlike the last album, there were memorable bits. Liked wonderful and simple most, plus the superstition rip off on easy was a nice change of pace. Its not different enough to really grab me but it was very enjoyable.

Thought this was way better than their other album we've had on the list. I think I knew what this one was trying to be. I can't help but want to describe it as hipster, but I don't mean that in any bad way. I enjoyed it and I'll be back 3.5 but closer to 4

Sorry everyone else, but I guess I just really like The Beta Band. Pink Floyd vibes at times, Beck vibes at others, and sonically super diverse with some great lyricism. Second half of the album definitely loses me, but overall I really enjoyed this. Fave tracks: - Assessment - Space - Lion Thief - Easy - Wonderful - Troubles - Liquid Bird - Simple

I actually liked this quite a bit while also feeling that it’s pretty much inessential. Aesthetically colorful and pleasant and interesting. Songs that float past unremembered. So this is gonna be one of those four-star, not-a-must-listen ratings.

ey estuvo chimba, si me lo disfruté, hasta escuché ahi más temas de la banda y chimba, pero me parece que las canciones son un poco repetitivas pues cada una, osea hay unas canciones que todas las partes de la canción suena muy igual pero igual bien, yo se que siempre es maso asi pero lo note mucho pero bien

Blimey! Never heard of this band before but this is good stuff.

This is so great! High Fidelity, you were so right.

Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? ✅ Would buy on Vinyl? ✅

Solid

This album surprised me. It was a nice mix of arrangements. That’s to say it was better than I thought it would be.

- On first listen, it was in the background first thing in the morning, and I thought it was kind of bland - nothing offensive, but nothing that really hooked me. Sort of like room temperature water when you're not really thirsty. - The lead singer's voice is pretty weak, which didn't help that much. There isn't much charisma there. It's just too laid back to really make an impression and draw you in. - When I listened to the album again more closely, though, I enjoyed it a lot more. There are a lot of good songs on here with very different vibes. The instrumentation contains some interesting and atmospheric sounds (soundscapes, like someone on here said, which I like a lot!). The guitar, bass, and drums are all really good, too. - I still think the vocals bring it down, though, and it drags a bit in the middle of the album. - It picks back up near the end with the synthy glockenspiel-laden Rhododendron, the more experimental Liquid Bird, and Pure For, with its sparse, but heavy, drums that add energy. - Just read that they've been touring again after, like, 20 years.

Another band I never heard of and I don't know why because these guys are killer. Definitely a five-star album.

незамысловатые, но приятные текста, классное звучание песни с альбома, которые понравились: Out-Side Space Beatle Troubles

pretty interesting sounded like coldplay at fist lol

Not as strong as their other project "Hot Shots II" but still quite good. 4/5

Hardly realised I had it on

This thing has some really dreamy, beautiful songs, which I wouldn’t have expected from its title or name. I will definitely return to this one.

very surreal album

Ooh. I love dreamy atmospheres. Usually hear it more in pop lately, but this is nice, too.

This band could have been so much more. This record is great, so many layers to it.

Surprisingly enough, I've never heard of this band before despite this so being my kind of music. Thank you, 1001 List. Anyways, it's a pretty good album. It reminds me a lot of something like The Dark Side of the Moon, just more indie. I like how soft the guy's voice is, although sometimes he gets hard to understand over the pretty big instrumentals. The stuff he says isn't really a whole lot to note either way. The instrumentals are great, though, and the vocals add a lot in a good few songs. Sampling Siouxsie and the Banshees adds a star, that was wild.

I liked this one! It really stood out among the neverending sea of Classic Rock and Britpop as something unique. It wasn't perfect, the vocals were a bit underwhelming and some of the songs didn't really go anywhere, but there were a lot of interesting soundscapes on this one.

Creative and a wide variety of sounds.

Wonderful & space beatle!!! Very repetitive

This album is pretty amazing. Great songs, great arrangements, great production. Just sounds good, top to bottom. Super solid work.

4.5, really really good just missing that wow factor

Solid background music. Very early 2000s in a nostalgic way.

I guess I like The Beta Band, though I confess I forgot that we heard one of their albums already. But I went back and looked at my history lo and behold, I gave their previous album a 4. This one might be more of a 3.5 but I'm happy to give the extra 0.5 boost. I dig their old-school-but slightly weird vibe.

Wow! I found a new band. Never heard of these folks and I am so delightfully surprised. I just loved it. It's got all the stuff I dig--psychedelia, electronic, good old rock, Brits! I see they are rather well known and loved. I'll be exploring these guys a whole lot more.

Genial The Beta Band. Buen rock, sonido experimental, muchas canciones que sorprenden por sus arreglos y detalles que podrían parecer insignificantes, pero que le dan tremenda personalidad al álbum. Muy disfrutable.

Never heard of The Beta Band before starting this list, but I quite enjoyed the two albums on here. I preferred Hot Shots II to this, but there were still some really good songs. “Wonderful,” “Troubles,” and “Simple” were my favorites. This is another 3.5 album that I’m rounding up, partly because of how much of a pleasant surprise it’s been discovering this band. Not as much replay value as on Hot Shots II, but still a good album.

Nice and chilled and lovely lead vocals , perfect for chilling on a rainy afternoon , loved the melodies and the album flowed really well

I wanted to hate this as I was listening to it. Overly self indulgent British indie music usually isn’t my thing. But somehow with each successive song, they did something that subverted my expectations and made me like it. I feel like it could grow on me significantly.

Liked it.

I had a hard time deciding what I thought of this. Haven't heard of them and didn't read anything about them. Sometimes I thought it sounded like a pretty good bar band, sometimes like brilliance. Sometimes like cool psychedelic rock, sometimes like aimless noodling. Some songs were great, and some were okay but went on way too long. In the end I decided to round up from 3.5.

I confess I’ve never listened to a complete album by this band. The first song I heard from The Beta Band was “Squares,” from their 2001 record Hot Shots II. It wasn’t bad, but it was just one song — good vibe, soft mood. Heroes to Zeros has a great cover — that was the first thing I noticed. So cool. From what I’ve read, it was designed by a comic book writer and artist named Kaare Andrews. It looks great on a shelf. The tracks are quite versatile, but I can’t really say that I’ll get hooked on their sound or feel the urge to replay it. “Outside” (track 7) reminds me a lot of the Beatles. It’s truly an eclectic album. This was their last record, produced by Nigel Godrich, who also worked with Radiohead — that should mean something, right? One detail I really appreciated is that “Liquid Bird” (track 10) samples “Painted Bird,” a song by the iconic band Siouxsie and the Banshees. I won’t pick any favorites, because as I said, it’s not an album I’ll likely revisit.

Definitely enjoyed. cover is definitely cool. :D Easy listenin'

Really enjoyed it and great guitars!

the whimsical album

Greatly enjoyed this. Never heard of these guys before and thought it was just gonna be some nerdy parody esc album but was blown away from the different sounds and lyrics. If you've never heard of them as well greatly encourage giving at least this album a try. Don't let the name and album cover put you off; as they say dont judge a book by the cover. 8/10.

Who is this? The Beta Band It's good. I know.

I enjoyed this, great underrated band

Melancholic vibes and unique instrumentation? Count me in! Would listen to it again. Not always reaching reaching for it, but putting it on if the feeling’s right :)

8/10 Очень спокойная вайбовая но легко под нее заснуть

Had never heard of them but really enjoyed it. Fun blend of styles and never knew what to expect with each song. Rating: 4.4

The thing is, I like this. My problem is we get two okayish albums from one band and no albums from really, really great artists. That's not this band's fault, they just happen to be the example at the moment. 4/5

Very of the 2000's rock. Decent album. Must have been a great live show.

Lofi joy. Not as good as 3eps but still great

3.5/5. Ok, paar toffe nummers maar niks wereldschokkends.

Was totally expecting pop-punk, but what I got was cool too

own

The album reminds me a little bit of Flaming Lips, with textures with more richness and more fun. I like the relaxing psychedelic sounds of the album. They used a lot of range of instruments, I believe this add a lot more of diversity on the musics. "Easy" could be a song of King Gizzard. "Wonderful" it's beautiful.

never heard of but pretty good

Heroes to Zeros is an album so successful that the band broke up after making it. And I low key lurve it. Definitely dig the vibe even if no one song jumps out at me.

Good

Floated along nicely enough

Had never actually listened to this, but it's quite good. Ignored it because "band broke up immediately after releasing this album" albums tend to be a bit shite, but it's closer to The Three EPs and their debut than I'd have thought.

Really pleasantly surprised here. Never heard of them. I saw a not very good band called The Beta Machine open for A Perfect Circle a few years and I knew Beta was in the name but couldn't remember the band name. This was much better and in a nutty way. The first track sounded like a combination of Elbow and U2, mostly because the vocalist reminds of Guy Garvey. From there, things were all over the place, wonderfully all over the place. A song called 'Lion Thief', whatever that is, has the lyric 'As the fruits of the loops of the friendships that droop...' Ok, sure. There was more Elbow-like ness as things went on, but songs bounced from 60s psychedelia to very contemporary sounding. Really enjoyed it!

interesting, little experimental but rich songs

Nice

I enjoyed this a lot - I'd only heard of the Beta Band in passing references (High Fidelity), but I found this album engaging and will revisit.

Really enjoyed this.

Varied, refreshing and catchy. 4.

This sounded weird, but was kinda vibey!

Surprisingly better than I expected after reading the reviews

This was pretty cool, they used a LOT of different sounds/instruments! Rating: 4

I discovered The Beta Band because of the song featured in the movie High Fidelity when he tried to sell copies of The Three EP's. The song was Dry The Rain and it is a great album, but I never went on to listen to their albums in full. Listening to this album was such a great time, I had good headphones and listened on a good device (M21). I just was enjoying all the little elements in the music, as there is a hint of electronic in this indie rock. Granted this isn't the best album, but I liked that the band experimented a little with their sound and I never knew what to expect at times, and other times it felt all too similar. To me this feels like The Beatles if they were still going in the 90/00's. The Three E.P.'s is a much better album, I should relisten to that one. Standouts: Lion Thief, Wonderful, Simple, Pure For

Very cool album. Cool vibes and not a single song I disliked. Their vocals are a bit same-samey throughout - not very dynamic singing, but not bad. Another (slight) criticism is that many of the songs are a bit same-samey within the songs. Only a few songs change things up over the course of the individual song. That said, I liked this album more with every listen. Good stuff. Favorite tracks: Space, Easy, Wonderful, and Simple.

More groovy coolness from the BB. One of the better finds for me from this project.

This one had some catchy tunes. I especially liked Assessment and Liquid Bird.

I wish I had more notes... I hardly have a lot to say but my gut reaction is that I really enjoyed it. Sort of dragged at the end but there is something here! Will need to digest and revisit.

Good stuff. Not their best (3 EPs is a top ten/twenty album for me), but it's got lots of great vibes and strong songs. Trouble is lovely.

This band had passed under my radar, so I listened with an open mind and really enjoyed the album the music is unique and novel I am definitely going to give it another listen - but for now 4 stars!

Decent early 2000s rock. Sounds a bit like flaming lips of that era- some songs better than others, the opener was maybe the best.

This was interesting and kinda underrated on here

4/5 I thought this was garage rock after the first track. Then I was proven wrong. Then I thought it was stadium rock. Once again I was wrong. Incredible soundscape throughout the album, always switching it up. My personal nitpick is that the same vocal type of whisper-echo song isn’t my personal favourite, but all in all, it’s one of those albums I’m happy I listened to.

Absolutely excellent! Hard to categorise, which juts makes it better!

Jo men det här är kul och lite annorlunda och lagom långt. Ganska tydligt 90-tals sound emellanåt på ett bra sätt.

Liked it a lot.

Lively and refreshing change of pace with well made songs.

I’m seeing a lot of negative reviews for this one, but I love it! I love the plinking, the rhythms, and the singers’ soft and gentle voices.

New to me and I like it!

Discovered this band watching High Fidelity, and dove into their main 3 albums for 2 or 3 years. That was about 20 years ago (time flies!) at my writing these notes. It was fun to re-discover this one.

As a fan of Beta Band, it pains me to say this but this album isn't my favorite. Beta Band released three excellent EPs, and an eclectic and wild debut, full of electronics, samples and rapid genre shifts. The follow up was calmer, much more subtle and more refined. "Heroes to Zeroes" was their third and final album (for now. At the time I write this, Beta Band had recently reformed for some live shows after a 20+ year hiatus). The sound falls somewhere between their first and second albums. It's generally more mature yet unafraid to genre hop at a moment's notice. Yet for me, it's the weakest of the three albums and the one I tend to skip. Supposedly, the original version was a mess and they had to bring in Nigel Godrich to fix it. Beta Band broke up shortly after this, tired of critical acclaim but poor album sales. Revisiting this album, it's much better than I remember. It's not their best work but it's definitely good. And it makes me hopeful for more material from the newly reformed band in the near future.

Assessment // Lion Thief // Wonderful // Troubles //

underrated

3.5/5 (round up)

Another album that wasn't quite as good as I remember it to be. There must be a threshold where if you know an album well enough, and if it's good enough, hearing it for the first time in a long time gives a rush of nostalgia, but if a record comes short of that threshold, the feeling is a bit more like 'oh, I thought this was better than this'. That's not to say I didn't like it, because I definitely did, enough to get it over the four star line, but it wasn't as good as my memory said.

Liked this a lot. Reminded me a bit of Beck at times.

Meh. Get it for the time. Forgettable.

'I say the time has come for decision / Better steer my boat for a reason'; 'The milky way results from the crowding / Of extremely faint stars'; 'As the fruits of the loops of the friendships that droop.' That which is pretentious and/or nonsensical on this record is more than rectified by an energizing creativity. The instrumentation is erratic but strong, there's an interesting set of backing vocals, and the lyrics, while at times devolving into elective gibberish, are mostly compelling. Above all, there's a true assortment of sounds and ideas, a blending of influences from Simon and Garfunkel to The La's. More innovative than The Strokes (a contemporary), tho perhaps not as tangible, The Beta Band defines an under-the-radar gem. Bang-up.

Never heard of this band before, they are orginally from Edinburgh. I enjoyed the alumb.

The Beta Band is a Scottish band with a short, but critically acclaimed career. Heroes to Zeroes is their third studio album, and the last released before the band broke up. The band opened for Radiohead's 2001 North American Tour, providing the band with significant exposure. Despite this, the band never found commercial success, which was reported to be a major factor in the band's breakup. The band combined folk like ballads with electronic effects that approaches trip hop, and added elements of funk and psychedelia to make their version of alt-rock. This is a very good album, from a band that could have been more famous...

Chill

Oprecht goed album. Fuckte er niet zo mee deed eerste keer dat ik het luisterde (heb t toen ook niet ononderbroken kunnen luisteren) maar de 2de keer ben ik er echt voor gaan zitten om het hele album te luisteren, en het is echt een wereld waar je ingetrokken wordt. Heel erg creatief ik het schrijven van de nummers en de atmosfeer die het wilt creëren. Doet me heel erg denken aan ween en aan hoe zij muziek schrijven. 4sterren!

On another day I might have hated this. But today it worked for me. 4 stars!

I really loved the first half of the album, it was nicely arranged with some interesting experimental bits in it, while still being largely accessible for a casual listener. Unfortunately, I felt like the album lost a bit of steam in the second half, and several songs felt sleepy and redundant. It's still a solid record overall, so I'll bump up my score to 4. 3.5 stars

In line with the nth British (Scottish, but, yeah) artist in this book, these are another group of literally who's for me. This album is weird because on one hand it's nothing crazy or groundbreaking, in fact it reminds me a lot of Air's Walkie Talkie and some of the latter albums some Britpop bands made (think We Love Life by Pulp album or Be Here Now by Oasis) with more psychedelia and growing closer to the post punk revival that would become popular in the Isles during this time. Basically: all the crud that I enjoy in a pretty good package. Songs like Assessment, Liquid Bird or Simple give me the exact kind of psychey alt rock I wished more bands had done, but then other songs like Easy or Space Battle ease more into the chill and downer electronica of that time that I'm not super crazy for but I don't mind necessarily. If this album had gone more in the direction of the first songs I mention this would be an easy 5 for me but it's not. Still, a great time none the less.

I really, *really* dig their arrangements and musical ideas. Vocalist sounds like a British Jim James. 3.5/5

British Rock/Pop/grunge, dur à décrire, mais bon grooves et sonorités intéressantes

I ended up enjoying this album more than I expected. At first, I thought it was just a middle of the road listen, but once I let it restart, I found myself getting more into it. It’s like a neo-psychedelia album filtered through an early 2000s indie rock lens. It’s got all the elements I usually like with this kind of music, such as swirling sounds, spacey synths, and hypnotic structures. It doesn’t blow me away, but it’s definitely a good listen.

I liked it, but I didn't love it. The Beta Band have done better,

Jetzt wird es spacig? Elektronische Töne zappeln aus den Lautsprechern? Das Cover hat mich gar nicht angesprochen. Meine Erwartungen waren sehr niedrig. Weit gefehlt: rockige, anspruchsvolle, aber eingängige Arrangements. Sehr guter Sound. Und das spacige war war genau richtig.

Somehow cozy? Comforting? In all cases nice

Fun

ihan vibe

Gefällt mir gut

Some really good songs on here, the firdt one and then wonderful are class. Probably won't come back for another listen but a strong mid 4.

Definitely heroes!

Didn't stick to the bones yet. I liked one of their albums form the late 90s a lot. This sounded a little different, but could definitely grow.

This is such cool instrumentation and great song writing let down by lackluster vocals. A few voice lessons could have made this top tier.

Way cooler than I thought! It has a unique sound. Very enjoyable to listen to. I'll give it 4 stars today.

They are hard to get a handle on, for sure, which seems very much the point. The unpredictabiity is likable and appealing as it mixes the relatively straightforward and toothsome indie rock of the opener and "Liquid Bird" and "Out-side" with the lysergic funk of "Easy" (what a nfifty stolen Hall and Oates opening lick) and several charming and woozy ballads. One likes that it sounds good in many different contexts – interesting enough for a long drive of considered listening and energetic enough for the gym, and sounds equally good on headphones as in one's office. Further, the songs and bands get served up on Spotify are also tribute to TBB's utter and unimpeachable coolness. The maximalistc, kaleidscopic vibe overall is also to one's taste– the Avalanches were up to something similar though in a more club-oriented context. Sure, maybe less mighta been more on a few cuts, and maybe some ideas aren't fully developed, but who cares? It's a good ride. Overall, it seems that lyric "the trouble with doing your own thing / is you end up on your own" would apply to their career. Or perhaps they just weren't quite sure what they wanted to be so kept trying anything and – more to the point – everything.

3.8

Ok, I guess I might be becoming a Beta Band fan, that's two 4 stars for me. Something nice and cosy feeling about this album. Faves: Space, Out-Side

I like The Beta Band's schtick - it's a shame seeing them get so much flack here, but I guess a lot of that is Dimery's fault. (Plus, you know, it REALLY shoulda been "The Three EPs" on the list rather than anything else.) Fave tracks - "4 Easy", "Space Battle" and "Liquid Bird"

I feel cool for liking this. Psychedelic in a way I could really get into.

I am surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did. I’ll probably give this one a revisit.

Loved. Never heard before but was familiar with the name. Listened 3 times. Will go into my faves file.

Wasn’t expecting to like this but it was quite captivating

Never heard of these guys before, but I enjoyed this. There's a combination of humor, self-deprecation, inventiveness, and whimsy that made this one fun. Not quite as good as Klaatu, but a very similar style.

Not too bad. Pretty interesting. I liked it.

I had never heard of them, but I really liked this album. Not something I will listen to again and again though.

Pretty good - not earth shattering but very nice and very listenable. This has really good variety while still staying on theme. It's got an Air + 311-ish? Sometimes Lou Reed vibes like Wonderful. Easy is a bit Franz Ferdinand-ish. Outside is a killer track. Lots of good stuff here.

Not my favourite Beta Band album. It’s good, but not great.

Okay that was cool! I enjoyed that. Not many thoughts. Fav tracks: Space, Easy, Space Beatle

Super cool! A lot more experimental and complex than other similar bands from the same scene, but still manages to be entertaining. I vaguely knew who they were, but happy this came up.

It's funny, there was a certain sound I was expecting based on the cover art that I'd say I just was not getting. It put a slight damper on my listening experience, as my expectations were just not being met track after track. The album itself is decent. Solid instrumentals and decent vocal work. Nothing that stood out too strongly, but the overall composition was good. I just really wish the cover art reflected that better. I'm also open to checking out the album again and relistening to it all or checking out their discography. 'Out-Side' is my choice for a fave.

I enjoyed this a lot a more upbeat affair than the 3 EPs which can get a little slow and plodding in spots, this album bristles with energy and infectious vibes. No song quite reaches the heights of Dry The Rain, but a lot of them come close. Overall my new favourite Beta Band album. 4 stars

I had conflicting opinions about this. I enjoyed some parts. I think I always over think the post 2000 albums.

Unique. Pretty groovy. New to me.

It was a cold, foggy, dark morning as I drove to the airport for an early flight. And this album hit perfect. Some real gems here. Glad to find out about this group.

I was attacking a tedious and frustrating task while listening to this. It was helpful. The task still frustrated, though.

3.5

I really enjoyed this album. Moody (but driving) indie pop. Why did I always think these guys were electronica?

A nice surprise, didn't knew this band, I enjoyed a lot listening to this album ;.-)

Pretty good.

What a delightful surprise

Did not use a private Spotify session for this one. I have listened to some songs of the Beta Band, but never sat down for a full album. It was good, worthy of another listen.

Such an Alpha Band

I surprisingly liked this a lot. Maybe because I am emotionally vulnerable right now, but it's good. Not my usual thing.

Never heard of them before, but I kind of enjoyed the album and thought the songs were pretty good. They reminded me a little of Beck at times.

Unexpectedly good

Better than expected based on the cover. It was great! Love me a psychedelic chill trip hop band.

This was enjoyable! I'll probably forget they exist, but I would not be sad to listen to this again.

Love these guys

Нормальный альбом, есть пара интересных треков

Not their best, but still head and shoulders above most other stuff

A glorious fuck up.

This is a poppier version of the Beta Band and I like it a lot. Each track seems to made up of little vignettes that create a song when they are combined, which makes them quirky and fun.

Not bad at all, definitely interesting and creative. But some tracks feel like they're blending styles for the sake of it, rather than for actual artistic merit. I did enjoy it, but it was not inspired or powerful enough to be amazing.

1st time listening to Beta Band. I enjoyed the mix of musical styles.

Voix atmosphérique, musique riche et texturée par contraste. Me fait souvent penser à Eels, parfois à Enon, deux groupes que j’adore

Well, nice album cover, but the music is not as explosive or colourful as it would suggest. It's just a nice alternative/soft rock, with frw cool songs at the end. I'll give it a four, but I certainly would have to listen to it couple more times to assess it.

Rhythmic pop, felt like some middle east influence. Pretty interesting

Nice and relaxing music, nice!

All over the place, but in a good way

Mega meget up my alley, fed produktion og gode numre. Har hørt et par Beta Band plader før men ik den her.

that album art kicks ass. i assumed this would be some really loud epic rock music that would be out of a comic book or video game, but i was pleasantly surprised by how it actually sounded; this album is full of soft and embittered compositions. many people might think this album is a bit simple and quiet, but i honestly really enjoyed this listen, hearing all the different ways these guys produced their tracks and all. the title is gripping. once respected, now feeling like outcasts.

I liked this one. First time listener of the band/album. They remind of and sound a lot like Portugal but with more of an electric sound.. kind of like if David Bowie were the lead singer for Portugal. Does that shit make sense?? Either way. I dig it.

If I were to judge this band by its cover. It would be a 0/5. Thankfully the packaging doesn't reflect the gift inside. This album was pretty damn good. Way better than I expected. Perhaps the album cover was to make you have low expectations? I don't know. But none the less, there are some well written songs. I got a Sam Roberts feel in a few songs. Really enjoyed this.

Instrumentally, this record is really fun. Lots of different sounds and layers mixing funk, rock, and electronica. Honestly, I love when bands mix rock and electronica. A bit of a psych production with poppier melodies makes this an easy, yet interesting listen. I think this one is better listened to intentionally with good headphones. If listened on like crappy car speakers, you'll miss a lot of interesting production. It makes sense this was produced by Nigel Godrich. While not being one of the masterpiece albums on this list, it is an album I think I'll choose to listen to on my own because of how much I enjoyed it. There were some boring songs on the record for sure but overall it was enjoyable.

I had no idea what I was in for with this album and while I wasn’t totally blown away by it, it was still a pretty good time. Funky, electronicish, and mostly 2000s indie Brit rock. Not too memorable except for space but still solid. lol I just searched for beta band in my history and said pretty much the exact same thing about their last album (which I have literally no recollection of)

They clearly have no idea what music to make they just fucking jam and make it happen and I'll say I kinda fw it. Rock Electronica? Don't you mean Rock, Electronica, Pop, Folk, Indie, Britpop, with elements of New Wave, Grunge, and dare I say, Shoegaze?

The Beta Band are great. The starting point is and always will be the 3EPs. But this is a stonger offering than their first album proper

I loved this. A great discovery. Am baffled that I hadn’t heard it before. Now going through the back catalogue.

Yeah, this one was pretty good. I didn't love it to the end...got a bit bored after a while, but pretty strong, in general.

The album cover alone is worth 5 stars, however the songs don't quite live up to that level. Still, a really enjoyable album and an improvement over their previous one.

Low key dig it.

Surprisingly good!

The Beta Band (grupo de culto salvo cuando salieron en High Fidelity, incluso por ello) siguieron, en su tercer y último disco, la estela de The Flaming Lips, la portada remite a Yoshimi o The Mystics... y de Elephant Six. En realidad The Beta Band han sido siempre un mundo en sí mismos. El disco es un viaje por los rincones de la psicodelia, una delicia con canciones como Troubles, Wonderful y esa gema que es Out-Side. Abre potente con Assessment y continúa con Space, en clave Animal Collective (Panda Pear). Lion Thief ensambla unas guitarras y coros Byrdianos (los de Notorious Byrd Brothers) con percusiones y ritmos mucho más actuales además de un toque Pink Floyd, que hacen del conjunto un temazo. Easy fusiona su estilo con algo de Funk. Space Beatle es una marcianada, como Rhododendron, una delicada pieza instrumental. Liquid Bird podría haber sido un éxito, de haberlo querido alguien. Cuando llegas a Simple y Pure For (que recuerda a la psicodelia noventera de Screamadelica - Inner flight/Higher than the sun) ya estás entregado y esperando a darle otra vez al play. Joya exquisita y atemporal. Hubo muchos, pero no mucho mejores discos en 2004: Nick Cave- Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus, Arcade Fire- Funeral, Wilco – A Ghost Is Born, Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand, Tom Waits – Real gone, Morrissey - You are the quarry. También: Sonic Youth- Sonic Nurse, TV on the radio- Desperate, Youth, Blood, Green Day - American Idiot, Bart Davenport – Game Preserve, Interpol – Antics, Modest Mouse – Good news for people who love bad news, Brian Wilson – Smile, Lambchop – Aw c’mon / No you c’mon, The Dears – No cities left, The Divine Comedy – Absent friends, The Delgados – Universal audio, Kasabian-Kasabian, The Organ - The Organ, Adan Green - Friends of mine, Ye (Kanye West)- The College dropout, Keane- Hopes and feras, Pinback-Summer in Abaddon...

At their peak, the Beta Band were one of Britain's most innovative, creative and promising bands. Sadly that peak came and passed far too quickly. The aptly-named Heroes to Zeros soundtracks the period from their excellent Hot Shots II era to their breakup just months after this was released. It's a damn shame but they just didn't seem to be able to agree on the creative direction, some members struggled with mental health and they and collectively kept hitting the self-destruct button. Lots of this album are of the playful, genre-bending variety that made them so exciting, but it lacks consistency and sags in the second half. I can't go lower than a 4 because they were just so special while we had them around (and outstanding live) but it's much messier than its predecessor and not as much fun as the 3 EPs that put the Betas on the map in the first place.

Some good stuff here, but it takes a few song to get it. Hardly their best album.

An interesting eclectic album I’d like to hear more of - enjoyed its particular brand of noughties alternative

I quite liked this, good background rock music. Stand-out: Troubles

Great discovery. I really enjoyed some of the pieces of this experimental rock with a very British slant. I especially liked space beatle (just like yesterday and also wonderful

Enjoyable, if not ground breaking

Reicht knapp für 4. Gefällt nebenbei ganz gut und der Sound stimmt.

This album reminded me of another band I like, "Django Django". The vocals are distinct, and the subtly electronic melodies are soothing and ethereal.

I like the Beta Band enough. Not as good as The Three EPs, but enjoyable.

I surprisingly liked this early 2000s rock/indie album by this Scottish band I haven't heard about before. This album is atmospheric, moody, interesting enough and overall it was a pleasant listen. Maybe it'd be a 3.5 but I round it up to 4.

Without the shock of the new of the 3 EPs, still a great offbeat listen. Steve Mason is a genuine one off and needs to be cherished.

An interesting band that rises above the typical middle of the road jangly guitar pop.

I liked the sound of this band. They had a almost late Beatles sound with an alternative edge.

Honestly I was expecting to hate this album with every fiber of my being. I did not. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Maybe it was because I was listening to this after studying for o chem all day and the vibe was just what I was looking for. Maybe it was because it was super low-key and they didn't seem to take themselves stupidly seriously. Whatever the reason I really liked this one. What an unexpected, pleasant surprise.

“Folktronica” is definitely the best way to describe this band. Fun listen.

Not sure why this is on the list, but I enjoy the album

I remembered someone suggesting the Beta Band to me, but it turns out it was the movie High Fidelity. This is a really good album--I went back and listened to some of their other stuff and it was not as good. Too bad this was their last album!

I had never heard of The Beta Band before but I really enjoyed this album. I wouldn't say that any of the songs particularly stood out to me, but I did enjoy the vibe of the album!

I kind of really dug this album. It was sooooo different from anything, but still really cool (70's acid trip, modern electronic, high school band). I can see why the commercial success is low and personally I don't think they would do good playing big venues and having big fan bases. I want to see them play in a garage or a small club because their music has an intimate presence and the ability to be different but not pretentious and so unique but digestible. I really liked the first four songs. Easy and Wonderful were only okay, but they picked up again after and finished great (really liked Out-Side and Pure For). I am so glad I found them too and I will search them out more.

Way better than their previous efforts, turns out the upbeat, up tempo Beta Band have far more to offer than the lo fi, dour tunes that came before.

I didn't know this band at all and I actually really enjoyed this listen. Their sound was not at all what I was expecting when I heard the band name and saw this album cover. I probably would have never given this a chance left to my own devices, but it had some cool tracks that I'll add to my rotation.

This was much more my cup of tea than expected. Not a complete banger but generally deserves 4/5

Quite liked this

I loved the Beta Band back in the day, this stands up much better than it's contemporaries in the UK.

I get it. I think. I like the techno merged with new wave, sprinkled with funk and atmospheric roots music. I can imagine this would be a great band to see live while tripping balls. Hard to argue with poignant lyrics like: Dysmorphic in doses Imagine trying to shit out twelve red roses

Beta Band is always a good listen. Three EPs is still my favorite, but this one is pretty good too.

A little gimmicky but good tunes

Considering I hadn’t heard of The Beta Band before starting this project, it’s surprising how many of their albums are considered essential. I thought that Hot Shots II was ok but it didn’t blow me away. Let’s discover this one then! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Liquid Bird I think it would be fair to say I enjoyed this album a fair bit more than the previous one. I still wouldn’t say that it knocked my socks off, but the music was interesting enough to keep me interested and catchy enough to keep me bopping away. It’s nothing amazing, but certainly something I can enjoy when I come across it.

A good, artsy, rock album.

This was a cool new find. never heard them before but I dug this LP

first listen its a vibe

I am really pleasantly surprised by this, it was exactly what I was hoping to get out of doing this. A great album that I missed the first time around. I will be going back to this for sure.

This needs to a 10 point scale. It’s a 7 (3.5). Never heard of these guys. They do some cool stuff.

Not heard of the band prior to this dropping. Well what a fun mix. Nothing truly original but some sparkling songs across many rock genres. Definitely one for the road.

Has its moments

These guys are just so groovy and chill. Great study/work music. Not workout music but still great.

Interessante Sounds im Stile von OMD, Siouxsie & The Bangees und Visage. Es teilweise wild und rockig unterlegt und macht die innere Zerrissenheit der Band im Jahr 2004 kurz vor ihrer Auflösung deutlich. Sehr interessant sind “Liquid Bird”, “Pure For” und Troubles”. Die Platte ist zur Wiederholung geeignet.

Never heard of this band before. A relatively chill rock album. Enjoyed it while listening. But not an all time favorite nor am I now a fan after listening to it. Solid 4 out of 5.

Las y los ingleses tienen en música otras visiones. No sé si definirlo como mayor sensibilidad, apertura, creatividad más rica, pero la cantidad de proyectos musicales interesantes de Inglaterra es innumerable. Esta banda, que también es nueva para mí, tiene experimentación, tiene psicodelia, remite a The Stone Roses y recuerda a lo que después empezó a hacer Tame Impala. Me gustó

I liked it!

they're good, remembering "High fidelity"

interesting album. Didn't like it as much as the other one on the list, but still good.

It's good, but it's probably my least favorite collection of Beta Band songs.

I have a love hate relationship with the Beta Band. I go through periods where I think they are great and then periods where I find I just can’t listen to them. I was in the latter mood when this came up. Listening to this has nave me to the former.

Comedown folk-rock. I like the way they did their own distinctive thing when there was so much bad music in this era.

They kinda sounds like Ween, these guys should be more popular

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Assessment, Space

Very interesting music, full of new, catchy beats.

Weird and quirky in a way that’s more often charming and enjoyable than off-putting and annoying. Always happy to find an album on this list that feels like a unique experience.

Dreamlike and unique

Never heard of this band!! Cool blend of Rock, Electronica and a dash of folk. They remind me a bit of My Morning Jacket with some Radiohead influences. Definitely gonna check out their other releases! Standout tracks: Assessment, Lion Thief, Wonderful, Out-side, Liquid Bird, Simple, Pure For 8 out of 10

One of the cooler album covers so far. This album had a ton of variety that I appreciated. Very unique sound without being overboard on randomness. Pure For was a great end, especially with those bass kicks.

Wow what a god anwful album cover. Hellen Keller could make a better cover than this. But ooo another Nigel produced album excited for that. Really loving the atmospheric sound to this album. Hard to nail down a specific genre which I love. Currently floating to Wonderful. That switch up in Space Beatle is pretty toight. Simple reminds me a ton of Elbow in a good way. This is a pretty solid 4 from me. Want to deduct for the cover but 4 it is.

Great find. Great listen. Folk rock electronica.

I used to enjoy the three EPs album when I was younger but never ventured any further. How foolish. This was great. The bits that went great I suspect might be growers. Definitely adding this one to my rotation list.

An enjoyable listen

I was prepared for some weird U2/Coldplay meets jam band album based off the opening track, but then a random horn section appeared and I didn't know what to expect. I didn't hate it, though. I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this album. There's a ton of variety and experimentation, and it never gets boring. It's got a crazy mix of garage rock, folk, shoegaze, trip hop, and electronica all mixed up together. Some of the tracks reminded me of Peter Gabriel or Cosmo Sheldrake in the weird melding of genres and bizarre soundscapes (in a good way). I often found myself wondering if they were sampling songs in several of the melodies—was that Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" or just a close imitation of the clav? ... was that the riff from "Paint it Black" I just heard?—or just heavily inspired by older work. "Liquid Bird" definitely samples Siouxsie and the Banshees, and it is fire. The lyrics are at times trippy to the point of being nonsensical and at other times a bit cliche (there seem to be quite a few overt references to The Beatles as well). The words can seem like an afterthought on some songs compared to the music; but the music is so engaging that it doesn't matter that much. I enjoyed this album a lot. I'll probably add it to my regular rotation and check out their other stuff. 4/5

A fine album to end on. What a fun 2000s romp to end my generator journey!

So I really liked this. I only know the Beta Band from The 3 EPs, obviously from High Fidelity. This one doesn’t really sound like that record though. I know Beta Band is an act many hipsters hold in high esteem, and apparently Radiohead and Oasis (at least Noel) said they wanted to make an album like Beta Band. This sounds so much like Soundtrack of Our Lives though. And I find out this came out years after they were active and arguably at their commercial peak in 2002.

I admit I like this, but do we really need 2 if this band's 3 albums on this list?? Seems like an overrepresentation. Even so, it is hard to stay mad because the songs are so good. The melodies are catchy, the sound dreamy.

Cool - only knew a few songs but this was great. Saved Space Beatle.

J’ai jamais entendu parlé de ce band là, mais chaque chansons me fait penser à un autre groupe que j’arrive pas à trouver le nom. En tout cas, léger 4 pour l’ensemble

Toffe mix van folk en psychische muziek

A pretty good record that I hadn’t heard before. Throwback near-psychedelic updated with a modern indie sound.

Perfect non American accent

6/10

Aight

This was all over the place sonically. Felt like they were trying a bunch of different shit and it got convoluted. Still great at some parts but in totality it was some mid.

Doesn't do a lot for me. There are a few interesting moments here and there, and nothing is truly off-putting about it. It's just not something I'd ever see myself reaching for to listen to.

forgettable

from the movie "High Fidelity" starring John Cusak...... Rob: I will now sell five copies of the 3 E.P.s by The Beta Band. Dick: Go for it. [Rob plays the record] Customer: Who is this? Rob: The Beta Band. Customer: It's good. Rob: I know. it's an OK album. there's some good tunes but some that just is background music.

This was a fun listen! Every song was unique and interesting. His voice wasn't great and got monotonous after a while, but kept me entertained.

Liked it. Fast moving. Loved the alblum art. The music lived up to the alblum art. Would not be surprised if another Beta Band alblum was on the list. Very solid 3.

Really enjoyed this album. They reminded me of another band that I like, but I cannot put my fingers on it.

I should like this more, but it's only so-so

First tracks were fun but I don’t know…

No me he guardado ninguna canción. No suena mal, pero creo que no llega a ser algo distintivo. En vista a que he subido el rating le daré 3 estrellas, pero es un 2,5.

[second album received by The Beta Band] Again, this band feels like it could have been created by an algorithm. Like Hot Shots II, it is quirky, enjoyable enough, and interesting. However, it doesn't have a soul. After the first few songs, it all sort of blanded together. Again, not horrible, yet only remarkable in its generic tone. The band remains a beta for me.

High quality, if unexciting, enjoyable indie rock.

The Brit slant to this entire list is overwhelming now, I can't tell you how many weak ass tiny albums from Suffolk, Cotswold, Essex, Dinglebury and the rest of the Shire that I've had to suffer through already. Beta Band has a couple good songs ("Dry The Rain"), but they're not on this album. They're not bad, they're just average. Nothing about this album is ground breaking, not a single hit song, barely moves the needle for listener counts, and much of it sounds the same. The guitar work and groove of "Space" is easily the coolest thing on the album. "Wonderful" was not wonderful. "Space Beatle" was boring. I oddly enjoyed "Pure For", just a nice song and it fits their sound. This album gives off the vibe of a movie soundtrack that's playing during a scene you're interested in, but the music in the background is an afterthought ("Troubles") and you don't really pay attention to it. Great cover, a bit misleading as it's way cooler than the album is. Try "The Three EP's" or "Hot Shots II" for a better intro to The Beta Band. I like being introduced to bands I don't know but the list is becoming a joke. What was the author hearing that the rest of us don't? This album has merit but it's not a 5 star listen or a must-hear before you die kinda release. I'm going to give it 3 stars, just too vanilla for more than that.

yet another potential saviour of rock and roll. not sure wether they could live up to the name… also this isn’t even a number one album on the uk charts. anyway. some of the ideas are nice but it made me lost some times. 3/5.

Pretty alright, interesting to see how the band describe their album on Wikipedia. Lion Thief was my favorite, but it sounded the same throughout to me. 5.5/10

It's as though they aren't capable of pushing songs beyond the 1 interesting idea that they started with. Pretty much every song sounded kinda interesting at first, but then just kept repeating the same thing over & over without going anywhere else. Kinda fits the album title, I suppose. A fairly forgettable listen, but not terrible.

Jolly enough after the trauma of The Residents, if a little forgettable / samey. Probably needs more listens to be honest.

Was going to go on a diatribe about the amount of albums on this list that don’t seem to have a point of difference to other better known artists doing essentially the same thing, but then realised it’s Sunday and I’m probably just salty about going to work tomorrow. Anyway this album is fine, it’s rock from 2000’s and it doesn’t suck, but I could probably scratch that itch by listening to Kasabian or Franz Ferdinand

My enjoyment of the album waned as it continued playing. It’s fine.

I want to give this album a second listen. I don't think it'll affect my rating only it will isolate the tunes I really enjoyed.

6/10 Buen album, nada llamativo pero nada malo tampoco

Never listened to them but think I’ve heard the name. Started off pretty good but sort of blurred together after a while.

I like their sound very dreamish of it! And i like their vocals!

de cover s gwn niet mooi en past niet bij wat ik dacht dat het zou zijn? het s beetje goofy goober rock maar eig wel funny

Sounds a little like Ween. Except it's a little boring, whereas Ween rules.

I feel like that one clip of Kanye talking about the Lady Gaga Polaroid collab. “I like some of The Beta Band EPs, but why the fuck do I have to hear their last album before I die?”

Surprised to see this one, would have thought 3 EPs would have made if anything by Beta Band. Its sort of psychedelic, indie pop, drum machiney, kinda sound that was popular in the mid 2000s. Basically trying to combine electronic dance music with indie/post punk.

This is fine. Generic indie rock.

It isn't bad but it sure is forgettable.

Another instance where I feel they could have chosen a better album. The three eps album is just so much better and while this album wasn’t bad when you have another masterpiece to compare it to this one just falls short

Pretty uneven. Some real bangers and some derivative slog