Heroes to Zeros

Boring.

Was fine. Didn't really think they did much original or otherwise exceptionally.

Eh it’s alright

New album for me that I enjoyed.

three-ro's

2.5 - Meh

Who? Electronic Rock. The album doesn't seem to be very popular on Spotify, and Wikipedia says that the album only got better than average reviews (3 - 4 stars, no 5 stars), so I can only assume that the compiler of this list must be a fan. However, the album is not that bad, but doesn't grab me.

Couldn’t find anything about this to care about.

Pretty good

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

Not badly made, but hard to consider this "essential" listening. It wasn't unpleasant to listen to, but nothing really stood out.

The Beta Band seems to be over represented here (how the have multiple albums while a band like Weezer has zero is beyond me). This has been an occasion complaint of mine in this project. Heroes to Zeros is a solid album, and I think the band had a sizable following that probably thinks this is great. From my perspective there were just so many similar albums from this period that were simply better, and this album feels to me like a lukewarm cup of good quality coffee: it taste good but could be better and more enjoyable, ultimately a little forgettable.

Kinda boring

it's fine

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

Not really interesting

Indie mixed with elements of progressive rock and alternative that gets a little “jam bandy”. Definitely showed a fair amount of industrial vibes and techniques that gained popularity with groups like Tame Impala. One thing that really hurt the album for me was the mixing. The instruments are too loud and the vocals too over worked, making the lyrics largely unintelligible. That said, I do want to note the track “Easy” for its funky beat and inclusion of ragtime and Wild West elements. That one is worth returning to, but I’m not sure if this is an album or even band that I’ll be seeking out any time soon.

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

Electronic, rock.

Good one have listened before

gonna be real it took a few tries for me to sink my teeth into this album + it took being stuck on a broken-down train to finally do it lol. not to say I didn't like the album! super enjoyed Lion Thief and Liquid Pure was pretty cool- i think overall it was just a little samey for me. not bad! Just not quite my thing. my-thing-adjacent.

Completely mesmerized by how amazing this album was, from start to finish not a single bad song, truly a hidden gem.

Haven’t heard such dull bland uninspiring “indie”music for quite some time. Another album no one really needs to hear.

Qobuz likes to give me some of these songs. A nice listen overall, slowed down a lot toward the end. 3.5

i love so much of the beta band, but they've got a couple songs on each album that are just absolutely maddening and annoying

Fun!

Never heard of them. Not bad, but not going to add it to any of my lists for a re-visit.

so... This is not their most well known album It is a pretty unknown band which means it probably didn't have any major cultural impact. It don't introduce anything new or ground breaking. Why is this a "Must listen"? I get why people like it, it is not that bad but if you don't Really resonate with the sound immediately or grew up listening to this i don't se why this is a must listen.

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

Zero real expectations on this. Solid early aughties rock. Definite influences of early psychedelia. Strong work, but i don't know if it's memorable? Probably the album ive had the least to say about so far. I'm not sad to hear it, but I feel like, even if I was to compile 2002 albums, this wouldnt make the top. There's a lot of music out there. A pretty square 3*. Top track? Liquid Bird really caught me more than anything.

Not a fan. Not completely horrible IMHO but definitely unremarkable.

This sounds like AI slop.

Not what I expected at all, really good.

Did not expect to enjoy this

A bit of stereotypical 2000's alternative rock and about as risk taking as leaving your car parked, but there were some solid tracks throughout this, although it didn't really hold any stability throughout.

Strange in a way that I don't really care about

ok, not the most intriguing to me

I’ve never heard of this band. Can definitely hear the late 70s early 80s influences and it doesn’t at all sound like the early 2000s. They clearly resonated with people but I don’t hear it.

Nice background music. No reason to be on a list of albums you must hear before you die.

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.

Random thoughts: * This album is an excellent reason why 1001 is bullshit. This album is totally fine. I could understand that it might have hot the author a certain way and was his favorite album of 2004. But we don't need 2 Beta Band albums on this list. I'm glad the other one was Hot Shots II. That was all we needed. If this is truly one of the 1001 albums you must hear before you die then this list is too long. * Now that I'm off my soapbox, I did like this album. Even played it through twice today. Lion Thief was probably my favorite track but it was a solid listen. * Definitely not a must listen. But still a good one.

U2 style opener before descending into something much trippier... I do wonder if it's one of those albums you could learn to love if you listened to it often enough, but sadly for the purposes of this review I didn't.

This is fine. Should it be on this list? Probably not.

These greasy rat boys got the same number of albums in this list as Elton John so you bet I'm passed right now

The cover is more interesting than the album. This album was included because it was ✓ First and foremost British ✓ Lacked any excitement ✓ Needed to round out the numbers

Are you fucking kidding me? The Beta Band have two albums on here? Why?! What the fuck have these guys done to warrant getting 2 albums while Weezer doesn't get either of their 2 masterpieces?! This is fucking ridiculous. It's not even like they removed one and replaced it with a later one because it was better or anything. Both this and Hot Shots II were included in the first version of the 1001 Albums book with no good justification given in the book itself! Believe me, I checked. The Internet Archive is a blessing to humanity. That's all I'll say about that. I genuinely think the Beta Band may be the least deserving multi-album artist of the entire 1001 Albums list. And yes, that does include Morrissey, because at least he's a recognizable name with some admittedly solid solo albums under his belt. These guys? They fizzled out into complete obscurity after this album released and it's not even like they ended things on a high note. This album is just as mediocre as the other one they have on the list! Well, at least they removed both albums later on because the band didn't become legendary in 10 years time like the 1001 Albums guys wanted to. I guess I can try to be a little open-minded and not complain so much about this band's over-representation on this list, but it's not like Heroes to Zeroes is giving me much to work with. I feel like these guys are trying to be eclectic and varied, but they just don't have the songwriting chops to make songs that actually stand out from each other. Unless you're literally songwriting geniuses like Ween, I feel like it's probably better to stay in your lane for an album, you know? Build up those talents and then branch out, okay? I said that the music is okay, but the production on the album bugs me a little. One of the very few things that this album's Wikipedia article has to say is a quote from one of the band's main guys expressing disappointment over the band's own production job saying that they should've just let Nigel Godrich do all the work and I couldn't agree more. I will admit that I was kinda over-exaggerating my negativity towards the album early on in the album, but the album did eventually have moments that were genuinely annoying on songs like "Out-Side" so I don't think it's just me. At least the album's fairly short. Overall, The Beta Band are definitely one of the bands of all time. I don't really have much positivity to give them. They're horrible or anything. Their existence doesn't offend me in any way, but they're just so boring that I can't see a reason for them having an album on this list, let alone 2 of them. Speaking of 2, I'll be giving this album a 2/5. I do not plan on listening to this band again any time soon.

Not in my edition of the book! 2004. 1 star. Average band with no song writing talent produce album of instantly forgettable bland mush. Seriously, WTF thought this was an essential album to listen to?

next.

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.

Loved the fades and static in Liquid Bird, and Assessment was quality. Otherwise, not quite as entertaining as Hot Shots II.

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

Heroes to Zeros was… OK. Like Beta Band’s Hot Shots II, this album is similarly forgettable. This album might have even had less of an impression on me. I’ve heard worse and have heard way better. I just don’t know why it’s here!

This was an odd little album. Intriguing in parts, but overall fairly forgettable. My impression of this album is that it was definitely alternative in genre, but dabbled in multiple styles, not staying bound to any one sound. Still, I just wasn't all that impressed with this.

Heroes to Zeros has a very experimental, early-2000s feel, with a hazy, genre-blending sound. I can understand why it might not have achieved major commercial success, but its distinctive atmosphere makes it appealing in its own way.

I think this was was an okay listen, but it was boring and repetitive. The best song on the album was out-side. I think it had a dog barking in it and a telephone. A few other crazy stuff I did like the way they mix all sorts of weird shit together every song sounded like I'd already heard it before. It's a three from me.

Some really interesting stuff in this, but I feel it got a bit tiresome toward the end and ran out of new ideas.

Assessment

Pretty generic, but at least mildly entertaining

My familiarity with the Beta Band, like most Americans, is rooted in the "Drive The Rain" reference from High Fidelity and a resulting purchase of "The 3 EPs" albums. I generally liked that record, and prefer it to this one. There just seem to be fewer interesting ideas here to build around their indie inspired psychedelic folks. It feels like a band running out of steam. Listenable and occasionally interesting with a few highlights (Assessment, Wonderful), but on the whole completely inessential.

nicer than the name and cover art indicated but remained a bit pale

whole album pretty much sounds the same

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 mean…

Best Track - "Assessment"

Kind of forgettable. Pleasant enough indie psychedelic poppy experiments. Really great rhythm section, nice variety of sounds and textures. Nothing challenging, this album juuust flirts with boredom. Singer was pretty monotonous.

Some interesting sounds, but all the songs sound the same. All very flowy and legato.

Seeing today’s album and cover art, my first thought was “Oh, that’s that band on the SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD soundtrack.” After some rumination on the cinema of Edgar Wright, I realized it was the US movie HIGH FIDELITY where I’d first heard of The Beta Band. I assumed the band was a fictional creation. When I did get around to listening to them — probably THE THREE E.P.’S — all I recall is that I was unimpressed. “Maybe it was the best option [director Stephen] Frears had,” I thought at the time. “Definitely doesn’t strike me as a band Nick Hornby would use in this story.” So, what does a listen to their third album in 2026 reveal? The prog-rock vibe, vocals and harmonies on “Space” and “Lion Thief” bring to mind 1960s Pink Floyd. If not for the crisp production, this might be a lost soundtrack to an unfinished Antonioni film. There’s a lot to like about the music, especially the variety, and “Liquid Bird” is my favorite track. But I can’t get past the banal and uninspired lyrics throughout. Repeating lines like “She’s so wonderful”, “I love your way”, “I love you to pieces” and “I’m so glad you found me” four, eight, sixteen, 24 times is far from poetry. Sure, HEROES TO ZEROS’s musical atmosphere can be interesting at times, but a confessional line from “Space Beatle” sums it up: “What I’m saying has no meaning.”

Heroes to Zeros has a great album cover that instantly sets the mood, and the music follows suit—easy, enjoyable, and perfect as a background groove. Not a standout-heavy record, but consistently pleasant enough to land around a 3.2 for me.

I had never heard of this album or the band before listening, and I still feel like don’t understand either’s sound.

Kind pointless to also include this album when the much superior previous release is already in here. While not a bad album, it just doesn't deliver anything new or worthwhile that that album doesn't also, but better. If they really, really wanted to include another Beta Band record, they could have gone for their The Three EPs compilation instead. Not a proper album, I know, but that didn't stop them when it came to Miles Davis. Key tracks: Assessment

Inoffensively bad.

Altogether blah. Ambient but not interesting.

This was alright. I like the mixing a lot, but I kind of don't care about the songs themselves. I doubt I'll ever give it another thought, honestly.

I think with more listens I could really like this, but after an initial listen it was just okay.

Literally forgot the whole album after listening to it

A nice, forgettable album. It was pleasant but I now don't remember much.

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.

This was interesting to listen to. Very studio sound and kinda reminded me of video game music.

1/5

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

The artwork was not giving me much hope but I was pleasantly surprised. Listenable

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

Meh. I’m not really into The Beta Band.

interesting

not too shabby if I heard this in an Irish pub I would be giving 2.75/5

Its too slow and boring but its quite a cool album cover

lowkey not bad

Cool Album! Never heard of them before

Okay. I really like Wonderful. Some interesting stuff but a lot also not so interesting. Almost Ween-like in some songs like Liquid Bird. Not a bad album, just feel like I’ve heard most of it before (even though I haven’t).

I've heard of the Beta Band from John Cusack vehicle "High Fidelity" and have listened to them a bit because of it. They've never really interested me enough to continue. Some of it's good enough but nothing that really catches me. I'm sure this will repeat in my head again in the future.

Whole Lotta British nothing

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

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

Why am I listening to the third Beta Band record? (It was fine)

I really didn't get this album... It was all over the place and couldn't really follow it.

One huge amalgamation of meh. "As the loops of the fruits of the friendships that droop". How profound. "I'm dysmorphic in doses Imagine trying to Shit out Twelve red roses". How thorny. So that one's over.

Did I like it? More or less. There were some interesting bits, though it was all over the place. Easy was fun, but Wonderful was a skip. Bonus points for being Scottish.

Solid

come on

#863. The title is somewhat apt as any time I think it's about to get interesting, it just kind of falls flat instead. 2/5: meh

Sounds very much like the last time we ran into the Beta Band. Fine, a bit like Beck, kinda faded into the background.

Yeah, nah, another placeholder British album.

initial impression: for scottish dudes they're pretty easy to understand halfway through: no bangers yet, but no skips either. overall the songs are well done. 'Lion Thief' is my fav so far. final: Not bad, I don't know why its on this list but not bad. 'Out-Side' is going in the rotation.

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

this is some of the music of all time

3.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/the-beta-band/heroes-to-zeros/ It's nice and it's kinda up my alley, but it's also nothing really special. As for some other albums post-2000, I don't get the inclusion in this list (especially given some pretty prominent snubs).

The cover is cool.

Pretty sleepy. Why is there two instances of this band on this list?

Not their best album.

Forgettable. And probably mostly forgotten.

< the Beatles Can't say this did anything for me

Mega mega mega boring. Nothing more to say. I could fall asleep to this one. In a bad way dude. Not all that bad i guess but its milk toastness is so intense it hurts. There were like 2 funky bass sections that got me to slightly perk up but thats it. And even then it gets boring after a handful of seconds. This has nothing to do with the music but that album cover sucks too. It looks like that shitty invincible comic. Yuck. But its the music man. The painfully boring music

- 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.

Dude, I literally just had a British album nobody cares about yesterday! Do I really need another one today? And guess what, they're called the Beta Band! As if they KNOW they're hot garbage already! Now, for the actual album review; the album is exactly what you'd expect from a band called the Beta Band. It's vapid indie pop with very stupid lyrics and no real substance whatsoever. The vocals just kind of float along like the guy doesn't care, and the music doesn't move me. Even worse, lyrics are rapidly approaching Deep Purple territory with their stupidity- and if you've ever heard Deep Purple, you know that's saying a lot. So, boring garbage with bad lyrics and no involvement. Sounds like a shit sandwich to me. Or, more accurately, a Beta Band!

Still sound like a band of Betas, but better than their previous entry on this list.

Boring, standard early 00s rock. Had to laugh at the top review tho, as if an American boring standard early 00s rock band would be any better.

for a portion of this album they sounded weirdly like Elliott smith

I feel ~okay~ about this album. Nothing special that sticks out, but I marginally enjoyed it

Can appreciate it

enjoyable

[Already rated. Original Review:] Very pleasant listen. Nothing earth shattering here, but a cool record.

Nahhhh

Ok - it’s all a bit generic to my ears. Recording almost sounds like it’s from the 60s. Was stunned this was 2004. Was ok-ish, I guess. 2 and no idea why this is on the list tbh. Won’t be coming back again

Interesting...may require a few more listens but think I'm into it

Beta Band er ålræit. Litt mangel på minneverdige låter her.

Some pretty sounding parts but mostly I don't really want to listen to this again.

Occasionally interesting, but not particularly memorable. Sounds a bit like an amateurish Blur tribute. The only other thing I’ve heard from this band is the Three EPs, which I enjoyed much more.

Really liked it actually

Bad artwork. Alright album. Whole lotta gray nothing

Don't get me wrong, I like the Beta Band. They're quirky, a bit different, you know it's them with the hodge podge of styles thrown at a wall. It's fun. However, they really should only have one album on this list - I think some people could argue if they should have any at all as they never really made any impact when they were around or after. Best Tracks: Assessment; Easy; Out-Side

awesome! hadn't heard em before.

Listenable, not much else to say

Kinda reminded me of Beck but more boring

This shouldn't even appear on the list of 1,001 Beta Band albums to listen to before you die.

5/10

Found it boring

Я все розумію, тяглість психоделії, упорядники люблять цей жанр. Сам альбом просто ніякий, нецікавий, погано постарішав. Чергова загадка із серії "чому це тут?"

Певні моменти наче й непогані, але загалом якось meh

"Lion Thief" and "Wonderful" were catchy and a bit ethereal. That was a nice respite from the tone/pace of other tracks. "Out-side" had a really nice groove. The rest was okay, but nothing memorable.

Some decent tracks

Okay one time listen. Quickly forgettable. Apt title.

Full disclosure. I listened to maybe half this, Liked it a lot, and got sidetracked. I do not want to say I "did not listen" because I earnestly did start to. I think I would like to spend more time, not only on this album but on the Beta Band more properly, as they seem to be very interesting to my musical tastes. For now, the sake of this 1001 album generator thing I will give them a solid three stars: but on a positive note, that is subject to change.

Is everything going to be this boring? It wasn’t awful, but not great either.

I am only giving this a 2 as it is not my type of music. It was produced well and had some soothing vocals. It is just not music I would listen to again.

most of this just sounded like a band going out of their way to copy beck’s sound. and if i wanted to listen to beck, i would play a beck album.

***a good, easy listening album

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

Fairly midling unoffensive indie. Didn't hate it, will probably be fine never listening to it again.

the idea that the Beta Band somehow produced two albums you Must Listen To Before You Die is just laughable. i certainly didn't like Hot Shots II, but it had a lot more merit than this generic, homogeneous pile of slop. yawn, next

Mediocre

Singer has a good voice but music feels a bit throwaway at times

I did not finish it, I listened to half the album but wasn't really pulled in. I didn't necessarily dislike it, I just didn't enjoy it either.

I like the Beta Band. Not sure why this is the album that made the list (maybe there's another?) but I'd listen to it again.

Nothing bad about this album, its just not my music

I like it and it has some really good songs. Don't quite know how them having two albums is justified though

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

nice safe sound a bit primal scream in places ...not a bad thing

pretty interesting sounded like coldplay at fist lol

I went into this expecting something far blander than what I got. Based on the reputation and some of the commentary around it, I assumed this would be forgettable, vanilla Brit pop. It isn’t that. There’s actually a fair amount of variety here, and the band clearly isn’t just phoning it in or chasing an obvious formula. That said, it still doesn’t fully land for me. I appreciate the textures and the way the album shifts moods, but it rarely pulls me in emotionally. It feels clever and carefully constructed, sometimes to its own detriment. I can admire the craft without feeling much urgency to revisit it. What surprised me most is that there’s more good here than I expected, even if there’s not much I truly love. This sits firmly in the “better than advertised” category for me: not essential, not something I’ll reach for again, but far from the dull misfire I was led to expect.

This is #day534 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I have no idea why on earth you'd have to hear this before you die. Wait, there's one more album on the list? Why am I not surprised any longer? This is a low 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day535.

Interesting indi rock. Sounds like influenced from a couple different places but never completely sounded like someone else.

Too much of everything

I have never heard of this band nor album before. The only name involved in this that I recognized was Nigel Goodrich (who mixed this album) - I have seen his name involved with Radiohead, U2, Beck and other artists I love. I listened to this 3 times in a row. I occasionally find it is reminiscent of artists such as Blur, Gorillaz, Beck, Flaming Lips, and somewhat The Beatles and The Kinks - all of whom I like - not an exact copy or anything but definitely similarities in certain instances. It started growing on me after the 2nd listen and I started liking a bunch of the songs. In particular I really like the 6 song stretch in the middle from "Wonderful" to "Liquid Bird" + "Assessment" and "Pure For". So now I am curious to listen to their other stuff - some of which has many more streams on Spotify. Liked songs on Spotify: 8/12 Rating: 3/5

That turns out not to be a concept album / children's TV series ost

Weird pick, just not a lot going on.

5% Beck 5% Flaming Lips 5% Radiohead 5% Elbow 5% Blur 5% Super Furry Animals 70% tap water (room temperature) 30% of things I like… out of 5 stars so erm… 2 stars I guess?

Meh. Any of these records that only appear in one edition of the 1001 and are newer i.e. post 2000 are typically not all that interesting. I guess I'll give it a three in the spirit of my other ratings, as I tend to not get mean when something is just meh, but I could see giving it a two.

I remember these boys getting a lot of hype in the press at the time - that odd time in rock music when you didn't know where the fickle winds of popularity would fall, coming after Nu-Metal and Pop Punk, and before the dreary onslaught of crappy US and UK 'The' bands. And yet, I don't think I ever actually heard any music by this lot. These guys were never going to be the next big thing. They're too weird for a start - not mainstream enough. But they have that quirky quality which will ensure they remain a cult band. There's a lot of good stuff here, songs are varied - even if they do suffer from 'which instrument haven't we tried yet' syndrome. As varied as the songs may be, there's a sense of dullness and repetition within them. Maybe it's the fact that the singer sounds like knock-off Chris Martin, maybe the fact that quirkiness only goes so far, or maybe that this type of music knows no levels - it never goes hard, it never has edge, it never withdraws - there's a definite sense of sameness.

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

Hardly realised I had it on

I think they should rename the band to “The Meh-ta Band”.

Great band! Mostly liked their other albums though

What the hell was this? Why is it on the list? I try to keep an open mind but like when you get to the track with the dogs barking on beat it becomes impossible to take this seriously.

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.

It felt very generic in parts and very interesting in other. right down the middle of the road again with this one

Not bad, but I really only need the Three EP's compilation from this band

I'm very surprised by this one, i expected to hate it!

It isn't bad, but it certainly isn't good neither. In fact, I already forgot everything!

very surreal album

Last time I had listened to Hot Shots II, I absolutely hated it. So seeing this band had ANOTHER album in the list quite shocked me. Turns out it's a fucking masterpiece. Everything came together for The Beta Band here, so what do they do? Break up for 20 years

Meh, two last songs are ok

I enjoyed listening to this, just a good listen overall, good band.

Wild album. Lots of different vibes. It's hit and miss song to song for me.

Trippy psych jangle with a nostalgic 60s feel, woozy shoegaze atmosphere, a touch of electronica production, some Bittersweet Symphony style string bombast. Perfectly nice, very well made stuff that's pleasant enough to have on - hazy and dreamy in an upbeat lifting way - but doesn't leave much of a mark.

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

Hmmm. Maybe I am setting the bar too high, but this is meant to be a best albums ever list. I enjoy early Beta Band, I think I had lost interest in them by the time this record came out. I'm surprised it is on the list to be honest.

After The Three EPs, I was disappointed by each subsequent “proper” albums they released. The sound was still there, but the magic seemed reduced and elements of what defined their greatness had become a bit irritating. I never even made it as far as this one, but have since picked up a bargain CD. It’s not a revelation, but to be fair, it is probably my favourite of their actual albums when I expected it to be the worst.

3.8

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 felt like this was exceptionally boring.

It was okay but it is understandable why this is a relatively unknown and obsolete band.

Idk by that one jamiroquai song plays in my head everytime i see "hero to zero"

I liked it in parts. Sounded like a slightly more listenable Elbow album

Meh. A 3.

Could’ve not listened to this before I die

Fine

Not terrible but wouldn't listen again.

Only aware of Beta Band thanks to High Fidelity. What an album! I was really surprised at the range. I would have thought they were more sad acoustic and preppy. 4.5/5. Knocking off half a star for a few dull moments.

Straight up bland British tripe.

Blur on valium.

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.

This is a total nothing burger. You listen to the whole album and completely forget it in the time it takes to open the app and review it. Can the editor just please mark his personal favorites or make an honorable mention list? Is it that hard to come up with 1,001 albums?

No Heroes, Just Zeros 2 ⭐️

All boring british punk bands from this point on are getting a 1 star deduction

This one was hard to listen to. It’s not bad but it never hit. It’s a whole album devoid of hooks. I can hear influences from every popular genre, but there’s no pay off, the whole album I was waiting for it to get to the point.

My 2nd Beta Band album. I really like the vocals and the styles jump around but are all pretty solid. Now for the elephant in the room, this band has two albums on the list. I've stated before that if an album gets on here instead of some of your favorites maybe your listening taste is shite. I can quick name a few dozens albums that should be on here instead of this, so the question is, are my listening tastes shite? My wife says yes.

Boring and mediocre.

Good effort. Can't wait for the release version

Not nuh to say. Meh

Scott pilgrim vs the world vibes Yay they have accents Mellow I liked assessment Space is horrible it kind of feels like I’m in space and i don’t like that Lion thief is good nice harmonies I like the beat nice Funky Easy is quite funky nice bassline I feel like getting into some mischief Wonderful: I have mixed feelings. It’s good but also bad but I like the random scales and the vocalizing nice bridge ok enough with the random scales Troubles: I don’t like it very much but good message nice little guitar interludes Out-side: YES finally some more upbeat stuff the singers voice is perfect for this type of music this is okay ok it’s getting slower. Cool vocal echo effects Space beatle: I’m not sure about this one thanks for loving me to pieces Rhododendron: okay synth! Is that a xylophone… and an organ do I hear? Liquid bird: amazing intro riff. Nice use of dynamics. Nice harmonies. This is a cool riff. Simple: it’s alright. The chorus doesn’t match the rest of the song. Pure for: no This band sure does love their lyrical repetition. Every song sounded virtually the same. The only songs where I really thought the singers voice was best and the guitar part also made sense was when the tempo was faster and the guitar had distortion. I don’t understand their use of random instruments in a lot of the songs. They also made no sense. I give this album a 4/10

Wonderful & space beatle!!! Very repetitive

Don't really want to rate it one star but I would never listen to this one again.

Not bad

Very pleasant listen. Nothing earth shattering here, but a cool record.

👌👌👌

A nice cruisy Saturday afternoon in the sun with a cold drink. Pleasant and unobtrusive.

smbeh

nothing really exceptional listenable songs space has some pretty instrumentals easy has some fun ones the harmonies on wonderful need some work but otherwise a lovely song space beatle is nice rhododendron is a calm little interlude liquid bird is probably my fav off this, I like how the guitar and drums sound on this pure for a is a good closer

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

Great production, pretty good but samey tracks. Favourite tracks: Lion Thief, dunno...

Low 3, pretty basic overall but had some interesting sounds in-between

Solid if unspectacular album. Some good melodies but I wanted it to elevate/change. This is a good mellow album for background reading. Top tracks: "Assessment," "Lion Thief"

Final thoughts: I'd give this a 3.5 if I could. This is good pop album with enough experimentation to keep things interesting throughout, but it lacks a true blue banger. The Three EPs show off this band's talents a little better but I guess it's not eligible for the 1001 because it's a compilation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --Assessment...I like the guitars --Space...a scifi bop --Lion Thief...really dig the way these guys record their vocals. love the dreamy breakdown in the middle --Easy...odd but fun and funky number --Wonderful...starts out of tune. stays that way but it works somehow? --Troubles...pleasant --Out-Side...now for a little rock --Space Beatle...next time a little more Beatle, a little less space --Rhododendron...sounds like christmas --Liquid Bird...lots of things going on. most of it is compelling. these guys definitely are trying things --Simple...I may be a slut for Nigel Godrich --Pure For...sleepy closer

The cover is the most interesting thing about this album. Some neat ideas and instrumentation, but absolutely not deserving of being on this list.

I remember really liking the 1998 3 EP's album It even featured in the movie High Fidelity! Honestly, I thought they broke up after that Listening to Heroes, it does not live up to the potential of that earlier collection Pass

Not as good as the Three E.P.'s but I still like quite a few songs on here. Favorite track: Assessment

Incredibly dull... 1.5/5

Nice but unremarkable

Didn't know anything about them but not bad

Very boring

Equal measures of LCD-esque hipster shit and lush orchestral tracks. I want to say that this is a genre hopping album of millennial optimism but usually it comes off as mild white guy stuff.

Pretty cool and unique

2.5/5

Another great album and tunes, new to me, thx!

This is fun Easy Neo psychedelia A little of blur maybe Some weird fun guitar effect in out-side Some boring songs, the last one wasn't too memorable This was okay

Really enjoyed every song

yawn.

Had high hopes after they were name-checked in High Fidelity, but this was a stinker

Was excited to listen to this album. Was very disappointed. It sounds like Pink Floyd meets Beck meets Ween (without the humor). All of the songs except one seemed like sketches of song ideas that had no hooks and no cohesive idea. It sounded like demos of ideas for an album. Maybe I'm missing the point.

4.5, really really good just missing that wow factor

Not bad. Honest straightforward rock with a dash of electronica here and there. Vocals are understated and a bit underwhelming, but the beats keep the songs rolling.

Some tracks were ok but a bit boring overall.

I’ll start with…..this is not what I expected. I expected more Bella Fleck and less electro pop Beatles. I’m trying to figure out why I know of these guys. I don’t hear anything familiar. I guess that says a lot about their reach. If I’m familiar but not familiar with them, that’s a form of Star power because I am a person who keeps my finger on the pulse of coolness via music. Not that these guys are great. Don’t be fooled. This is an so so album with upside. I found myself thinking that I do not like a specific song yet I kept listening as it had just enough that kept me moving on. I’m not impressed . I’m not a new fan. I approve of this though. That’s ok for you to listen. Trust me

non eventful Will I listen to again: 0%

A gateway to the 2000s post-punk revival.

Pretty uninspiring electro indie that was best left in 2004

Kind of the annoying jangly side of early 00s indie

As someone who read the NME and Select in the late 1990s/early 2000s, it always felt like the music critics were willing The Beta Band to be better than they actually were. This album re-enforced that - I quite liked it, but I'm not sure I'd listen to it again.

Decent album

Regular early 2000s rock album. Some tracks stand out, but the best thing about this record is that it reminded me of how good "Dry the Rain" is (and it is not even on this album).

Jazz is Jazz. Can only listen for so long. Enjoyed it though.

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

Hypnotic. Find groove, repeat. Fun at first, but a whole album? Becomes a little, well, hypnotic. At their best, in small doses, really interesting (and I really liked Dry The Rain and some other earlier stuff).

This completely passed me by. I had no idea even that the album had finished because the impression was minimal. It’s not that I didn’t”t like it, it’s that it was like eating air.

I first learned of the beta band when their music was in the movie high Fidelity. I really like their vibe, and they’re probably more of a 3.5 but not quite a four.

Pleasant enough. The most entertaining thing may be their bio. By their own account, they may just be the most important development in music since the invention of the guitar string.

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.

The sound drifts around the room effortlessly. It’s perfect for staring at the ceiling or walking nowhere in particular. It never asks too much, which is actually really nice. It’s not something I’d blast at a party, but it’s great for focusing or zoning out. It’s solid, middle-of-the-road indie rock. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Assessment - Troubles - Simple

The album cover is excellent. This album was nice and variety of sound but a bit too middle of the road for me to say anything really about it. The highlights were liquid bird and out-side. Nice but lacked a bit of something

Two Beta Band albums feels excessive for this list. The last one was their seminal one, this is ok but doesn’t add anything new? Maybe it’s just for the cover

British, throw it on the pile

There is no rational justification for including this album. But the fact that this band has not one, but TWO, albums on this list is just absurd.

The album art was much more interesting than the album itself. It seems like they tried to do more things than they were good at.

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.

Derived from many bands and it shows: the Doors, Sneaker Pimps, etc.

Didn't expect a blend of trip-hop with a few rock elements in this album, it was soft and nice to listen to. Will listen to it more often.

This is very meh to me. On top of that, I feel like the electronic sounds are going to date this album pretty badly in the coming decades.

Yeah this sucked.

Não sei direito o que dizer desse álbum. Realmente me cansou uma surpresa. Mas as faixas pareciam...perdidas? Pareciam que ritmos diferentes foram misturas ao ponto de criar algo que soe sonoramente aceitável. Como uma explosão em um laboratório, misturado açúcar, sal, sazon e tudo que há de bom, algo sai. Se é bom ou não, depende muito do paladar. Mas o que fazer quando todo o resultado parece uma bagunça? As vezes, pode funcionar. Mas nesse caso, cada faixa parece estranhamente estruturada. Não de um jeito criativo ou ousado, mas como uma completa bagunça. E não é que o álbum não tenha identidade. Ele tem em excesso. Sua identidade só, para mim, é algo que não consigo apreciar. Faixa favorita: Easy

Have never heard of this band, but they give me 80s vibes a little bit and I like them. Another good find through 1001 Albums Generator!

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 had a good time with this album but I have to question if this really deserves a spot on a list that's supposed to be 1000 of the best of all time. I think this one could grow on me if I listened to it more, or if I got into the band when I was younger

there's a band called The Hunger. they had one real hit ("Vanishing Cream") and only one CD I ever spent any real time with (Devil Thumbs a Ride). they aren't what I'd call essential listening and I wouldn't think of them right away for my favorite music, but I've got a fondness for that album that is maybe disproportionate to its actual impact. these are honestly some of my favorite kinds of bands. That's what this album feels like. I like it! it's neat! I do not understand why the beta band has two albums on this list.

Didn't gel with me, I can see it may have had an influence on other bands coming through but there was something missing to make me interested.

Pretty good but nothing too special. Horrendous album cover

5/10 Favourite: Assessment Least Favourite: Wonderful

Meh. Nothing to write home about, one or two songs that stood out but the majority merged into one amalgamation of meh. Most songs follow the same slow, drony style. Meh. 1.5/5

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 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.

pleasant

Is anyone representing the zeros more than Alexander Isak at the moment? For 600 million, he really has been dog shit. How about his 300 millon teammate Timo? He's at least ran around a bit though.

Liked it.

Alright album, it wasn't too bad having it in the background, but there were some songs that were very meh.

Unfocused mess. Production and sound fluctuates so much between okay at best and muddled and confused at worst. Songs that go nowhere and a vocals that are sometimes drowning in reverb or other effects to muddle it to the point of mumbling.

Album 964 of 1089 The Beta Band - Heroes to Zeros (2004) Rating : 2 / 5 Some days the album generator hands me something that sparks a fire… and some days it hands me The Beta Band’s Heroes to Zeros. Nothing terrible here just one of those listens that floats by without really taking hold. Compared to a lot of the electronica-leaning albums I’ve heard in this project, this one at least has more structure and a bit more songcraft, but even with that, nothing really stuck with me or made me perk up. It’s pleasant enough background music, the kind you let run while you do other things, but it doesn’t leave a footprint once it’s over. A fair way to pass some time, but not much more than that.

Hold on. Am I . . . am I about to give a 5 to an album that I've never heard before? I'd heard of The Beta Band, but I had no idea what they sounded like. For starters, I love it when an album sounds nothing like what the cover makes you think it's gonna sound like. So maybe I'll justify the 5 by saying I'm rounding up for that. There's so much to like here. Some elements hint at other bands I love, but nothing is overly derivative. And there are easily accessible sounds and melodies that would get annoying if they were the basis for an entire album, but they mix it up enough so that's not a problem. And despite the "mixing up," they still manage to maintain cohesion. I think this might be a really great album. I'll have to keep it in my rotation and find out.

I like the Beta Band. Interesting songs, lots of variety, etc. This album tracks.

I wanted to hate this album after reading their Spotify “about the artist” narrative. It was so self-congratulatory, it was Trumpian. It starts off, “Arguably one of the most acclaimed and loved bands of the time,” and it goes downhill from there. I was familiar with Dry the Rain, which is great, but not a lot else. The first time through, I thought it was fine but it didn’t really grab me. I liked it better the second time and appreciate the range of sounds and influences. They are mostly atmospheric indie pop but sometimes head directly into the party and occasionally even get funky.

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.

3/5 - I liked this well enough. Probably would have been a better listen with headphones to hear all the sounds. Felt like middle of the road british indie music. Essential? Not really.

Better than I thought it was going to be based on the reviews. Don't think that was a high bar. Feels very forgettable, but that means that (one song's intro excluded) it was also v inoffensive. Some interesting things here ! Songs added to playlist: - Assessment - Easy - Out-Side

Ok

Totally fine. 3/5 Pleasant, but nothing spectacular or necessary.

Big fan of the album cover but that’s it really…

just ok i think

I got this album when it came out. I didn't think much of it then either.