Heroes to Zeros

Throw it on the “bands that don’t need multiple albums on the list” pile (2.5/5)

6/10

This was boring. Production was bad. One song sounded like the beginning bass line to sweet child of mine. Not bad. Not good. Already forgot a huge majority of what I listened to.

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.

Joa

Favorite Track: Easy

Odd fun album. I feel like this band was somehow familiar but had slipped from memory. A decent amount of variety in the arrangement and an interesting slant on folk and rock.

Pleasant and enjoyable, weird energy vibe

Eh

Tuneless and dreary

Gets better as it goes

Interesting and different, sounds timeless. Just didn't stick with me

I did not like this album at all. Bright spots: the groove in 'Easy' and the occasional harmonica. Maybe if I was on acid this album would grow on me. The scene I pictured throughout my listening was of a black and white episode of MST3k where this band is playing in the background of a beatnik bar while bikers talk about their feelings and an actress turned down for the role of Catwoman dances awkwardly.

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

I can't remember any of the lyrics, is that a bad sign? I enjoyed the album as background while cleaning. Very Beatles influenced.

There's a mood where this is what I want to listen to, but it doesn't strike me often

Man, I like a lot of what's going on in this album, but I don't love any of it, and I find a lot of the vocals annoying. It was an interesting one, and not unpleasant, but I'll be honest, I have *no idea* what it's doing on this list.

This is a band doing a lot of things I really like, they're just not doing them super well. The music is varied, groovy, and playful. They've got some punk, some psychedelic rock, some jam band swing, they remind me of Cake, they try a lot of stuff! Unfortunately, I agree with the band themselves that they really shouldn't have produced this album themselves, it's... not great. And all the ambition and experimentation never jells for more than half a song at most. They're let down by the vocals and sometimes the music just wanders off. They're getting a lot of leeway from me because I love to see so much musical variety, but ultimately, it's mid, I'm rounding up a 2.5 here. The cover is cute and well done, that's a 4/5.

Bargain bin bad Britpop

I liked this album fine. There wasn’t anything particularly mind blowing about it and the songs aren’t very memorable. Overall, I felt kind of meh about it and I probably wouldn’t give it another listen in the future.

Började helt ok men som vanligt blev jag uttråkad..

8/10

More landfill indie.

A very charming, quirky album. I thought I'd tire of it as the album went along. I actually liked it more as it got toward the end. Came very close to a 4 star rating for me.

Meh....

Really enjoyed it and great guitars!

the whimsical album

Pretty good, maybe a 4 but a solid 3 for now

Just like nearly every other American music nerd of a certain age, the Beta Band will likely never fully escape the scene from High Fidelity where Rob says he'll sell five copies of the Beta Band album as he proceeds to drop the needle on "Dry the Rain." And like half of those viewers, I forgot about them shortly afterwards — it's as if they went from Heroes to Zeros then and there. Maybe the band felt that moment as a plunging momentum and they couldn't help but give it a name later when they were putting this record together. They always seemed uncomfortable with the spotlight and that their best defense was self-deprecation and trivialization. So what does it mean to say this album does not disappoint?

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.

7.5

What if plain yogurt was an album? Look no further.

Was this painful to listen to? No, so it rises above a 1. Would I ever want to hear it again? No, so it rises no higher than a 2. I found this to be dull, bland and forgettable.

Not my heroes.

Ind af det ene øre, ud af det andet. Total glemt i dag

Not an unpleasant mix of electronics and rock but nothing particularly stood out for me

I enjoyed this, great underrated band

I liked Hot Shots II that I got earlier in this project, but this one doesn't strike me nearly as well. It's...fine? Multiple Beta Band albums that I need to hear before I die probably isn't true. It starts off strong with Assessment, goes into the very Beck-sounding Space, but fades away after 4-5 tracks into ambiguity and becomes pretty repetitive as you go through the 2nd half. That said, still a pleasant sound throughout.

Good music to have on in the background or whilst focusing. Not overly catchy or interesting but fairly melodic.

Enjoyable indie, never heard of them

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 :)

It could be that I've got a headache and feel a bit under the weather at the time of listening to this, but I did not care for this album at all. It's not that anything I listened to was bad, I was just bored the whole way through. The album failed to grab me at any point. Where as with albums like Nowhere I was able to put it on in the background and enjoy; I found my self clock watching all 12 songs. I'd probably partially blame this on the album art for setting me up to believe I'd be listening to something more energetic. I'd give it a 2.5/5 but I'm going to round down. It may be better if I gave it another go another day but I don't feel like I will atm

By 2004 the enlarged and overly-scoped umbrella category of “alt rock” or hell even just alternative was so saturated with better, more interesting talent that I am struggling to understand why this album made the cut. Granted, I hadn’t even heard of this band before, so maybe it makes the list as a way of showcasing who was doing what in various decades that time or more notable names may have overshadowed; that being the case, that’s fine. But I literally almost fell asleep listening to this album. I just can’t find anything to really like that other groups in this same window did better, sorry to say.

This one surprised me. Not being familiar with the artist at all and going off the album cover alone, I was expecting something like I Fight Dragons, which I thoroughly enjoy. That's not what this was and that's okay. I had a great time listening to this and will for sure listen to it again in the future.

This album was very strange for me. I don't have a ton of knowledge on the subject of music theory, but if there is a concept of musical edging, this album edged the shit out of me. My lizard brain would activate at least once per song and say "oh here it is, this is the stuff you like," only to divert into a sound that I did not enjoy. Naturally, this made for an unpleasant listening experience. On a related note, I listened to this album via a Youtube playlist from an account with dozens of other full album playlists. About halfway through listening, I discovered that this account had inserted some sort of AI sleeper cell activation video from an Indonesian rock band in the middle of every single one of their album playlists. The video has millions of views and hundreds of comments from bots talking about crypto and stock tips, and it does not contain any information that is comprehensible for the human mind. After listening to some of it, I went back to the album, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had taken the Blue Pill but hadn't been mind-wiped about the existence of the Matrix, which feels like a clear violation of the canon. All of these factors combined lead me to believe that I experienced some sort of psychotic break as a result of watching that video, and as such I have no choice but to give this album 1.5 stars.

It's pretty great that you can hear how Scottish these guys are during each track. I'm also a sucker for album art that is made by comic book artists -- Kaare Andrews is a legend. Never heard these guys before (to my knowledge), but I mostly dig their sound. It didn't hold my attention throughout, unfortunately. Certainly an album that came out in 2004.

Pretty boring. Not sure how this was influential?

I liked this well enough. "Must hear before you die" feels like a stretch but it is a good album.

Hey, this was pretty solid. A good ‘ol 4-piece band making some unique stuff by reaching out to experimental sounds that break the mold. But not so left-field that it becomes inaccessible. The album cover had me afraid this was going to be some corny pop-punk record but was pleasantly surprised!

This album is so poorly produced?? Just sounds wet

8/10 Очень спокойная вайбовая но легко под нее заснуть

Imagine a list of 1001 albums you must hear before you die containing two albums out of the only three made by a band that shot their shot and couldn’t make it.

Highlight Song/s: Easy Didn't like the previous album I got from them (Hot Shots II,) THIS one however improves on the album before it. I really like the emphasises on atmosphere and dance elements on the album. Liquid Bird had me thinking my headphones were bugging out. Not cool man, not cool... I'm still not sold on this band even if they did improve. Instead of a 2 it will get a 3 instead.

It’s been a while

It's possible that my stereo system has malfunctioned but it's much more likely that this album is just terrible.

It was okay.

More boring 2000s psychedelia pastiche. What else should I have expected from this book when they handed me a band from the 2000s that no one ever talks about any more?

I reviewed Beta Band’s Hot Shots II a while ago, but I don’t remember much about it. My review said that it was fine, and I gave it three stars, so I’m expecting more of the same on Heroes to Zeros. This is an interesting album cover though, and quite an artistic departure from Hot Shots II. I wonder if the music will follow suit. Like Hot Shots II, Heroes to Zeros was fine. It was entertaining enough to listen to, but I’d react to songs with a ‘meh’ or ‘oh, that’s kinda nice.’ The opening track, “Assessment,” reminded me a lot of U2. Granted, I just reviewed Achtung Baby yesterday, so maybe it’s recency bias making me think that. The guitar playing on “Assessment” was pretty good, and I liked the horns at the end. “Lion Thief” was good too, and I liked how the gentle guitar tone was supplemented by some darker sounds. The drumming on “Lion Thief” was particularly good, as were the rhythms as a whole. “Out-Side” was the first track that really snagged my attention. The main guitar riff was really good, and the added effects were really good too. “Space Beatle” was good too, and I liked how it started off with a really chill sound before adding some really beautiful layered melodies. “Liquid Bird” was probably my favorite song on the album though. The sampling of Siouxsie and the Banshees was great, and I loved the darker tone and pounding drums and bass. Even though this album had some good songs on it, it’s one of those albums that I forget about as soon as I shut it off. The Beta Band has a unique sound, but to me, they never really don’t really leveraged their strengths much on this album.

Was okayish, didn't listen to it, I don't like the title honestly

This was okay. It had a strong start and tapered off towards the end of me. Not super memorable, unfortunately.

Sometimes I Can Be Up Like This 1001 Albums Generator 141 (10/16/2025) I have never heard of this band or album before, but it definitely fits on this list. That isn't to say that it is truly one of 1001 albums that must be heard before one passes, but rather that the Robert Dimery team would certainly choose this album for such a list. It's not bad, but I felt no draw towards it either. It is kind of strange in some ways, but also feels very run of the mill in other ways. At the very least, Heroes to Zeros is an interesting listen in many ways, as can be seen even in the eclecticism of the first four tracks, which run the gamut from alt rock to funk-inspired trip hop to the almost folky psychedelia of Lion Thief to finally the upbeat funk/folk of Easy, which is one of the finest moments here. The album continues in this vain, constantly switching styles, but I think this lack of a central sound is to its detriment. The more rock-oriented songs, such as Out-Side, were quite good, but a lot of the softer and more psychedelic moments throughout the tracklist were misguided. The middle of this album is especially wrought with these ideas that just kind of go nowhere. This does not feel like a necessary album for the list, but it's not the worst thing here either. I don't see myself coming back to it, but there are a couple songs I genuinely enjoy a lot. Feels like a 2.5/5 to me, rounded down to a 2. Favs: Assessment Easy Out-Side Least Fav: Troubles

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: I'll be honest. I did not expect to see a second The Beta Band album on the List... I mean... man, I hope to hear some other bands that have yet to come up. Grateful Dead, Modest Mouse, Notorious BIG, Portugal. The Man, Thievery Corporation, ODESZA, Rage Against the Machine, Run The Jewels, Audioslave... If The Beta Band can get two albums, these bands have to be able to get at least one on the List, right? RIGHT!? The music is mediocre. Its average. For the sake of staying objective, I went back and listened to Hot Shots II. Both of these albums hit the level of "oh, this might be interesting..." and then sort of never really rise to the occasion. The music just sort of exists. Before embarking on this journey, I had never heard of The Beta Band, and I had practically forgotten them until their second album (on the List) came up. That's probably what will happen again. Because there's nothing wildly disappointing and it doesn't make me want to pull my hair out, a 3.

2000s rock. Electronic elements. Not very exciting.

This was a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed this album. Tracks like Liquid Bird and Outside are standouts. Well produced.

This was fine but forgettable. I listened to the whole thing and can’t remember a single song

I love Assessment and have always thought of it as a great lost rock song The rest is patchy Like it more than hot shots II but it is still light years away from the 3 EPs

2 because I don’t remember a thing about it

Wasn't my cup of tea

Love this band

boring

Certainly has a sense of the carnivalesque about it, doesn’t it? This is the way to design and deliver psychedelia in post-modern times, in the 21st-century. Fun and enjoyable and likably weird and more than little interesting. What else does one want in a rock record? No way this shoulda been exed. Another band one didn't appreciate enough in real time and one's glad to be reminded of now via this exercise.

Listening to this felt like an exercise in endurance; by the end, it seemed as though I had outlasted the band itself. The performances come across as listless and detached, even bored at times, and while some tracks try to build momentum, only “Liquid Bird” generates enough juice to lift the band out of the doldrums. The last two tracks—“Simple” and “Pure For”—slide into repetition, like they're totally out of gas. Disconnected and uninspiring.

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

¿Está portada de mierda qué coño es?¿Qué edad tenemos ahora? No sé, me abruma un poco este disco. Está entre el rock y un sonido de tragaperras. No me dijo absolutamente nada.

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.

It's okay - not gonna lie only got halfway through and had other stuff to listen to

Wow, I was just talking about Souxie and the Banshees today (album features samples from her). I’ve also been talking a lot about the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. So much so that it has become the phenomenon. Ok, let me listen to the album. Yes, it's a high 3, for sure. Some crazy electronic/guitar riffs. Honestly, this could have been a 4 if it weren't following a long string of 4 predecessors.

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

kinda boring, didn't make it to the end but i don't plan to finish

Kinda a nothing album for me. There wasn't a song that really stood out. Sickass album cover though.

I wouldn’t call this a bad album, but I can’t imagine ever revisiting it. It’s perfectly fine while it’s on, yet leaves no real reason to come back.

This is really fun! But is it is a “NEED TO LISTEN TO THIS BEFORE YOU DIE?” Don’t think so.

Pretty decent fun

#631 Also nur noch 370 Post-Punk-Alternative-Grunge-Britpop-Rock-Alben vor mir. Na das ist ja nur noch ein ein Jahr *seufz

Man, I love the Beta Band more than most, and this is a decent record, but I bet even they themselves wouldn't put it near an all time top 1k

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

*checks where the Beta Band is from* *sees that they’re from the UK* ah, now i see how they got 2 placements on this list

Des moments Radiohead, et des moments un peu meilleurs.

★★½

Lo-fi Beatles wannabe sound. Didn't grab me.

I concur with the consensus here. There are plenty of musical elements that are interesting in this album but the overall effect is oddly boring? I think it's the vocals.

ok

Well. It’s interesting. U can say that. Can’t say I enjoyed it too much but definitely didn’t hate it. I like to think I have an established rating system so while I won’t ever come back to a single song on this album, it’s not the worst.

Points for being unique

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

just ok

Some of this is somewhat interesting and I certainly respect their creativity. At the end of the day, however, there is too little here that is compellingly melodic or lyrical.

Kjedelig.

The album was okay. No issues, just not overly interesting. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again

Really enjoyed this one. I've known of them for a while, since watching High Fidelty like 15 years ago, but have only really listened to the 3 EPs (and Squares). Lots of interesting styles on here, combined in a very listenable, laid back way.

own

Didn't leave anything after listening to it.

Pretty uninspiring, but wasn't unpleasant

Didn't really care about anything here

No está mal, pero es rara la obsesión de esta publicación con The Beta Band

Not for me.

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.

I think the title says it best.

I just don’t think they’re a band that deserves 1001 status. Not bad and the other album is more deserving but this eh. 3/5

Somehow I crossed paths with Dry the Rain a long time ago and have always loved it. I wish I loved this album the same way, but who knows, maybe it’ll grow on me.

Might have to be British to get this? I mean, it's fine, but this changes my life not at all.

This album is... boring but with some interesting tracks. It has a kind of bland rock I don't end up liking, and the electronic incursions are not that well delivered at times. However, it has some songs that are not that bad, though, but most of it is uninteresting. This album is just not really of my liking.

OK, a little unusual at times, especially their videos. Not bad, but don't really hook me

Good album

Ovo im je najbezvezniji album ali ova navika britanskih bendova da pjevaju harmonije preko sunčano depresivnih instrumentala u meni uvik ima plus

I really enjoyed this band! Never heard them before but thought the album was good from beginning to end

Was ok, a couple of strong tracks but overall a little non descript.

Age of aquarius

never heard of but pretty good

Abandoné por un par de días este coso. Pasó lo siguiente: este disco no lo tengo muy escuchado (le tengo cariño a The Three EPs pero no me enganché mucho con lo demás que hizo la banda) y PASARON cosas: el miércoles estuvo el cierre de campaña en Buenos Aires de LLA, haciendo un acto en el que fue muy poca gente y fue muy divertido burlarse de ellos (noche twittera) y el jueves salió SILKSONG. Todo bien con el 1001 albums generator, pero un hombre tiene necesidades, amirite? En fin, Heroes to Zeros está bien pero es un poco decepcionante. Es The Beta Band intentando llegar al mainstream. Nunca entendí porque, porque creo que ya habían decidido separarse después de este disco. Y es un problema un The Beta Band más mainstream, más pop, más accesible... porque Beta Band no hace música más mainstream más pop, más accesible. Lo digo de otra forma: esta es música agradable, pero no se me queda en la cabeza, no tiene melodías espectaculares que tarareo mientras lavo mis turgentes pectorales en la ducha... es música que se queda a medio camino, y eso es un problema. Estoy siendo muy crítico y no es la idea. El disco ESTÁ BUENO. Simplemente se nota que quisieron dar un salto al pop, de ser más como U2 y no lo consiguieron: no es tan memorable..., pero sí es un disco agradable. Por ahí en varios años me termina de hacer click y digo "ah, no, esto es buenísimo", pero parece poco probable. Sobre canciones: hay algunas que creo que podrían haber sido grandes canciones con algún estribillo más pegadizo o incluso con un cantante más adecuado para este tipo de música; otras son canciones que "están bien": no sobresalen pero tampoco son malas, tienen arreglitos y soniditos simpáticos (el disco lo mezcló, después de todo, Nigel Godrich, pero no se le puede pedir mucho más). Canciones que banco: Space: Empieza medio pelotuda y tal vez lo sea, pero los arreglos están buenos y nunca deja de ser interesante. Desconozco si fue single pero podría haber sido el tema del disco. Lion Thief: También está bien. Es la primera canción muy Elbow del disco. Como es la primera todavía no aburre el efecto. Y está muy buena la electrónica de la canción. Lindo título jaja. Out-Side: Otro claro para sonar en las radios (como el primer tema y Wonderful). Este es el mejor del montón. Rhodendron: Es muy simpática. Me hace acordar a música de Charly García. Y eso es una cosa buena. Hay como unos ruidos de distorsión que me caen medio para el orto. Simple: La mejor canción del disco, sin dudas. Anticipa un poco a Vampire Weekend, pero menos freak. Es VW haciendo una canción más normalita. Canciones que no banco mucho: La primer canción: una declaración de principios: "Queremos ser U2". James quiso ser U2 y le salió bien. A ustedes, muchachos, no tanto. Easy: lo más cerca a una canción mala del disco. Quiere cancherear y ser sassy. No lo consigue. Wonderful: Claro single del disco. Si bien tiene algunos leves toques psicodélicos que están buenos, la veo apuntando a la radio con demasiadas ganas. Y es un tema largo, dura como 5 minutos. Canciones como Space Beetle o la última: son canciones breves con arreglitos de Godrich copados. Están bien, pero siento que no van a ningún lado. Bueno, y toda otra canción que no nombré. Tres estrellas, pero son tres estrellas que duelen: Si hubieran tenido un poco más de pelotas o si el disco tuviera una GRAN GRAN canción hubieran obtenido 4.

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.

I've gotten two albums from this band in the course of a week. They are no bueno.

No.

Tönt im ersten Lied wie Coldplay heute. Also der Zeit voraus. Aber sehr englischer Pop.

Divague total

Good

It serves no purpose

The album art tells me that they definitely are The BETA Band. Seriously though, the album art is atrocious and the only memorable thing about the record. Favourite Track(s): Out-Side Least Favourite Track(s): Troubles, Rhododendron, Pure For

Floated along nicely enough

Had some ok stuff, but mostly meh.

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!

I listened through this album three times and couldn’t tell you a single lyric or sonically interesting thing that happened. Absolute snoozer. I’m sick to death of these 90s UK bands.

interesting, little experimental but rich songs

Nice

This was far from blowing me away, but it's a nice dreamy soft rock album and I enjoyed listening to it

When I'm told that a band is compared favorably to Oasis, Blur, and Radiohead, I am filled with dread, for I do not enjoy these bands. Oh sure, there might be a track here and there, but for the most part I do not like their albums as experiences. So imagine my surprise, when, with as much of an open mind as I can muster, I am genuinely find myself enjoying this album. I personally do not hear anything about this album that suggest either of their predecessors. As a new act to me, perhaps that was in reference to their earlier albums. All I know is that it did not, in my opinion, reek of the British Brit Pop BS that litters this list. To me this was an album that did not forget to bring the hooks. A genuinely good folk/electronica album that doesn't suck. Seriously, there are far fewer of these than you might think. And thank you for keeping the album to a trim 42 minutes! There was just enough song differentiation that kept my attention, but not enough to frustrate my album listening experience. As a decades long comics fan, their album cover is totally in my lane. I still think that the Naughties were the worst decade of albums releases in all of Western Popular Music history, but apparently there are a few more gems out there that I had not yet heard. Favorites were "Space", "Lion Thief", "Out-Side" and"Rhododendron".

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.

A principal virtude do álbum é sua riqueza de temas e arranjos, que o fazem um disco bastante diversificado e agradável, trazendo canções pop com inspirações psicodélicas.

Fucking boring and terrible

Never heard of this band before and probably won't again after this.

Like it 3/5

It has some interesting songs but is mostly average at best. 3 stars or C-.

HEADLINE: interesting production for all 15 seconds it stuck to one idea. Lyrics Bad when present, but often blessedly absent. No single track I would choose to listen to again, but wouldn’t switch off the album if I needed to sleep. Starts very U2 Ooh funky brass on the outro Why is song 2 giving Human League? Maybe the vocals being slightly background to the synth Ooh funky in a head bob way, not a body moving way Oh I like the synth outro again! Track 3 starts Scarborough Fair if it had a rhythm And now we’re folk Kashmir instrumental? Plonky synth. Synth heavy but interesting noises! I like it! Tbf they are not heavy on insightful lyrics but I feel like the production is more of the point here Oh I recognise this track 4 synth. Where do I know it from?? Seriously this is going to drive me insane Harmonica with the steel chair?? That SYNTH. It’s kind of Bowie? But I can’t think of which song The vocals are pretty Bowie too Track 5 Beach Boys?? Woozy near-acapella harmonies Although a hint of Karma Police PAINT IT BLACK they straight up stole the mandolin. Or maybe this came first? I like it though! Lyrics dull af though. ‘She’s so wonderful’ three million times I get it babe Track 6 very first note: Dido Sand in my Shoes Then the plucky Air in Kyoto pizzicato strings And the underlying low piano notes as well? Did somebody do a plagiarism lol It didn’t feel like there was a lot of song in that song Track 7 brings us back to U2 with… is that a dog barking? Ohh someone found the reverb/echo button These songs are like four WHAT WHY IS THERE A DIAL UP NOISE I was about to say these songs are four different songs in a trench coat. They were not written, they were collages of a notebook draft turned in like late homework and the producers did the extra credit Track 8 is once again in the Beach Boys experimental phase. More like the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend parody song Lyrics still not strong. “I love you to pieces” ad nauseam Oh we found the Casio keyboard synth on track 9 and we’re trying to save it with steel drums and a xylophone. At least there are no lyrics to ruin it? I was enjoying myself for a bit but I’m getting a bit bored of the ‘all synths every time’ Aaaand just like that track 10 gives me solid guitars Oh we’re getting proper guitar riffs as well! Did he just say “Is this the legend of liquid brain”??? Unfortunately I think I’d struggle to listen to this again as anything more than background due to the absolute NONSENSE that is our lyrics. Shame because the production vibes are cool Ooh slightly hollow Tears for Fears Shout drums and I’m here for it Xylophone’s back jumpscare Oh don’t start track 11 with an acapella lyric, you don’t have the poetry for it Is that a woman doing backing vocals? Have we discovered women? We are now constantly repeating “can you hear me” and the answer is unfortunately yes because we’re now back to saying “it’s a Tuesday” and no it’s Wednesday Mr. Beta Band you are not Taylor Swift this is not a typical Tuesday night “The trouble with your own thing is you end up on your own” wow that was almost a lyrical insight Track 12 cricket synth and Bob Dylan harmonica with alien abduction flashback synth And now we are clapping along to a song that has whatever the opposite of a beat is These people must have been high. I simply do not believe that anyone sober laid a finger on this album. It’s what I imagine a weed-LSD trip must feel like We seem to be finishing on the prototype for Lofi Girl Oh it didn’t really end it just stopped

I was clement with their #171 "Hot Shots II" that I knew and (once) liked songs of, partially out of nostalgia and in a vast anthology of recorded music, for all I care, The Beta Band might even earn a mention. But not two. This doesn't add anything to either their work or music in general. Boring. Another spot wasted...

Ok. Not memorable. Might have to listen again to appreciate.

2 Stars (5/15)

This was OK. Nothing special. Couldn't see myself going back to listen to it again.

Beta Band, beige band. Listening to this, I assumed they were part of a noughties wave of bands that had the same inconclusive, blokeish, needlessly complicated wallpaper music ethos, but a dash of research tells me that no, it was only the Beta Band, I just have the impression I heard them in the background everywhere for a while. A lot of work to sound workmanlike.

Expecting two separate reviews of Beta Band albums, infused with sparkling wit and anecdotes, is expecting too much.

Some very cool tunes that I had not heard before.

Mostly just unmemorable, soft indie with bleeps and bloops. A bit dull.

This backs made two albums and they are both in this list? FML

Really enjoyed this.

Not quite my cup of tea m8 innit

Ok

Welkom bij het zoveelste indiepoprockkutbandje. Want waarom dit op de lijst staat? God mag het weten. Het is weer de typische fluisterzingindiestem die elke band lijkt te hebben en dat in 2004? Mijn favoriete moment is de bass bij Pure For, en inderdaad dat is het LAATSTE NUMMER... Verder valt hier verdomd weinig over te zeggen, behalve dan dat mijn thoughts and prayers uitgaan naar alle artiesten die daadwerkelijk iets vernieuwends doen en die niet op deze lijst staan omdat ze niet Brits zijn. MGMT begon meteen na deze en het feit dat ik rechtop ging zitten en me afvroeg of ik misschien niet toch te hard was geweest? Nope, album dat nog geen 3 jaar later uitkwam maar qua innovatie op een andere planeet is. Man, wat word ik chagerijnig van dit soort muziek.

Varied, refreshing and catchy. 4.

Hidasta tahtia ja haikailevaa tunnelmallista meininkiä jota osaan kyllä arvostaa

This is the second unimpressive album by this band I’ve gotten. Both rated poorly.

4/5 or 5/5

If there’s a band from the early 2000s that I haven’t heard of then there’s probably a good reason. In this case the Beta Band are perfectly named - they’re fine, average, middle ranking, unlikely to trouble the charts and most likely to cover for a replacement afternoon slot on the second stage somewhere like Latitude or Truckfest. They won’t frighten the horses or upset your nan. I quite enjoyed the 60s vibe on some of the tracks and the dog barking on Outside. That’s about it.

I listened to this, did not write something right away and... realized, when I wanted to rate it, that I had no memories of it. Relistening to it did not trigger any memory until the end (Liquid Bird, the only vaguely interesting song on this album). It speaks by itself.

I forgot that I had listened to this immediately after I finished Best Song: Assessment Rating: 3.5/10 Stars: 2/5

I really wanted to like this more than I did but ultimately it is lacking in something. There are some promising ideas and moments but they don’t go anywhere. The potential is there. Disappointing

Can't say I've heard of this band or their music previously. Definitely enjoyed this album and will be looking to add it to my library!

It's an okay album. Nothing amazing though. I don't even know exactly what the genre is... Pop/Rock?

I did not need to hear this album

This sounded weird, but was kinda vibey!

Twee albums van The Beta Band is echt wel een overkill. Ik heb het uitgeluisterd en heb geen enkel nummer opgeslagen. Bij Easy heb ik wel even getwijfeld. 1.6

Surprisingly better than I expected after reading the reviews

Almost every song is intriguing but they all feel undercooked

I don't get why this one is on here. It's tolerable.

Cool art, neat style, not much substance.

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

This list is clearly a joke to the person who added this album.

Nope. Not for me. Instantly forgettable. Next!

It’s just so bland. I might give it three stars just because it didn’t necessarily annoy me. Three stars is my equivalent of “meh”, and this is definitely a “meh” album. Not sure how it got on this list

Not terrible but also nothing much else. I know most music is derivative but you don't have to be so obvious about it. A beta band? Should never have been released.

Why did I need to hear this?

The Beta Band has it figured out

There is some parts that I find interesting, but they don't often fit together for me. The vocals also feel safe and with not enough identity.

I think I'm pretty tolerant of sonic exploration and mixing up different ideas, but this just seemed like the band had said yes to every idea regardless of quality. A series of bland non-sequiturs. 1

They didn’t need 2 Beta Band albums on the list. This one notably less popular than The Three E.P.’s. Luckily for Beta Band I quite like aimless indie music. The vibe of this band I like. I would say though that the production quality was poor - so understand why the band regret doing it themselves. 3/5

Songs not strong enough to carry ambitions.

I’m not sure anyone, including the band, knew exactly what they were going for here. The album treads water, aimlessly wandering from one mid tempo tepid track to another. I had a particularly hard time with Wonderful, which took forever to end. I agree with the band’s assessment that they should not have produced the record themselves. I dread to think of what the original mixes sounded like before Nigel Goodrich stepped in. I could imagine a much more listenable album if they had teamed up with a producer from the start.

Today is a solid 3 for me, i love elements of it that remind me of Doves and Elbow and i think Godrich did a good job on the mixing save! It sags quite a bit in parts though and half the tracks felt noticibly weaker - i will check out some more of their stuff

Interesting rock / fusion project. Calming to listen to. Some bops First listen: 6/10

Tem suas inspirações óbvias, mas parece um álbum datado. Hoje em dia ouvindo, parece uma soundtrack de filme dos anos 2000. Mas não é de todo ruim. O finalzinho é interessante, principalmente em Out-side e Space Beatle.

Fairly pleasant, nothing too weird. But really quite bland. Thinking back, I can’t remember a single track. Nothing stood out, and I couldn’t even identify anything that might have been a single. *shrug*

No esperaba un álbum tan... olvidable de esta banda.

Not that bad, but it didn't clicked to me.

Another British (Scottish) band that isn’t very good and clearly made the list due to personal taste in lieu of greatness. This album is a mix of folk rock and electronica - two genres I have discovered through this list that I don’t really like. I definitely won’t explore the rest of their catalogue when this is all over. 2⭐️ (would have been 1, but I dig the album art)

Unsure how this album made the cut for the Beta Band. I remember them being a better than this and based on popularity, this one doesn’t have many big songs.

I've never heard of these guys, and I'm English! When the blurb has more to say about the album cover than the music it says a lot. Very bland.

The whole time I was listening to it I was waiting for it to end

tío que es esto? 😭 vale pensaba que era de una serie de superhéroes PUJAJAJ, la verdad que no está mal 3.5/5

ok but kinda forgettable imo

B for boring

I don't really like The Beta Band. Found some info online about why they have TWO albums on the list My findings: their main influencial stuff is a compilation album, and thus uneligible for the list. And they aren't in the newer versions of the 1001 albums list anyways. See the following found online: "I looked up the band after getting Hot Shots II to see what was so special about them to merit an inclusion, and apparently they were pretty influential in their approach of blending electronic with rock and were an influence on Radiohead's more experimental stuff in the 00s. The problem is that their influential stuff appears to be a series of EPs they made at the end of the 90s and was later compiled into a compilation album, which means that album probably would have been both a better representation as to why this band was special, and would have used one less slot in the book. Or maybe I'm wrong and you just had to be there, I don't know." And: "Both albums did feature in the 2005 edition, then Hot Shots II was removed for the 2008 edition, and by the 2011 edition both albums were gone. So it went from two to one to zero. "

I found this extremely bland and forgettable. Sounds a bit like various other bands.. Elbow and Flaming Lips spring to mind, maybe Super Furry Animals. Other better bands who i wished I was listening to, in fact

was okay, kinda interesting at points but nothing major

wonderful.

These guys are Zeros alright. Just boring and uninspiring. 4/10

WOW this is really good, so many different influences in here and they all come together to make a great album

Maybe not in the right mood to appreciate this today but also this was so entirely forgettable to me I don’t see why it was included. Hopefully this isn’t a silly blind spot but I’d never even heard of them. They didn’t stand out to me. Like the songs were all fine. But it sounds so early-00s and blenderish. (2.5 stars)

Mmmmmmmmeh.

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

Kind of interesting, but not something I see myself going back to again

I liked this one a bit better than the last of their albums (kudos for getting Kaare Andrews to do the cover art; he is one of my faves as a comic artist). But I fail to see why we needed a SECOND album of this on the list. They only have three albums and 3 EPs. The two albums listed are not starkly different from each other. The first one I rated a 3, this one gets the same. Top tracks: "Wonderful," "Liquid Bird," "Pure For," "Space Beatle"

I mean, it was alright. Some good moments, some more forgettable. At times the new age, indie alt electronica was too much. Was there any song I particularly liked? Shrug. Maybe Out-Side?

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.

68/1001. Ahhh, The Beta band. There are bands (and albums) which sound super good and interesting, and when they are over, one forgets them instantly. This is what happens with me with the Beta band. Repeat listens might help, then again, should I bother?

Good few tracks

Bass-heavy indie rock with really good harmony and melody

dawno nie slyszalem tak dziwnego polaczenia, bo albumik z zero czwartego, a brzmi jak cos o wiele nowszego przez swoje elektroniczne brzmienie, bo jest to popowy rok utrzymany troche w konwencji spejs operki, co juz widac nawet na okladce, czy trak liscie, ale to nie epicki spejs, a cos bardziej jak spejs z gierki typu mobilkowej, przystepne sluchowisko ktore latwo wchodzi, ale po skonczeniu juz nie wiesz czego sluchales, taka ciekawostka od the beta bandu ze szkocji, na plejke dodam space beatle za ciekaw harmonie wokalowe

Another one that I don’t understand why it’s here.

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

How is it possible for this band to merit two albums on this list?

Good

I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it was tbh 5/5

Feels like it was on the verge of something great but didn't quite get there

Unlike some prior reviewers, this is not my last album. This is album 980 for me. However I will echo their perfect statements in that this album is: Boring ☑ Forgettable ☑ British ☑ Bullshit ☑ 2/5

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

Another beta band and it still isn't 3 eps. Seriously man.

My issue with this album is that while it has nice instrumentals throughout, it utterly lacks a unique identity nor focus. The sequencing seems to be hit or miss and the vocals are entirely plain. Can't say this screams "must listen" but almost OK enough to be a 3. 2.4/5 -> 2/5

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.

This did.l nothing for me.

I don't particularly like it. It's different enough to be on the list. Favorite song: liquid bird.

Kände inte till detta band men lät bra!

Heroes to Zeroes I’ve never actually listened to this, not sure why I didn’t buy it as I liked them at the time. It’s nice listening right after Hot Shots II though. Despite Steve Mason’s distinctive voice making it a clear Beta Band album, it has quite a different feel to HSII and The 3 EPs, particularly the first two songs. Assessment seems like an attempt to write a U2 style anthemic, moody rock song, the Edge-esque riff and tone and rumbling bass are great, but due to their singularity it ends up in a slightly different place, with the the horns and shuffling drums giving it a groove that U2 rarely achieve. And Space is great, the squelchy synth is fantastic, the melody is catchy and again it has an excellent groove and sense of movement. Easy has a great combination of strummed acoustic and funk influenced clavinet, a nice counterpoint of musical tones and styles, a common device across the album. Wonderful highlights their ability to create vocal melodies that aren’t immediately catchy, but that you find yourself singing afterwards, the yearning ‘in time you’ll realise’ is fantastic. Space Beatle’s delicate Beach Boys style vocals and instrumentation followed by the instrumental Rhododendron is a lovely pair, and although Liquid Bird starts out unconvincingly it sheds its rock beginning, turning into a pleasingly disjointed track. Simple has a great rhythmic propulsion with another ear worm vocal, and some lovely strings, swelling and stabbing simultaneously. Easily another high 4, perhaps a bit of patchiness but some excellent tracks, tied together with their trademark vocal style, but with a seemingly different set of influences than their preceding albums/compilations. 0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Playlist submission: Space

The formula of strong bassline and Beach Boys type harmonies continues, as on the flowing 'Space'. However, so does the generally disinterested feel of every track. Some gems shine through, 'Lion Thief' in particular, which is a succession of great passages around a funky beat. I love 'Rhodedendron' and would have loved to have seen more of this. An effortless piece of synth and harpsichord-led baroque pop. Tantalisingly brief. Then there's 'Out-Side' which has an energy but simply no lasting impression. The Beta Band to me seems like a band that has been handed a collection of great melodies. And they've done their best to make them feel quite uninspiring. As with 'Hot Shots II' a little harsh to go for a 'two' rating. This scrapes a three by the barest of margins.

I gave a quick 2nd listen to a few tracjs which allowed me to enjoy this much more. Got some Alt J vibery to it.

A lot of good songs which had me surprised I hadn’t heard of them previously

Never heard of this band but I kind of liked it. Enjoyed the blend of electronic and rock

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.

Was excited for a more recent band but this is psychedelic drear. Easy is the only listenable track on the album.

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.

Liquid bird immediately one of my favorite songs

This is my five hundredth generated album. I have been going onto 1001 Albums every day for a whole year and a half, and letting the course of my day depend on an album: → The Smiths: My day can only get better. → Johnny Cash: I break down into sobs and curl up on the floor. Admittedly, I have not been listening to the albums properly but I've had fun. I'm still determined to finish the challenge for bragging rights, and so that I can add Badfinger's "Straight Up" to the glorious catalogue of user added albums. That being said, I would rather listen to a user added album than "Heroes to Zeros" again. I've seen "Weezer" on that list, and I damn well trust your taste more than whatever ts can offer.

Awful album cover, alright music

curti algumas músicas, mas nada demais

Heroes to Zeros manages to be a solid album from an interesting band who have always forged their own unique path, without having any real stand-out songs or massively memorable moments. The kind of album you don't really think about much once the final track has played out - it holds your interest for it's duration, but I'd imagine for anyone who is not a fan this represents the least of The Beta Band's LP outings, despite being the most accessible and upbeat in many ways. I like it, but I can see why many might not.

Some nice indie psychedelic rock tunes, never blew me away but a pleasant listen

Bland, bland, bland. I had it playing and not once did my ears prick up and go, that’s a tune or this sounds interesting! I do wonder if like some songs on albums some of these albums on this list are just filler. I can’t believe this is really something I needed to hear before I die!

This had kind of a cool sound to it, but I got tired of it about halfway through

Some interesting ideas, and a sound I actually kindda like. I absolutely cannot stand the vocals though.

This was interesting and kinda underrated on here

No

Decent Not as good as their other one but good

It tries a lot of cool things, but doesn't succeed in sounding anymore than mediocre.

4.5 - Really really liked this. Deffo going to listen to them more. Very much a bit of me

Fave Tracks: Assessment, Space Beatle, Pure For Liquid bird kinda sounds like a Ween song. 3.2/5

Just fell flat for me.

Completely uninteresting. Sounds like the soundtrack to a The Monkees-wannabe TV show that was somehow geenlighted decades too late.

No idea why you would call yourself beta ever.

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!

Forgettable

The background music to an ambivalent stupor.

Overall, this was an average album mixed with mostly upbeat and good vibey music. While I wouldn't probably listen to it again, the experience itself of the first listen-through wasn't negative so it will receive the average 2.5/5 and be bumped to 3.

I thought the album was okay to listen to without any particular highlights. It felt like very generic brit/pop. Liked the upbeat vibe throughout but this one won't get stuck in my mind. 2.5/5

One of those albums where after the first few songs I start to question how this made the list and I go in search of other albums that year that aren't included. Interpol - Antics didn't make this list. Jesus wept. This is boring music that nobody needs to hear before they die. 1.5/5. Raising to a 2.

This album felt like it was meant to be epic and significant but it just fell flat of that for me. Not to say that it was unlistenable or boring. It just didn't really stick the landing.

Twee, drie keer gedraaid, niets heeft indruk gemaakt. Een staalkaartje softe popklanken anno 21e eeuw. Wat samenzang, een gitaartje, en ik sukkel erbij in slaap. Slappe hap!

Schattig schijfje. Ze vonden het zelf matig geproduceerd, lees ik. Het voordeel daarvan is, dat het uitstraalt dat de band dit echt wil maken. Ik heb me er ook geen moment aan gestoord. Ik zal dit album niet zomaar nog eens opzetten. Maar als het aanstaat, zal ik het ook niet uitzetten. Toch wil ik deze 3 geen vergeetbare 3 noemen. Daarvoor is het te sympathiek.

Vanaf de eerste klanken ademt dit zeroes. Ik ben ze gek genoeg nooit tegengekomen op de grotere of kleinere festivals. Had denk ik prima gepast, ik vind het wel aardig klinken, als een soort Elbow en aanverwanten. Het is ietwat psychedelisch en zweverig (ook wel sfeervol genoemd als het je bevalt), met wat elektronische invloeden en soms ook een fijne rocky basis. Ik mis zoals wel vaker een hitje. Sowieso valt de hitgevoeligheid een beetje tegen van de nummers, al luisteren we daarvoor niet naar een albumlijst op zich. Een of meerdere hitjes had het album wel wat meer aanzien gegeven. Het verkent nu soms teveel de grens tussen sfeervol en zweverig. Uiteindelijk heeft het iets herkenbaars in zich, maar is het ook uitermate vergeetbaar. Dan ben ik bang dat ik op een 3 uit ga komen. Overigens zijn zowel de snobs als de goegemeente deze band en dit album ook vergeten. De wiki weet weinig noemenswaardig te melden en in mijn papieren versie van de lijst is dit album al weggehaald. Ik stel me zo voor dat dit de persoonlijke favoriet was van een van de meewerkende auteurs, die hoopte dat het zou uitgroeien tot een cultklassieker en dat hij dan kon zeggen dat hij het altijd al een goed album vond. "Kijk maar, ik heb het toen al in de lijst gezet!". Hier zou het eigenlijk een extra strafpunt voor moeten krijgen, maar de snobs zijn tenminste tot inkeer gekomen en hebben het er al snel weer uitgehaald. Ik blijf bij de vergeetbare 3.

Love it. I was only familiar with Dry the Rain but apparently they made other songs!

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

I wish I enjoyed High Fidelity but I enjoyed the song they used from this band in that film. This is a later album that's just fine. Nothing stands out.

Dacht dat dit een Youtube project was. Een nummertje stal de show zei Jonaas Timmerhout. Wonderful. Ben streng maar ‘t deed me niks.

Liked it a lot.

Generally a fan of this band, but this album petered out a bit for me after the first few tracks. They become repetitive and at times grating, and had me skipping early to hear the next track and just get to something different. "Assessment" is a banger though.

I did really appreciate this, saw a description as something in-between blur and alt-j and totally agree

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.

Музыка своего времени, песни хорошие. Лучшая песня - Liquid Bird.

A decent rock album that incorporated some electronic sounds, but not in a way that really excited me

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.

Nothing too special, another easy listening one

Meh

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.

The style is somewhere between Stone Roses, Catherine Wheel, and Beck, but like a Lite version. Songs are well structured and have a strong rhythm, but it seems like they never really reach or strive to get out of their comfort zone. Not bad at all, but I can’t imagine returning to it.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🦸🦸🦸🤖 Production: 🤔😐👍 Music: 0️⃣➡️0️⃣ Rating: 💥💥/5

Weird kinda generic britpop but like on a slightly different drug than the rest of Britpop. I’m a sucker for this kinda vibe and I enjoyed this.

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

underrated

Best: Simple Ihan hyvä levy, mutta ei omaan makuun.

This is the hundred thirteenth album I’m rating. Genuinely awful name for a band. Adding to my Playlist - Assessment, Space, Lion Thief, Easy, Out-Side, Rhododendron, Liquid Bird, Simple, and Pure For. Not Adding to my Playlist - Wonderful, Troubles, and Space Beatle. All in all I liked 9/12 songs. Kinda basic but I can’t help the fact that I love this shit and their awful name.

This feels a generic British album, which means that it is totally at home on this list.

This is wonderful - cool indie vibes, lots of variation and wide palette of sounds. Feel like this is a band that should have kept going for longer.

Had a bit of psychedelic 60's feel to it throughout. Not a bad listen

Its ok but why is this an album i need to listen to?

Assessment - 8/10 Space - 4/10 Lion Thief 2/10 Easy - 7/10 Wonderful - 2/10 Troubles 5/10 Out-Side 3/10

2,5

3.5/5 (round up)