Heroes to Zeros

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

*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

★★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.

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.

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.

Didn't leave anything after listening to it.

Pretty uninspiring, but wasn't unpleasant

Didn't really care about anything here

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.

Age of aquarius

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

Divague total

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

Had some ok stuff, but mostly meh.

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

2 Stars (5/15)

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

Ok

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 did not need to hear this album

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

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

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.

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.

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

ok but kinda forgettable imo

B for boring

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

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)

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

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

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

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

This did.l nothing for me.

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.

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!

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

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.

Forgettable

The background music to an ambivalent stupor.

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.

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!

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.

Meh

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

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

2,5

Weer zo'n random album in de categorie wat du fuck doe je in deze lijst. Ken wat ouder spul van ze, wat wel echt prima vertoeven is, maar dit is echt in een waas langs me heen gegaan. Psychedelica om het psychedelica, zonder voeten in de aarde te houden op momenten dat het moet. Daardoor blijft niks hangen. Duidelijk The Beta Band en niet The Alpha Band. 5/10

Lekker aangezet en vervolgens helemaal aan mij voorbij gegaan. Op papier wel leuk maar kon totaal geen indruk maken... 4/10

Not bad, pretty soothing, but not super engaging

Dosta bezvezan album, nije mi sjeo. 2/5, 3/10

Underwhelming

Ik heb eerlijk gezegd niet veel gedachten bij dit album, het is niet per se slecht maar wel heel erg forgettable. Ik heb het album nu meerdere keren geluisterd en herinner me nog steeds bijna niks. Alles voelde decent maar middelmatig, geen echt uitblinkers en wel een aantal slechte nummers zoals space beatle

They say "don't judge a book by its cover" but this is an album, and the cover tells me this is going to be some dated, niche white dude rock music. This was alright, kind of your typical weirdo late 90s/early 00s unfocused experimental rock. Some of the tracks bopped, some didn't. I think the strongest reaction I had to this record was to the cover art, which sucks.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

It's not bad at all but I doubt I'll ever listen to them again & I likely won't even remember what they sound like by the end of the day or ever think of them again.

Listened Before? N Very bland and non-descript. Not sure what this is doing on the list. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Troubles

Bland with crap artwork (that's a bit like Limp Bizkit's Significant Other)

I know I continue to say this but: unmemorable. I just found myself always checking to see if it was over yet because I was simply bored. I appreciated the quickness of songs but it still felt longer than it had to be. It didn’t bring anything noticeable or new to the table.

Just as boring as the other Beta Band album on this list.

Meh.

Perhaps the most beige album I’ve ever heard. If the cover had just been a stencilled ‘Live Laugh Love’ I wouldn’t have been surprised.

Just not very interesting as a whole piece. Some reasonable moments but didn’t make me want to listen again.

What I don’t understand is this: why is this album on this list. It’s a slightly below average album with little to no cultural significance. You’d be lying if you told me there was not another better album it could be replaced with. Also Troubles is a worse attempt at world peace than the COVID Imagine video.

Nothing to wow over

I almost liked it but it fell apart. What a poor advert for British music this list is

It's not bad - but agreed with th comments. A lot of just nonsese

There’s no way you can convince me that the damn Beta Band deserved two albums on this list.

The Beta Band doesn’t need 2 albums on this list.

Leaders of landfill.

Favourite is Rhododendron aka the wordless one. Just not about the meandery sleepy nature of their sound. It's pleasant, but forgettable stuff.

Like many have already stated, I find it generic and predominantly boring. Sounds like there’s another one of their albums on the list which I’m not looking forward to lol.

Kinda quirky nerd-rock album. A little goofy and corny, but there is a charm present with this album that I appreciated. Nothing terribly interesting or groundbreaking, but decent. Top tracks: Space, Troubles, Simple

Mweh

I resent all the Yanks saying there's too much British bullshit on the list. We get so much more of your shit. However, I don't care for this album, it's extremely forgettable. It's been a couple of hours and I can't remember a single song from this.

I’m not sure how to feel about this. I had friends in bands as a teenager who sounded like this but less boring. So it’s familiar but sounds like teenagers first attempt at making music

We get two albums by this group and I have never even heard of them before. It's fine. It didn't blow my socks off and sort of faded into the background of my mind. I would need to hear the other album but it doesn't seem like this book needed one album by this band, much less two.

I wanted to like it but it was just SO DULL

This album could have been a lot better if it was a bit simpler and less busy in the production. As it is, it didn't really grab me. Also, it's not actually listed in the latest edition of 1001 Albums...

Quite dull.

Sus canciones sonaban bien para el año en que salió, a principios de los 2000 Hoy se escucha atrapado en el pasado, algunos ritmos agradables y otros se repiten mucho

Something just brutally boring about this. The vocals sound like he's never been excited in his life. Music is an eclectic mix that isn't bad, just the combo of everything is very vanilla.

I liked 'Hot Shots II' a lot, so I was expecting to enjoy this as much (if not more, since it came out later.) I didn't hate it, but felt kind of let down. Their mix of rock and electronica is interesting, but the production this time around doesn't feel as inventive or fluid. It sounded like someone trying on a bunch of different suits and none of them fit quite right. 'Hot Shots II' was focused and interesting; this sounds meandering, forced, and lost. I'm unsure why 'Heroes to Zeros' is included here, to be honest.

Cool album, glad I listened, didn’t wow me

Some good songs, but overall not very memorable, and really drags when trying to listen to the whole thing.

Nothing Special sounded rather Cheap and uninspired

I think what killed this for me was the vocals, bland and insipid, hardly changing throughout the entire album. I was left with a slightly sour taste of something bad, like Maroon 5 levels of badness. The musical accompaniment was nice, sounding like the Stone Roses in places, if they were making an album of B-sides. The production was awful, murky and badly mixed. There's a bit of a high point mid-album, then it sort of gives up and shuffles off in an understated, mumbly way. This hovers between 2 and 3 stars for me, but the boring end lingers.

At least twice I thought I was going to like a song then it kept playing and I fell back out. It's not a terrible album, but for me there's no replay value

Sounds like a bad Weezer. Not to mention it was just weird throughout. Some songs and riffs were cool, while others fell completely flat. I disliked it more than I liked it. Almost fell asleep while listening to it

boring. 2 out of 5.

Superheroes

This is kinda a weird inclusion in the list. A 2000's release doing psychedelia music that sounds like it should be 30 years older. I didn't pick up on anything especially new or experimental with this. I maybe started to see the Radiohead connection (from the wiki page) on the latter half of the album. Also, the album cover does not fit the vibe of this music at all. Overall, I didn't get super into this and will probably forget I ever listened to it.

Beta is damn right. This whole thing is crying out for someone to have the confidence to lay down a killer guitarist riff or actually commit to singing a chorus, rather than whispering whatever half-arsed shit they settled on. Listen, if my stoner, bedsit mates made this album I’d be very proud of them. I’d treasure the limited edition CD after only half listening to it once because it’s Boring as Fuck.

Sigh

Meh

Lambda as fuck. Une grande soupe tiède de pop intello chiante qui fait mumuse avec une boite à rythme et des synthés. C’est générique, c’est déjà entendu partout en mieux, ce sera oublié demain matin. Peut être “Wonderful”.

Good background music

Note sure why this would be on this list. Nothing new innovative or great.

It had a bunch of interesting parts in it. I heard a lot of Post-Punk and a bit of Psychedelic Rock in the album and really enjoyed it. The album sorely lacks hooks of any kind though. The meandering parts take too long and the fun parts aren't really present enough. I don't hate it but there just isn't enough action packed into the album as I'd like. I also really dislike the album cover and the band name, makes it look like some 2000's Nickelodeon show.

Kind of nothing.

I just couldn't get into this. Nothing resonated for me.

Meh. Not horrible, but no interest in listening to this again.

A bit boring...

Heroes to Zeroes defies the “must hear before you die” part of the “1001 Albums” list. Without hearing this album I would’ve been able to die in peace. I’m much more familiar with The 3 EPs album, immortalized brilliantly in the film High Fidelity.

- klingt alles sehr experimentell, aber so richtig hängengeblieben ist von den Tracks leider keiner

Pretty generic and hasn't got much to say. This goes to prove that without a 'spark' of genius it doesn't matter how well you play or how good a Producer you hire what you end up with is bland.

Hmmm

very bland and generic british rock/electronica. “troubles” is a stand out among otherwise boring tracks.

Someone in Dimery's team (Dimery himself?) had a very strange obsession with The Beta Band---a British act whose leader decided to terminate not long after the release of this third album, apparently because they had not met the commercial success they intended to have. Oh the ego. Yes, a couple of UK critics had hailed the band as some sorts of geniuses, inexplicably, hence maybe the high expectations of said band leader. The thing is, if really that man was sincere in his musical endeavor, did he really need to sell *huge* numbers to motivate himself? Sounds rather proud and capricious to me. Especially when you listen to the music itself, some sort of kitchen-sink, pot pourri-flavored ditties sung through rather banal and bland vocals, lacking all the dynamic marvels someone like Beck had already explored in that genre *ten years before*. Opener *Assessment* is pretty OK. Yet most of everything after is a snoozefest, simply put. File next to "The Bees", also found in the 1001 Albums book. *Yawn*. 2/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums 7/10 for more general purposes (5 + 2), and I'm feeling incredibly generous here Number of albums left to review: the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past editions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions. Number of albums I'll keep in my own list: half, approximately Number of albums I *might* keep: a small quarter, approximately Number of albums I won't keep: a large quarter (including this one)

Name of the album says it all - Heroes to Zeros. Started with a little head jiggle but that soon wore off. Yeah... nah - not my thing. Felt like it had no substance to it, which made it meh to listen too. Not sure it's even good for background noise when focused on something else. Tuned out for a good 98% of it.

Found some new music I can fall asleep to! This music does not match the intensity of the album cover. in nor rush to tell anyone about my music listening today.

There have been more than a few albums on this list that made me wonder -Why…. Add this one to that list.

Disappointingly generic. I feel like they are only famous because of a quirky reference from High Fidelity and that may have been done ironically.

The best thing about this album is the cover. Music reminds me of Coldplay but even more trivial.

2.5

The authors are trolling us. C'mon man. This? Mind you, this is not a 1, it's music. But it is just so blah to my ears overall.

At least they were honest in the title.

Kind of a nothing album if you ask me. Not bad, not good.

i can say this with confidence: there is no way this is anyone favorite album. this the most nothing, whatever ass album i've ever heard

Remarkably uninteresting

Never heard of this band, some nice sounds but not remarkable. 2*

Pretty uninteresting. Some fun little modern electronic ideas here and there, but for the most part it had all been done before 2004, and Heroes to Zeros remain as stragglers chasing after a previously-claimed pioneership of an already mediocre genre. The singing is bad and almost offensively inoffensive. It's mixed down to take away from the focus, but man, I hear you, vocal boy. And you're bad. Get a solid rock screamer or jazz scatter and you might have yourself something worth listening to, but this music hinges on the vocals being good and the talent just isn't present. See tracks like Wonderful, Lion Thief, and Liquid Bird to sample aforementioned poorness. The opening track, Assessment, is easily the strongest in the set, particularly when the singing is ignored. It's bright, catchy, and guitar-laden. Troubles used overlapping pizzicato, arco, and something glockenspiel-adjacent to pretty good effect – but again is only really enjoyable when considered without the vocals. Easy is fairly good, though it does rely quite a bit on the four-bar guitar/drum loop. 2/5 Key tracks: Assessment, Easy, Troubles

How can something with so many spry little tricks, so many pops and bleeps, end up so spirit-crushingly dull in execution? Perhaps the gnawing sense that these songs were grown in a lab? Maybe it's the stilted production? Consider the vocals, which are delivered in the tenor of a person doing a 'proof of life' hostage video? A bit like my car, this looks okay from a distance, dodgy close up, and is chronically underpowered.

I didnt find anything interesting about this. Zoned out a lot and forgot i was listening. Not that theres anything bad about this, but this album seems so inconsequential and uninteresting i dont know why it would be featured on this list

I think the lyrics and song structures are cool but I despise the percussion and the space noises

I'm not sure the music scene really needed this in 2004, but it was okay overall and in fact good in places. Agree with another reviewer who said it was like Britpop plus AltJ. Some pleasing tunes and sounds, but too many dull moments.

Another Beta Band album... "yay". I actually don't understand what the list creator sees in this band. While this wasn't as bad as the other record (Hot Shots II) we had just last week, it's still pretty bland and boring. Most critiques for previous album holds true here as well; singer is quite tedious to listen to, and no real oumph in the songs. I hope we don't get any more Beta Band albums on here, there are more deserving artists for those spots.

I get easily bored of The Beta Band. I just find the whole thing too much in the way of vibe and not enough in the way of substance

I wanted to like this, as I love 'Dry The Rain' but although there were lots of good ideas, well executed, nothing really grabbed me. Perhaps it's a 'grower'.

Very 00's. An ok listen, but not my taste

the boring band

Alright Beta Band. I put up with your first album on this list - heck, I even enjoyed it for how different it was! I defended you!!! But there is absolutely ZERO reason for a second Beta Band record, one that sounds EXACTLY LIKE THE FIRST ONE, to be on this list!!! What new aspect of The Beta Band was not covered in their first album on the list?? Absolutely no to this!!!

Never heard of this band before, and I'm quite pleased about that. I couldn't get into it at all. The vocals were annoying, the music was soft and boring. If it was a colour it would be beige. If it was a food it would be porridge. Just bland, boring, nothingness. I did just about make it all the way through, so it gets 2 stars.

I did not enjoy it, the album was pretty low impact and samey throughout, didn’t notice when it rolled into other music afterwards.

No matter what the writer of this list says, this does NOT belong anywhere near a top 1000 list.

Bland 00s rock album with no cultural impact? Yep, on the list!

Feels like a filler album. As if they reached 1.000 and just needed 1 more. It’s okay and I don’t mind it, but there’s no need for The Beta Band to take up room, when so many albums seem to be missing.

Another band I have never heard of. Interested to see what they sound like. First track is cool. NOt really what I expected more of a big-band, from the 50s-60s.

Nothing special, truly “beta”

Not much on this album that I really liked. Falls very squarely into the "not bad but quickly forgettable" bin for me. 2.4/5

Snorefest. I saw these guys open for Radiohead in 2001 and I didn't like them then either. There were a few moments where I thought I was gonna like them, but overall they were a disappointment. 2.25/5

Need to draw the line somewhere. Average indie album, but not groundbreaking or notable.

Perfectly pleasant but completely unremarkable.

Sometimes this album has something to give, it certainly feels more fulfilling than their prior album, Hot Shots II, but this album tends to come off as weaker takes on far better bands' shticks. Whether it be Animal Collective, XTC, Radiohead, or even themselves at points, this album feels like it's trying to be all over the place to be quirky and unique, but instead I just keep thinking "oh, they got that from ____." It can be an exhausting listen because of this, and every time it does something "better" it seems to refuse to elaborate on those ideas, and goes back to mellow jams that feel like they could've never escaped 2004, and it seems that was indeed the case, as the band disbanded the same year this released.

Very background. Nothing came forward as particularly interesting.

Very interesting sound, but nothing that jumped out at me. 2.5

Beta Band is 0/2 in trying to justify the case for inclusion. Mediocre rock, who really thinks we need to hear this before we die? Favorite tracks: Lion Thief, Out-Side. Album art: Fairly cool comic book-style cover, but a little soulless. Compare, for example, to the Czarface comic book covers. This is decent, but also dated. 2.5/5

cercano di suonare tipo REM?

Pleasant enough but it all became a bit of a background blur after a few songs.

Alright little early 2000s indie rock record with a uniquely futuristic and sci-fi aesthetic. The subtle futurism the production is coupled with is the main thing this album has going for it, it's what makes it stand out among the many Indietronic albums of its time. Otherwise, I don't have much to say about it - it's relatively run-of-the-mill in this ally of somewhat laid-back indie rock. I really liked 'Lion Thief' and 'Easy' is also incredibly catchy and funky, I love the little high-pitched synth interlude. 'Liquid Bird' has the most electrifying instrumentation with the arpeggiated electric guitar and sporadic volume levels dominating the majority of the track. Again not much to say about this guy, was mostly enjoyable - but also pretty dull at times.

I'm normally one for self-depreciating jokes, but for some reason the fact that they named themselves The Beta Band and have an album called "Heroes To Zeros" rubbed me the wrong way. The music... doesn't do much for me. It's a little sad, maybe a little stoned. Wikipedia mentions that they blend trip-hop influences into this but man, I do not hear much of that. I think this may be the first album on here to get in because friends in higher places (i.e. Radiohead) vouched for it. Favorite tracks: "Space", "Lion Thief", "Simple"

You're allowed to like this if you want. I do not. Pretty boring It's actual music, so it gets more than one star, I guess

Not sure why this is on the list

A proper early 2000s Brit-Pop classic! Or maybe I should say, a classic Brit-Pop album... I can confidently say I don't remember a single song from the album, but a memory of how I felt when I listened to it. I never know if I like Brit-Pop or hate it, but I think the world is better for it being a thing.

This is the most embarrassing album cover on this list.

Very generic, very like 90s indie, but in the 00s. Nothing really enjoyable. I'll give it a 2 just because I didn't hate it.

lyder ikke dårligt, bare heller ikke memorable overhovedet. Jeg manglede lidt en rød tråd, det var ret rodet

Lidt langt.. Lidt ligegyldigt.. Lød fint, men sagde mig virkelig ikke noget, så er lettere uforstående for hvorfor den er på listen.

It’s British

british 4/10

Heroes To Zeros is interminable twaddle. It's just boring, not bad, nothing for me, a low 2.

Going nowhere fast

I'm not sure what to make of this - it's all over the place, stylistically, veering from spacey futuristic sounds, through to folky-type sparse arrangements. Overall, I think 'interesting' is the best description. But not something I'd choose to listen to again.

Cool sounds but I wouldn't really listen to it

Unremarkable and uninteresting.

I like the comic book-style album cover. Without knowing anything about this group, makes me think I'm in for some geek rock. Hmm, not totally what I was expecting. This album jumps around quite a bit; between folk/indie rock, electronica and even funk at one point. I guess I was expecting something more high-octane, but this landed more on the Coldplay side of things when it comes to the "rock energy" scale. Not awful, but a bit forgettable at the end of the day. Teetering between a 2 and a 3. In an effort to be more critical, I'll go 2.

British Beta electronic Rock.

Bland. In fact blander than that,

I like Steve Mason, but this album is forgettable

Boring and forgettable. I will probably never think of this album again, much less listen to it. On to the next

resident sleeper

Laulaja hiuksista vittuun. Menee muutenkin ehkä turhankin kokeilevaksi ja poukkoilevaksi, tai no, kuka mistäkin tykkää. Kerran jaksoi kuunnella ja seuraavana päivänä skippaillen pikakelaus ja oli edelleen paskaa.

Lame, mut kuunneltava

Oh lordy, where do you go with this one? It's hard to understate the influence of The Beta Band, and even harder to understand it. They try new things, sure, but many of them don't really work and certainly don't fit together as music you'd want to sit and listen to. It is very much the early 2000s MelodyMaker / NME curse, where a load of posh boys who worked as music journos fanwanked certain artists until all that was left was a bloodied stump. There wasn't really any merit to them, they just got caught up in the jerking off, terrified to be the one to point out that the emperor wasn't wearing owt. This album is slightly worse than middle of the road.

I do appreciate the modern sound and vibe, but most of the tracks are so smooth that there is nothing for the mind to catch on. There is no warmth to them.

Spectacularly mediocre.

just a bit too experimental for me. Some really interesting bits followed by Space Beatle...

2004 häpäisy vuosi jee ja unohdettavampia liikkeitä hankalampaa ai:llakaan tuottaa...

It drags

The cover is the most interesting thing about this album. I’d rather stare at it for 42 minutes than listen to this again.

This album was about as interesting as the 11th of April 1954. Shame as well, the album cover had me super hyped.

1.92

Little bit too weird for me

Rock electrónico. Tostón. Un 2.

A whole load of nothing

No, Just boring, no...

boring

Forgettable, bland music, like a lot of the albums on this list now that I think about it

Why on earth is this here? Boring boring boring. Not 1 star bad but it's placement on this list is one of unfortunately many question marks as to how I've gotten 900+ albums deep in this mess.

Very light psychedelic rock. Sounds like early 2000's.

Only had the time to listen once. Didn’t get it, nor what the band was trying to do. The songs passed by uneventfully

The album cover made me expect cringecore electronic pop but instead I got middling alt rock 😔

It was ok. Very typical mid 2000's alt sound.

Meh.

The first few tracks had me a little curious and then it went downhill from there. There was such great music from the mid naughties and this is not it (Blue Notebook by Mac Richter or The Milk-eyed mender by Joanna Newsom are both the same year as this album for example but not on the list from what I can see) who is choosing these albums?

Yawn

this wasn't really anything at all

This was okay. I listened to it yesterday and can't really even remember what I thought about it.

Fine. But why did I need to hear it before I die?

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of great British music, but this list definitely has a bias

Meh, there wasn't much interesting here, but it wasn't bad either

The only reason anyone gives a shit about The Beta Band is because their only good song was used during a memorable scene in the movie High Fidelity. After that movie resonated with audiences, suddenly everyone believed the Beta Band was important. Guess what. They're not important. Anything outside of "Dry The Rain" is filler. Yet we almost feel like any slight towards the Beta Band is a slight towards High Fidelity. No one wants to diss High Fidelity. Although if John Cusack continues to lose his mind, he'll become about as meaningful as The Beta Band.

The music does not match the album art. The music is pretty interesting and decent but the album cover is where this album shines.

Godrich clearly had fun with the spacey production and it’s by far the best thing about this otherwise quite bland record

I love that The Beta Band has more than one entry on this list. Who the hell even are these guys and what are they doing here? It's not even that the music is bad, it's just painfully mediocre and boring. The last song has the repeated lyric of "I'm so glad you found me." Well let me tell you Beta Band, I'm personally not very glad I found you

I mean, there was nothing terrible about it. I was just bored.

I made it about halfway through. Can't figure out how this made the list.

I’m unsure as to what this is supposed to be. Each song on its own has merits, but as an album, it feels disjointed and unfocused.

Generic and british. Therefore a must, apparently for this list.

I’ve never heard of this band and now I know why. Not very interesting to me.

Another album that I don’t think has any place on this list. Generic and uninspiring.

Not for me, found it a bit boring.

boring and generic and the album cover is shit

Boring. En voyant la pochette, j'espérais qqch de plus spacial, épique et dynamique.

Aivan vieras tuttavuus mulle. Tällaista takakenoista musaa. No härskimmät ja enemmän rokit biisit toimii mutta kyllä tää kokonaisuutenaa jää mulla aika vaisuksi. 2/5

Oon näiden pari aiempaa levyä joskus kauan sitten tallentanut spotifyssa, mutta tää ei kyllä oikein iskenyt.

ok britit

Oh great, The Beta Band... Again. Clearly the author of 1001 bought into their hype and wasn't saying no to any editorial comments. Below average at best, God awful at worst.

"INDIE!!! WE NEED MORE INDIE IN THIS BOOK!" This is how I imagine the averange meeting of the editor with his contributors must have gone. But really, this album is the definition of unexciting. As in: not bad, inoffensive, nicely produced and played but devoid of anything that lets me take pause and want to listen to the music. Why is this on the list? Oh, yeah, I forgot.... INDIE!!!! - 2/5

I like this band, but did not feel this album.

There’s nothing special about this album, pretty sure I’ve heard the same songs in another album. Don’t know why it’s on this list and the vocalist sounds so bored by the end of it.

Very average indie rock album, not sure why it’s on the list.

casi me pego un tiro escuchando esto

almost hypnotic.

Wow. Some of these songs are fantastic and others are so boring. I don’t know how to rate.

Didn't really understand the point of this, but it was British so I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see it on this list.

I saw on Wikipedia that this band got to open for Radiohead and I can totally understand why. They're just as boring. Sorry.

This was ok, nothing super exciting, but not terrible. 2.5/5

A band releasing a song called Rhododendron. Hmmm difficult to take it seriously. Some melodic tunes but that is it. Sorry

Terrible album cover and band name. The music itself, hard to define and interesting. They found this pocket of unique sound, however don’t know if it’s being used to it’s full potential. 2.5/5

This didn’t stand out for me Too much 2.5

Didn't know what to expect. After finishing it still really don't know what to think of it. The songs seem unpolished and unfinished. Overall very bland.

Beige! At first I thought this had promised then it just was so blamange meh I couldn't handle it. Vapid lyrics. There was one set of lyrics so silly about "going it alone" it made me lol/groan

Ermm guess it wasn't bad but it was very forgettable. Just a bit bland.

There was nothing actually bad about it but the longer I listened the more I found it hard to care about Some of the British albums on this list from the 90s and 00s seem like they don’t need to be on the list. But I definitely dig most of the 60s and 70s British albums

Anything is better than nico

Rather listless and slippery, as if the entire auditory experience passed through my memory banks without any consideration of taking root.

Willing to concede that maybe I just don't have the proper context for The Beta Band, and that diving headlong into a band's final album, one released shortly before disbanding is far from the proper introduction to a group's sound, ethos, and general schtick. But even given all that, it is pretty hard for this album to scan as anything other than dull, flat, and boring to me. I'm very open to a blending of somewhat disparate elements, acoustic & electronic elements intermingling, psychedelia-lite, its just that everything feels subdued and light here. Hoping to be surprised if & when I make it to the rest of their catalogue.

Shrug, it was okay. Feels a little bit like going back to high school.

Meh

Rock electrónico. Tostón. Un 2.

Meh mid

Interesting mix of genre. I get a big Beck vibe off of it. I liked it but wished for more.

I'd never heard of this band, and never intentionally listened to this sub-genre of rock. I am fine not listening to it again, but it was less annoying that I initially expected. I was surprised that after the album was over, and Spotify continued with this sub-genre, I actually enjoyed some of the music.

2/5 didn't catch the point

De artwork is gaaf

Meh, I'll stick with their Three EPs set, which is phenomenal. This didn't do it for me.

It's definitely music. For brief moments it even sounds original. Does said music merit inclusion in what's alleged to be a prestigious list of albums? Nahhhhhhhhh

2/5. An interesting series of electronic folk? but not for me I think. If I was older when this originally released this might have been my jam but feel like its aged a little. Not very memorable but not bad, just experimental but not super landing perfectly. Maybe another listen might do it for me, but don't feel like doing that right now.

I usually really like this kind of music, but this one I just haven't been able to get into. It's the first time I've heard it, so I'll probably give it more time. 2.5 for now.

Not my personal taste, but I kinda liked two songs: “Lion Thief” “Easy” The rest put me to sleep.

Meh…

Middle of the road album for me, most of it was fairly forgettable. Out-Side was a stand out track to me though.

There were a couple of decent songs but I can’t imagine ever listening to this again.

Sounds like the Gorrillaz cloned with some Madchester acid house. Nothing very offensive here, but nothing very exciting either.

Feels like a real shot in the dark by the editors tbh. Somehow a combination of creative and boring at the same time. 4/10

Flaccid and disappointing. Sure, you guys are betas, you're losers and zeroes... but we would've never known if you hadn't told us. Oh, and that cover art is lame too. It makes me think of the dumbest live show I've ever experienced, Weezer, what a waste of money. --- Aw F, I'm sorry. I'm just in a shitty mood and this music is just super sucky for my mental state right now.

Mostly an absolute slog. There's only one maybe two half-decent songs here. I'm sure its great if you've had a couple beamers however.

This feels inspired and yet so uninspired. Most of these aren't really songs, at least not ones I'd want to listen to more than once. Total miss from the judging panel here. Finished out of sheer stubborness.

Absolutely dreadful. Just a miserable listen front to back. It’s amazing how much British bullshit is on this list.

Kaare Andrews is an award winning comic book artist. We all have off days. Dave McCaig, another award winner, designed the logo on one of his off days. Radiohead chose Beta as their support act. Three off days in a row. At least the band were aware of what they were doing and declared one of their earlier recording as “fucking awful” couldn’t have put it better myself.

This album is bad. Not Duck Stab bad but bad anyway. The most interesting part of it is the album cover art. It sounds super generic, throws in some half assed chiptune, and then seems to be vaguely Pixies-esque? It's also terribly mixed - the vocals get lost often and the bass sounds really muddy. This list includes two albums by this band, while it includes none from: Wayne Shorter J Dilla The Meters Nancy Wilson Louis Armstrong Weezer Chuck Berry Diana Ross Eric B and Rakim Patsy Cline No Doubt Whitney Houston I'm beginning to suspect the authors of the book have never listened to music from outside the UK.

Blah. One star

I have a sneaking suspicion that Dry the Rain is their one decent song.

Once beta band album was all I could muster.

Not a song. Not one song will be remotely remembered from this album. This is a record full of attempts to make popular, catchy, memorable music. Every attempt is a failure. A bad case of Pink Floyd influence translated into 2000’s pop rock on “Troubles” and “Out-Side” sealed the deal for me. I would never wish anyone such struggles, but this band having disbanded due to owing their label money after lack of success makes all the sense in the world to me. There isn’t an admirable or even notable quality to this project. It’s just a shortcoming. 1/5

I've listened to this album twice, and tried to find something redeeming to write about it. It's boring. It is likely the blandest alt-rock album to come out of the 90's. I remember none of it, and hope to never hear anything by the Beta Band again, but I know I will. Zeros is right. If I could only give this album zero stars. But I can't, so.... My Rating: 1/5

As an avid listener of alternative music growing up, I always get nervous when I've never even heard of a band. Some times its because of my ignorance, but I'd like to consider myself well versed in the alternative world. This album was completely unremarkable in every way. I cannot figure out what is influential about it, but maybe it will take a few listens.

It’s ok

Some examples: Elvis Presley, Bill Cosby, and Michael Jackson.

I don't know why but I just don' tlike it

We now need negative stars. Ugh.

Me pareció realmente mediocre. Nada especial, menos para el 2004. No entiendo qué hace acá este álbum. 2/10

Mitä

Not as good on a re-listen. The first time around I forgave it for being boring as hell, but I can't forgive it the second time around.

boring

This was fine. Nothing particularly offensive or noteworthy. I’d consider that more of a zero than a hero so I guess I’m going to round down.

Boaring

1. azzezment - 0 2. zpace - 0 3. lion - 1 4. eazy - 0 5. uuonderful - 2 6. troublez - 0 7. outzide - 0 8. beatle -1 9. rodendron - 0 10. bird - 1 11. zimple - 0 12. pure - 1

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.

😶 I mean…

Literally forgot the whole album after listening to it

1/5

Whole Lotta British nothing

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