Hot Shots II

I had mixed feelings about this one throughout the listening experience. At times I was absolutely absorbed by the beautifully balanced complexity in the way that the songs are built. At other times, I was annoyed by what seems like willful weirdness designed to disrupt the listener's flow. In the end, I think I fall on the side of enjoying and appreciating the work that was put into this album. It was clearly a labor of love and I think that labor paid off. It's a really interesting and compelling album even if it's not something I'd turn to as a day-to-day jam.

More like Hot Shits, am I right? [rimshot] (Sigh)

This is my introduction to the Beta Band and the first listen made me straight want to go to a second. And third. So this album has been on at any opportunity I could find. With headphones, in the car, or just my home stereo. And with every listen another layer in a different song makes itself known, which was even more surprising since it seemed like a bit toned down indie electro at the start with some trip-hop influences. But there's so much more to it than I thought. I will be playing this a lot on the coming months and it might slowly make its way into my favourite albums. What a discovery! 4,5*

Crap band name. Shit cover. But, credit to the recording engineer; it's difficult to get a good quality of sound when the vocalist's head is so far up his own arse. Good job.

Yet another band that I've never heard of. Not sure their music ever crossed the Atlantic. I thought this was fine but nothing special. Too many like this are on the list.

Occasionally great, occasional meh. Straight down the middle for me.

I’ve never heard of The Beta Band before. The band name is a little funny, it makes me giggle that they chose Beta. Yet again, Apple Music lists them as alternative which doesn’t really tell me anything. I’m hopeful for a good listen today. It’s been a really odd week for me and I need something nice. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Squares This was pretty decent. The music was generally chilled and easy to listen to. I did find the vocals a bit boring and droning at times, but it wasn’t TOO bad. I’m unsurprised to read the band are Scottish, or that this album was released in the early noughties - you can definitely hear the influence that Britpop had here, despite not sounding fully Britpop themselves. Overall, this was an ok album. I can’t really give it any better praise than that, but it also certainly wasn’t bad.

I hated, _hated_, that bit in the film of "High Fidelity" when John Cusack smugly announces that he will now sell 5 copies of The 3 EPs by the Beta Band, pops it on the turntable, to instant grooving and interest from the shoppers. I worked for years in a store almost exactly like the fictional Championship Vinyl and I never, _never_, played a record to try to intentionally sell a single copy to unsuspecting shoppers, let alone five! While sometimes shoppers would ask about what was playing, you can't force people to like something just like this. Musical taste is so personal, and works on so many levels, you can't just spin a record you think is good to instant acclaim. This scenario is the wet dream of every white boy, collector scum, record nerd that ever lived. "I will play this secret undiscovered gem that only I, ultimate arbiter of taste and refinement, know, and the ignorant throngs will instantly recognize my genius and bow before me, thrusting their dollars at me as fitting tribute for me imparting this gift of knowledge to them". ("I know" smirks Cusack). So, the Beta Band is reputationally besmirched in popular culture before I ever really gave them a listen. I am predisposed to hate them already, not even at their own fault. In fairness, Dry The Rain (which is the song he plays in the store) is a pretty good song. So I gave Hot Shots II a fair listen. And they are a fair band. They can craft a pleasant tune, with some nice harmonies, with a charmingly sloppy, lo-fi, laid back production aesthetic that I kind of dig. But it's all a bit the same-same (like a series of fading carbon copies off Dry The Rain, really), and I wish they would break out a bit and try and catch my attention with something different. I note that this album no longer appears in the latest edition of 1001 Albums. But I might consider buying a copy of The 3 EPs. Curse you, Cusack, you got me in the end! 2.5 stars, rounding up.

My first impression is that this reminds me a lot of Beck or early Gorillaz. Some spacey hip-hop/electronic sounds, so I guess this would technically be in the genre of trip-hop? idk. I couldn't really get into the vocals. Very melodramatic and pretentious. And that album cover is horrid.

Wimpy is how I would describe it. Like it felt like it never left first gear.

I’d never listened to this album before. Never heard of the band. Very pleasantly surprised.

Hot Shots II has crystallised impressions I had about turn of the century indie rock trends into notions. Rock-electronica-hip-hop fusion mostly pasted generic sounds over mediocre songs, bands reaching for ‘Revolver’ and making ‘The Birdie Song’. This is somewhere in the middle of the pack. The underlying songs are decent and distinct, the production is mildly distracting novelty. Turn-of-the-century ethereal wistfulness is here, a trend I never noticed and now feel nostalgia for on return: the post-9/11 horror show slapped away this strand of dreamy, sad pop. Mercury Rev’s Deserters Songs is a highlight that Simon and I shared, and a similar sort of sonically expansive, lyrically contemplative music here comes through squinted ears. The song’s themselves are well-crafted with stick and structures that caught me off-guard without losing me. The title’s clever-stupid humour displays a then-modish, self-deprecating-but-fuck-you-not-really attitude that I don’t miss. I like this more than I expected to, a piece of a period that I don’t mind revisiting.

Pretty OK. Kind of a mellow rock type of deal. I'm curious why this is one made the list, but it wasn't unpleasant. Pretty unique. Solid 3 stars.

I'm surprised that we would get two albums from the relatively unknown Beta Band in the same week. I found their Heroes to Zeroes from 2004 to be uninspired. This album features their best song IMO, Squares, but after that the rest of the album was similarly uninspired, mainly due to (as one of my colleagues commented) the lead vocalist's low key and boring delivery. We only have a few more albums before we've completed 1,001 and I think we're starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel now.

A real snooze-fest. Like many aspiring hipsters I grabbed a copy of The 3 EPs on the back of music paper hype, and was sorely disappointed apart from about 3 tracks. Looks like their later career followed a similar pattern. Steve Mason's voice gets pretty annoying with so little going on behind it. Nevertheless, I am glad we got this as it clears up a Mandela Effect for me: I remember a decent tune that sampled "Daydream" around 2001, much better than "Squares" on here but I've never cared enough to dig further. Turns out it was I Monster's "Daydream In Blue", and is far superior! Furthermore, the ubiquitous "Ike's Rap II" sample underpinning seemingly half of contemporary music was originally inspired by the Wallace Collection original. Fun fact: the actual Wallace Collection is in Manchester Square, London - opposite the EMI building that framed the famous Beatles Red/Blue photos and hosted the stockroom from whence my 3 EPs copy was swiped. Time is a flat circle, dude

What an annoying album - literally every song sounded the same. Soooo glad I listened to this one before dying. /s 4/10

Really not sure why this one is one here. I actually didn't mind it, and at times enjoyed it, but I just kept asking that question throughout. This list needs such an overhaul. And this album cover looks like someone made it in MS Paint.

I find this album rather ordinary. Not the worst thing ever, but nothing I'd want to go back to, either. Which leaves me with yet another “seriously?” thrown at the curators here for picking a second album from this band. Where I come from, this is called laziness.

Never heard of this. Who knows, maybe it was slightly ahead of it's time in 2001 but it sounds unremarkable and very un-listworthy today. I mean, it’s not bad. A bit quirky and a bit experimental, but not in ways that really do it for me. 2.5

#1 - Can't say that I hate it. It's pretty decent for an intro track. #2 - Okay. I think the running theme for me here is that there are some okayish tracks but nothing super stands out. Picked up for me toward the end of the song. #3 - Doesn't stand out/not anything special compared to the first two. #4 - Eh. Too downtempo for me. Didn't vibe with it. #5 - The vocals don't work well for parts. Instrumentals are good though and they're a welcome change from the last two songs. #6 - Another eh. #7 - Interesting parts, but.. yet another eh. #8 - A bit better, but not by much. #9 - The sum of this song is good. Weird. The repetitious lyrics toward the end works for them. #10 - No, not a fan. Despite some of the positives of the album, this is a straight 2. I can't give it a one because I enjoyed parts of it. This is a weird album to have on the list; I don't believe it should be. The curious thing about it is I would be okay with trying another album of theirs and giving them another fair shot, but this album really didn't do it for me.

I've already forgotten this, yawn.

Wow wow wow! An album and group I'd never heard of, but it was simply music that I loved listening to today! No having to think about it or look for the artistry or look for the message or the relevance or whatever, but just really lovely stuff all around!

I didn't expect to like this but it's really great!

Discovering gems like this is my reason for participating in the 1001 albums project. Thank you once again for introducing me to an album I missed from a band I probably never would have heard otherwise. Great mellow indie psych rock. Beautiful harmonies, great instrumentation and just wonderful.

10/10 wtf this is so good, how have I never heard of this before

Maybe this is my NEW FORMS?

LOVED this one. Listened to it twice while I was in the kitchen. The vibe is very good, relaxed, but still interesting.

Hot Shots II has always been a favorite of mine. It's like a perfectly smooth surface with small intereting kinks and imperfections that become obvious the more you zoom in. I can easily listen to this one on repeat. Does it deserve a place on the list? It's a tough call but I do think there's something unique here, even compared to their contemporaries, like Beck, Four Tet, or Caribou.

LOVED this album. Very novel listening experience and even when the artistic choices were odd it was a lot of fun. The harmonies on Al Sharp slapped.

This is a good vibe, not something I've heard before. I dig it.

If anal fingering was a sport, this record would be the world champion.

Excellent trippy sound. Definitely listen more and more

The Beta Band is new to me. The first time through I enjoyed a lot of this, but on the second listen its unique properties really started to blossom and I discovered many interesting moments that cohere well into very enjoyable music. Very good!

I don't know how I missed The Beta Band, but this is impressive. This is the first time I've wanted to dive into an artist further!

Is squares the origins of I fell asleep among the flowers for a couple of hours, or was that a sample here too? Regardless, smooth, fun, groovy, dancable, very cool.

Something new and appealing to my ears! For about half the album I was enjoying it, but I wasn’t sure if it was a 5 or just a nice 4. Then it broke through.

Hooray! After a week of 2s and 3s, finally something that sings to me again! I guess I know the song Squares because of Six Feet Under? The rest was unfamiliar but I really dig this folktronica business. Listened twice and am tempted to start it once more. Really really good.

I was thoroughly impressed with this, as I expected a very different sound, but the laid-back energy and downtempo drones here actually compliment each other quite well.

Super cool grooves.

Grunge balladry is a new favourite

stellar scottish popping gold

One of the best live bands i've ever seen. at one point they had two drum kits being played by 4 people and it somehow sounded brilliant and nowhere near as ridiculous as the concept of 4 drummers on two kits sounds. i also saw the aliens headline the park stage at glasonbury and that was up there as one of my best festival gigs ever too. can't help but think they were in the wrong era, bands that do similar things to them these days appear to be much bigger than the beta band ever got to.

Gorgeous!

The album cover is nothing like what I thought this was going to sound like. I love the beta band!

Doesn't quite reach the peaks of The Three EPs but still a chill listen.

Um álbum estranho, meio experimental e difícil de descrever, e a experiencia depende muito do momento que voce ouve ele, mas me diverti bastante Fav tracks: Squares, Human Being, Broke, Quiet, Alleged, Life Least fav track: Gone

Decent.

Beta Band is dope. Underrated. It's kind of ignorable music, but really good ignorable music. Like, I could put it on while I was reading or something and it wouldn't be distracting, but if I paid attention to it I would still be into it. If that makes sense.

2001, Electronic Rock Second studio album by the Beta Band (Scotland) Singles: ----------------------------------------- Broke / Won (July 2001) (UK No. 30) Human Being (October 2001) (UK No. 57) Squares (February 2002) (UK No. 42) Standouts: Squares, Won Others: Al Sharp, , Eclipse, Human Being, Life, Broke "Squares" uses lyrics from "Daydream" by the Lovin' Spoonful really well. The sound is perfect. "Human Being" contains samples from Carole King's "It's Too Late" "Won" contains lyrics from "one" by Harry Nilsson (made popular by Three Dog Night). 3.75

Having had The Three EP's wound tight on my conscious and reading that the first proper album was a difficult puzzle best left neglected, it's now time to dive into Hot Shots II. While not as memorable as the former and not as eclectic as the latter, The Beta Band's second album is still worth plenty of time savoring; they've taken (and were given) the time to weave their tapestry as they saw fit with little to no room for perceived and evidently regrettable mistakes. I now see why The Beta Band's felt the need to recon and regroup to the best of their abilities here and I feel that it has paid off, even if the story of the band doesn't last long. Favorites: Squares, Al Sharp, Human Being, Dragon, Broke, Quiet, Alleged, Eclipse.

This album is a strangely smooth listen, given that I can't remember any of the songs. But for some reason or another, it pulled me right in. 3.5/5

pretty cool, i like that's a bit different. loved it in high fidelity

It is just. So nice.

Mostly dug this. Rounding up

Cool stuff. Again, I question how essential this is, but cool stuff. 3.5/5

This definitely shoulda been "The Three EPs" instead, and don't give me any "But it's not an album" nonsense - Dimery bends or ignores that requirement in plenty of other entries! This album is fine, I suppose, but I don't have the same connection with it that I have with "The Three EPs", which transports me instantly back to uni days. I still dig the slacker psych aesthetic... Fave tracks - "Squares" is great, though a band called Skinny also used the same underlying sample for a track, "On a Beautiful Day", in the same year, and theirs is arguably better. Also like "Quiet".

I have never heard of them or any of these songs but they are pretty good. I will definitely listen to this again.

I thought this was unique and an experimental success. The singing is strange enough, but never annoying. It’s got that boundary pushing pop that we are used to from the post-Beatles pop bands, but it adds a sort of funkiness to the mix, which serves to make some real strong vibe music. I enjoyed it.

I really like this album. Though, like the XX, I sort of feel like this is the only album by this band I need. It scratches that itch.

Quite a charming combination of 1970's and 2000's rock. I love how strangely familiar yet fresh it is.

I've never listened to The Beta Band. Not bad! Like a precursor to Alt-J. Pretty minimal folkpoptronica.

Mellow and unhurried, interesting/different but also highly listenable. Radiohead run through a heavy Brian Eno filter or Pink Floyd on valium. Very worth hearing, and inspirational in the sense of one will explore more Beta.

I will listen again

In short, this album is probably one of my favorites so far. The rankings don’t lie, though, and the closing track “Eclipse” sounds rushed and rambled both lyrically and vocally. I do love the opener “Squares” and how vibey it sounds. You also can’t go wrong with the sudden change in “Dragon”, though. This album rightfully deserves a 4.4/5, or an 88% (88/100). Fav: “Dragon”, “Squares” Least Fav: “Eclipse”

Cool electro infused rock with industrial undertones

Cool vibes.

Enjoyed it, I remember this from back in the day and knew a couple of songs, which were probably singles. Was nice to listen to it again.

This album had a cool vibe, but it wasn’t particularly memorable.

Experimental, pretty strange, but seemingly well ahead of its time. I enjoyed the listen, but I’m not sure it’s something I’ll come back to.

I loved the soundtrack feel and instrument experimentation.

Excellent chill music

The Beta Band got an endorsement from the main character in High Fidelity and that is good enough for me.

M’a fait penser parfois aux Beatles, parfois à Air. Curieux et imprévisible, même si semble convenu au premier abord

With that cover and album name, Bot Shots II - it feels like this is gonna be a spoof or a parody. Is this really Weird Al Yankovic playing a trick? But the music is nothing like that; it’s curious and odd and dreamy. You kind of go on this mystery journey where you feel slightly airborne. There’s nothing quite solid underneath you. Your arms flail a little, but it’s still a great ride. The fact that they sample Daydream in Blue on the first track, that alone signifies you’re in for a mindbending experience. The emotional obsession in Daydream in Blue becomes a hazy, harmless fairground ride. Enjoy it.

FANTASTIC electronic psych rock. Grabs on and doesn't let go.

wild and crazy, but darn good. 4 stars.

I really enjoyed this. Squares caught my attention immmediately with their version of Daydream which I'd orginally familiar with thanks to I Monster. The rest of the album is great and certainly deserves another listen.

Lovely ear candy

3.75

The Beta Band is forever linked in my mind with the scene in High Fidelity, "I will now sell 5 copies of The Three EPs by the Beta Band" and the record store just grooves. I get that same head nod on the needle drop feeling with the opening track of Hot Shots II: Squares. This is not a band who I listen to frequently or whose music I've bought despite the convincing nature of the scene in the movie. And yet, every time I listen to them I am nodding along and enjoying the music. They have a pleasing quality that's hard to dislike. There's a smooth groove and likable space-folk quality that is perfect for picking up every now and again. In terms of the album's music, whether a song be more spacey or folky matters less in my enjoyment, ultimately I appreciate the songs most when they privilege the pulse.

I'm enjoying this album. That first track was smoked in a Lupe Fiasco song.

Like if The Beach Boys had a baby with Massive Attack.

interesting and different, thought it was from the 60's originally.

Sounded like an early Alt-J demo's album. Didn't quite have enough to keep it interesting right to the end unfortunately. Favourite song: Al Sharp

Easy pop listening, and a new discovery for me!

A trip-hop album I have never heard of, but have heard the opening track sampled countless times. Really chill, interesting sounds on this album. Being released in 2001, I don't think they were the first to break ground into this vibe, but they executed well. I enjoyed the electronics and the production on this one. Lyrics are entertaining and often humourous which also struck a chord with me. Great discovery! Fun album. Fave tracks: Squares, Broke, Quiet, Eclipse

Good dynamics, subwoofers got a workout

Another great find, I had heard a few of these songs but the entire album is great!

Loved so much

Great suprise

This album was my kind of jam.

this album was pretty cool and i enjoyed listening to it. I'm not sure how "iconic" it is or anything, but it definitely fits the early 2000s vibe of up-and-coming alt/indie rock music i remember. maybe there's a world where these dudes hit it big instead of the killers or lcd soundsystem or something. squares is a jam and the other tracks are fine to good imo. definitely some weird and trippy stuff on here though. favorites: squares, al sharp, human being, gone, eclipse

I had never heard of this or the band before. I liked it. Such a great choice for this project. Catchy songs, well performed. I would have loved a bit more treble in the mix, though, as I felt like there was gauze over the whole proceeding. Other than that, this was solid.

L'originalitat de la seva proposta està fora de dubte. Folk, psicodèlia, indie pop, rock... tot barrejat d'una forma molt propia i original. Mai van donar un pas més enllà de la foscor, però els seus tres discos, especialment aquest, mereixen un petit podi dins les millors joies ocultes de començaments de mil.leni

Trippy

I like to discover albums by bands I have never heard of before. I really liked this trippy electronic and rockish album, very different and fresh. I will definitely come back to this later.

This album I have no idea why it is in anyone's list of albums to listen before they die. I mean, I get it... you wanna create an album that sounds like nothing else? But that doesn't mean you allow yourself to create an album that is so hit and miss... the repetitive lyrics. The lack of flow this has is outstanding and I get it... you wanna make it arty and you want to stand out? I dunno, unless you're really into your Manchester sound, brit/ scot pop and you can delineate between the nuances? It finds itself in an incredibly hard spot to engage with a new listener. Don't get me wrong? it has its moments when it slides into that trip hop aesthetic and there is some genuinely good moments but then there's a fair amount of drop off. I just believe and I wish I could get on it's level because I do appreciate "art for art sake" style records. This one just has moments and then it has other moments. But it isn't something I wouldn't revisit later on, because I know there is stuff there I just haven't cracked the code completely. So because of that revisit factor? I am going 1 star higher than middle of the road.

Decent. I sold 5 copies.

Despite what the album art and name may suggest, this is a very calm album. Nice relaxing jams to throw on while working or driving. Not too repetitive, good production, just solid all around.

Not bad this can be added to the listen again pile