Hot Shots II

This is fun. Happy to have this discovery purely based on this project - will probably listen to this many times again.

My buddy Tim didn’t like this record. I kinda dug it, though.

Pretty good

Squares

not quite my genre, and too slow

I really think I don't wanna hear this, but here goes anything .... Oh-kaaaay that was not what I expected at all. And it didn't hurt to listen to. Still not my brand of tea, alas

Generally pretty boring. I like the trip hop tracks more than the pure pop tracks. The first track is a banger.

Det hörs att Steve Mason ingår i bandet. Hans sentida album käns igen Det är typisk brittiskt Blandningen av och elektoniskt beats och pop En stark 4 Om jag hade hört detta 2001 när det gavs ut hade varit med på topp 10. Platsar det på 1001 bästa albumen någonsin? Förmodligen.

This is the second album by this band that’s been generated so far, and I still don’t know why this band is included at all. It’s not horribly bad, it’s just not good at all. Pointless inclusion!

it's funny bc you look at that cover and never expect the songs to sound like they do. way too bo burnham to me though, music and comedy shouldn't go together in my opinion but alas

Had no idea what to expect from this but ended up liking it for the most part. “Squares” and “Dragon” have been on repeat for me ever since I finished the album. The last few songs blended together for me, but I thought it ended strong with “Eclipse.” While I liked this album, I didn’t love it. Nothing was bad, but some of it was just alright. I wish I could rate this 3.5 stars, but I actually think I’m going to round up, largely due to “Squares” and “Dragon” being on repeat and because I do feel like this album justifies its place on this list with its unique sound.

there are some neat moments on here, some stuff that i liked, but ultimately, i found this to be a bit boring. it's not that there's anything bad here, it's just that it feels like this album doesn't go anywhere. there are interesting ideas, nice moments, cool production, but quite frankly, it feels a bit stagnant most of the time. i wished i liked it more, because i feel like it is up my alley.

Not for me

Not hot, even after II shots. There are betta bands out there. Pass.

# 486 : Hot Shots II : 22/05/2025 Yet another band that I'd never heard of. Not sure their music ever left Scotland. Occasionally great, occasional meh …when your only claim to fame is you are on this list…

This one seems pretty weak to me, like it has veen watered down somehow. I guess you shouldn't buy your music while it's still in beta. Favorite track: "Dragon," I think.

Had never heard of them. Interesting. Off the bat I was, hmm I dunno, but a couple of listen-through a got me intrigued. Will definitely spin back on this one for more.

i hope you like the first song. if you don’t you’ll have a hard time listening to this one because EVERY SONG SOUNDS EXACTLY THE SAME.

This is why Caribou is Caribou.

“If it’s not Scottish it’s crap!” - Mike Meyers, SNL

sounds like if teenage shmekie tried to make a pink floyd album by himself in his basement on Fruity Loops doesn't mean it's bad, it's just very one-note. a very interesting inclusion on this list.

good vibes, a little unstimulating

Erm..

It's not "I will now sell five copies of Hot Shots 2 by the Beta Band."

I really tried to think about this, but I don’t have anything good or bad to say…this is fine? 🤷🏻‍♀️

At times Wilco. At times Pink Floyd. At times Panda Bear. At times Flaming Lips. I guess this is my issue w beta band - I like it just fine, but I can’t discern any cohesive identity to the music. It kind of just leaves me feeling like I just listened to a succession of trailers for music I’d rather listen to.

4.25

one of the best albums ever made. a classic that sounds fresh to this day. a tour de force that bewilders critics and audiences alike. a must listen

1 star. I didn’t get this. It was dull and boring and uninteresting and forgettable. It felt like a chore to get through. It was difficult to determine how sincere the music was and I felt confused why this album received so much acclaim in its time, while not surprised I hadn’t heard of it before now.

4/10 This is not groovy, this is not exciting. Mid

Sounds like a barbershop quartet singing over Logic Pro bedroom beats 🤷🏾

This one wasn't for me. Kind of boring and I didn't enjoy the sound.

I might have heard of the band in passing before but I'd never been formerly introduced to any of their music. During the first listen, I found the sound and composition interesting. I enjoyed the somewhat punchy bass and percussion lines accompanied by the melodic cast of instruments throughout the album. I found the vocals to be much pickier but only on certain songs. Squares and Al Sharp start the album off with a vibrant range of notes but others like Gone, Dragon and Broke seemed to stagnate on the same baritone plane. That's not to say they're not good songs in their own ways but each song seemed to be filled out in different ways.

Classic album.

Dang, this is still so good. I listened to this album A LOT when it was first released in 2001. At the time I was living in a nice apartment complex with a pretty good pool, and when I’d go swimming sometimes I would play this album on a little CD boombox I’d bring with me. For me this album does an amazing job of balancing all the different genres it draws inspiration from. If you like this album then I recommend you check out Lone Pigeon or The Aliens (and their album with the excellent title Astronomy For Dogs) which are offshoots of The Beta Band.

I’d only really heard Dry the Rain, which is great of course, and I really enjoyed this one as well. More like Alpha Band, bruh!

I wasn’t familiar with this band and wasn’t particularly excited to listen to it. I’m glad I did. It was a really nice listen! I’d listen to more.

“I will now sell five copies of The Three E.P.'s by The Beta Band.”

I don’t know. It was okay. I didn’t dislike it but also nothing really stood out to me. It felt like background music, I could fall asleep listening to this. I tried to give it a second listen because I couldn’t remember any of the tracks but even the second time didn’t leave an impression on me. Normally I like to write my top tracks but they all felt about the same. I kept trying to compare each track but I instantly forgot what the previous one sounded like. Probably won’t come back to it but I guess I enjoyed the listen.

Love this. Interesting sounds, great vocals, mad lyrics. We all love pizza.

2/5 not very enjoyable but not terrible either. Hard to pin down a genre on this one.

Definitely an interesting listen. Reminds me a bit of Zero 7, but not as mellow and chill. Not bad, not amazing. Definitely not needed to hear before I die. 2.5/5 so rounding up to a 3.

"I think we need some representation on our 1001 list from this so-called indie genre the kids are going on about!" "Oh, you mean like The Stone Roses?" "I'm pretty sure there's been some developments in the genre since, maybe we can seek opinion from some credible sources with ears close to the ground." "You mean someone like John Cusack's character in High Fidelity?" "That sounds about right..."

very soothing! a little derivative for my tastes

Pretty good, pretty groovy. Didn't quite blow me away.

This album should have been called Lullabies For Fish. It’s so boring and one style and energy it could even put fish to sleep. There is no reason to listen to this, unless you have insomnia.

Not what I thought this album would sound like given the album artwork. I thought it was okay and probably ahead of its 'indie sad boy summer vibes' time in 2001.

I’d never heard this. It was a lot mellower than I expected and reminded me a bit of Super Furry Animals.

Interesting album. Could listen to this a couple of more times.

Pretty chill and enjoyable, but nothing bombastic.

Fantastic. Mellow, rich, full, timeless. The cover art completely mislead me into thinking this was more trendy, something that wasn't going to hold up. It's pretty awesome.

Never would be too soon to try and listen to this again

This is not resonating with me at all. I’m not a fan of the vocal style and everything feels so bland.

The best part of this record is the sample at the beginning. “Life” is an okay song too.

Funnily enough I think I liked just 5 of the 10 songs. Was either vibing to spacey jams like Squares and the 3-song run from Broke to Alleged, or getting bored with it like on Gone or Dragon. Landing around a high 3 with this grade.

Off to a fine start with Squares, which samples/interpolates Daydream effectively into a breezy downtempo stomp. Really enjoy Broke. Bells and pulsing bass are very satisfying. Life is a late album standout -- really enjoyed the instrumental on its own with the warm luscious bass and tasteful use of that click sound (not sure what it is tbh). I'd say that this is one of those albums that I appreciate as a whole more than I do for its individual parts. I enjoyed the spacey atmosphere of this album and found it to make a very pleasant listen this morning. Vocals are solid and the instrumentals are all nicely produced. For me this is a solid enough 4.

Listened to this one on my ear pods so I'm hoping it wasn't another Les Rythmes Digitales situation where I was missing a lot of the depth of the album. Felt like a slower, electronic singer/songwriter album almost. I didn't like it as much as the other Beta Band album we got. Pretty middle of the road here, will re-listen if I figure out that it is better with headphones.

Was a pretty cool album but it never hooked me. This is music I should really like and I liked the other album we have had by them, but this one just never did it for me. Also the song Eclipse to end it was really weird. Still not bad I was just hoping for more. This is a high 3

Nice I remember liking the last Beta Band album. Need to go back and listen to that. This album again is sonically great. All over the place but feels cohesive as well. Weird music but good weird. These guys make way better music than album covers.

Like The Beach Boys but they're just too sunny? Try Beta Band! Like Beck but he's too much of a Scientologist? Try Beta Band! Like Alt-J but wish they were around 15 years earlier? Try Beta Band!

Different alternative, but chill.

I think Squares has been used on an advert, sure i have heard it before and wondered who it was by. The rest of the album is alright. Had it on as background music while doing computer work most of it just drifted by, with the odd bit grabbing my attention. Life is probably the best track. But working out a score for it will be difficult 1,4 & 5 all out. so that leaves us with 2 & 3. it's not bad enough for a 2, but not quite good enough for a 3. it's more of a 2.8. deserves to be rounded up rather than down, so I suppose it'll have to be another 3

That was a journey into the unknown with a band I’d never heard of. They caught me on a good day and I enjoyed the lovely ambience, sampling and harmonies. So I’ll give it a high 3. May not be as generous if I ever bothered listening again. It’s all about the timing.

At the moment, I'm giving this a 3 star, as this was very good. They are yet another band which I have never got round to properly listening to. It was a lot more electronic than I expected, as I'd always thought they were a guitar band. Life is full of surprises.

Meaningless, boring nonsense. "Beta Band" is probably a bit of an exaggeration. "Omega Band" is much more appropriate.

4/10 - it was kind of boring and the parts that weren’t boring were not good enough to make up for it. Plus the last song was pretty weird

Liked this one more than the other beta boys album. It was a little less soulless, but still pretty bland

Hot Shots II is one of those rare albums that sounds completely effortless while being quietly brilliant from start to finish. The Beta Band take their oddball experimentalism from earlier releases and rein it in just enough to deliver something far more focused, but still totally unique. It’s mellow, strange, soulful, and groovy in all the right ways—like Beck, if he’d grown up in Fife and spent more time inside his own head. Tracks like Squares, Human Being, and Gone blend woozy electronics, off-kilter beats, and warm, understated melodies into a sound that feels both handmade and futuristic. The pacing is spot on, drifting between hypnotic chill and low-key funk without ever losing its sense of cohesion. It’s rich in texture but never cluttered, with just the right amount of weirdness to keep things interesting without derailing the vibe. This is an album you fall into—an odd, soft-edged world that makes total sense once you’re inside it. There’s nothing quite like it, and few records from the early 2000s have aged so gracefully. Hot Shots II is not just the Beta Band’s best work—it’s a quietly perfect gem.

Its nice to see that this band has more than just "Dry the Rain" but nothing on here is quite as good as that song. Betas indeed. Favorite track: Human Being

This has one of the strongest openings I've heard lately. Squares is SO good. And then I just kept vibing from there on out. It didn't keep up the energy the whole way through, which is a pity, but overall I really enjoyed it. I wasn't familiar with this group, so its one of my best finds so far!

Cool chill album with some interesting moments. Could be construed as boring sometimes but I am the target market for this kind of sound so it's a 3.5-4 for me 4 - will definitely listen again

Very cool album and band Id never heard of. Added to a playlist with Beck, LCD Soundsystem, etc.

I was not familiar with this one, but it was pretty good. It's a pretty chill electronic record.

Nondescript

I have very mixed opinions on this

Nice enough. Nothing too groundbreaking. 3/5

Incredibly dull.

the other album i heard from them Heroes to Zeros was probably the most boring album i've ever heard this is slightly less boring. i actually liked it. love the trip-hop influences that stuff always appeals to me

Two of the three songs I know from The Beta Band open this album, but I never thought to check out the rest. Really solid album. The tone is very mellow and intriguing, and the feel is almost psychedelic. Some parts of the album are a bit too repetitive and monotonous, but that just adds to the droning nature of it.

The Beta Band remind me of my days of skipping lectures to tour the second hand CD stores in search of a mental list of albums (a mixture of albums from bands I knew and liked, classic albums I hadn't heard but knew I "needed" in my collection, and hot albums I'd read about in NME). The Beta Band's 3 EPs was one that I searched for at length. I eventually found it for more than I wanted to pay, and with a damaged cover, but I was excited to add it to my collection. I couldn't tell you what it sounded like - that one was definitely more about the chase than the prize, and it never made it into regular rotation. I thought about it for the first time in years recently when I saw a question about EPs worthy of the list. This album reminds me of those simpler times. It's very "of it's time", but that's not a bad thing and it made me happy.

It's got moments here and there ("Broke" comes the closest to being a good song), but it's mostly bland and forgettable. Not surprised it fell off the list. The title makes me want to watch the Hot Shots! movies instead, which is assuredly a better use of one's time.

This stuff sucks. If I had a company that had a help line, this is the kind of music I would have playing for the people on hold to make them hang up so I wouldn't have to deal with them.

I totally love The Beta Band and think they have a timeless sound that blends trip hop and art rock. I think I'd probably more rate this more like a 4.5, but I'm gonna go 5 because I still frequently throw this album on, along with The Three E.P.s.

It's a pretty, breezy record but The Three EPs, made famous by the same movie that needlessly steered a generation away from the pleasures of Belle and Sebastian, is the one you need to hear.

I don’t remember thinking this about them back in the day, but The Beta Band has some really pretty songs, like "Gone" and "Quiet." Maybe it has to do with frontman Steve Mason’s soothing and calming vocal style, like a quietly confident man in no hurry to convince you of anything and content to let his songs speak for him. But there's actually a lot to the music: slammin’ trip-hop beats, motorik rhythms, tasty basslines, cool electronic flourishes, nice harmonies and earworm refrains, all contained within engaging songs. It all adds up to a highly pleasant and enjoyable listening experience. FYI Allmusic calls this band “post-Britpop.”

I like the band and this album is fine, but just because an album is likable doesn't necessarily make it worthy of some rando best albums list, does it? I don't see what this album does that's notable that makes it worthy.

This should have been a bigger part of my early-mid aughts experience when I had bands like Hot Chip in heavier rotation. I don't know how I missed it then, but I'm glad I heard it now. Good stuff!

I like this record. Not essential but a nice cross between trip hop and pop.

Such a uniquely and wonderfully weird band. Looking forward to see them on their current tour this fall.

If the Beach Boys were an indie group from the 2000's. I liked it. 4/5

Not bad. Chill, doesn't really grab me.

Middle of the road. Nice vocal production, but I'd had enough after three tracks.

what the hell, sure

I got through about half this album. More generational discord emanating from this list. Not sure what this genre is called, but I dislike it. I don’t understand why this one is in the 1,000 list. Don’t like it, don’t appreciate its contribution to music in general.

Not thrilling

Pretentious hipster shite

solid

Chill, enjoyable.

This was my first time listening to The Beta Band, and after just one playthrough, I knew I had to download it and give it another spin. I was already familiar with Squares, which is a fantastic track, and I’m happy to say the rest of the album holds up well. It’s an easy, enjoyable listen with a laid-back vibe reminiscent of Gorillaz and MGMT — perfect for background listening. While it lacks a few standout moments, it’s consistently solid throughout. Favorite song: Squares — a great track. Least favorite: Honestly, every track earned its place on the album, but I wouldn’t have minded a couple more big hitters like Squares. Album artwork: Cool cover — though I’m still not sure what’s going on in the middle!

no

Decent album. I liked the variety and the production. It felt like the instruments/samples had room to breathe on each song.

Really soft and melodious kind of boring and cringy. Didnt like any song

So painfully below-average that it makes me question the author's other picks.

Reminds me of Beck

another one of those albums that ive never listened to in full but i recognize so many of these songs from tv shows, movies and car commercials

Like Gorillaz before Gorillaz existed. Solid album.

Went down a rabbit hole on this Squares song. Daydream is the original, where they pulled the hook from. Isaac Hayes did a version which was then pulled by Portishead, then a few years later this. I don’t think the song justifies this many rip offs, and I think the Beta Boys added the least? Was not a fan of this, and it’s hard to say how much of it is because my growing resentment of Brit Pop and this guys forcing it on us. The effect I kept hearing that’s hard to describe, I think it’s the sound of a cymbal reversed. The stereotypical DJ sound. You know the one. Anyway, don’t love that! Ending with Eclipse and their very irritating and overly simplistic ideas about the haves and have nots left me feeling mostly annoyed. There was some interesting stuff here but overall not for me.

First discovered the Beta Band awhile ago with 'Dry the Rain' and 'Dog's Got a Bone', two great songs from their first album, but hadn't explored much beyond that. These songs are very much in the same vein - most are subdued and hypnotic at first but rising naturally over the course of the song to a satisfying crescendo. Mix that pattern with some pretty good hooks, creative sampling and just enough rhythmic variation and dynamic vocal layering and it adds up to a pretty unique sound. One of my favorite parts of this daily album review thing is it makes me more aware of my own biases, blind spots, hypocrisy etc. For example, I'm realizing now my stance on sampling is completely incoherent. Sometimes I say its lazy, sometimes I say it's derivative - but here I like the way songs sound so I'm saying it's totally fine, even innovative. Usually, I'm just making up intellectual, occasionally moral, justifications for whatever my ear happens to already like.

I first encountered The Beta Band back in like 2019 from a very strange documentary (the song was Its Not Too Beautiful from their first album IIRC -- apparently the band is famous for publicly hating their first album lol). Fast forward to 2025 and im hearing this... I felt like I was connecting a lot of dots on the first run. Im going to avoid talking about Squares (and yeah, that song is awesome, but its 100x more popular than the rest of the tracks). Al Sharp, Human Being are fantastic songs that sort of reset the mood after Squares. Really cool to see that Carole Fucking King was on Human being. Dragon picked up the slack from Gone. Loved the electronica sounds here. Things peak for me on Quiet. I don't know about y'all, but Im hearing this weird vocal harmony all over the place on this album -- stuff that I know Alt J does/did about 10 years ago where vocals stack on top of each other in weird cadences Also, apparently the Japanese version of this album featured a track that they wrote with Harry Nilsson. So cool 4 stars. Will definitely want a 3rd or 4th listen on this one. My one critique is that Gone sucked and that some songs were a tish too long.

I feel like my palate has been totally shot on Brit pop, so came into this with alot of anger toward the Verve. This ended up having so much more depth. Not quite tight enough to draw comparisons to Radiohead, but definitely Sounds of Alt-J, Django Django, or Thom Yorke solo stuff - dark blend of electronic and acoustic. The lyrics weren't great - Eclipse is kind of terrible or trying to be funny, such a weird ending? - and felt like some of the songs kind of flat-lined on a single idea, but the ideas were at least worth dwelling on for a bit. AI Sharp, Human Being, Gone, Broke - this whole thing really rewarded a repeat listen. I feel like every song had a section where I was like "this band kind of sucks", followed immediately a section where I needed to stop working and listen more closely. Kind of disorienting but pretty cool at the same time. Haven't really listened to Alt-J or Django Django in a long time - might dial them up today.

I mean, I didn’t hate it - and with the band name and cover I really wanted to

A nice sound here. Kind of cozy… but then over the whole album, it also gets boring. Very boring.

If you like accordion over drum machines then you'll probably like this. Definitely held my interest, kinda like a better Beck without the rapping lol

Very nice!

This is exactly my kind of thing somehow, I've listened to it 5 times today. And I've never heard of this band before. What a good discovery!

A pleasant surprise. Didn’t know the band by name but starting listening and went “oh, this song!” Broke was my favorite track.

This record is a little dark and opaque. I can’t quite put my finger on anything and none of the tracks have really stuck with me after the fact.

It was an ok album. Never heard of them before so had no expectations- interesting electronic/almost hip hop fusion with Alternative. Highlights were “Human Being”, “Quiet” and to a lesser extent “Eclipse”

Totalmente inerte. Tenía cositas para que me gustara mucho más, pero es como si fueran a medio gas todo el rato. Canción destacada: Human Being

Ok album, not very memorable as I'm having a hard time recalling anything about it when I write this review the morning after listening to it. I remember it not being my thing, but I don't remember why. 2/5

This was way to experimental for me. I couldn't vibe with it at all. Most songs are just so slow and a lot of the background notes physically hurt my ears.

pleasant

An album that could have only been made in 2001, right as Vice, Pitchfork, and first-wave late-Gen X hipsterdom was on rise. It has the eclecticism of a proto-Web 2.0 when it was only accessible to the dorkiest of dorks, and also this relaxed apathy that would feel misplaced the moment the towers fell, especially now with pas becoming more faux in the 25 years since. Despite its UK origins, it’s a very pre-9/11 record. And yet, because it comes before all the actual bullshit of the 21st century, its hunter-gatherer mish-mash quality is kind of adorable. It helps that it’s assembled well, and not trying to be much deeper than a vibe. As a result, I think sometimes that lackadaisical energy can drag and get a bit too dry, but when it hits, it’s pretty pleasant. Overall, it evens out to something fine, but never something transcendent. I’m sure it felt a lot stickier in 2001, but like most things from that year, it does feel a little trite by modern standards. I see how it could’ve slipped in due to recency bias, and it’s a good time, but definitely not anything spectacular.

It's better than the other Beta Band's album on the list, but it's still pretty awful.

This seems to be one of those records that is loudly celebrated as zany, bizarre, off-the-wall and innovative, but its actually just indie rock with a synth. To me, it sounds like the sombre end of britpop mixed with some bits of 1990s electronic sound. Maybe not a million miles from Gorillaz, whose first album came out the same year as this. The vocals are very monotonous. The songwriting has a few striking moments. The music ranges from slightly catchy to inoffensive. It's not doing much for me. 2.5*

Dreamy, experimental alt-pop. Lyrics are as silly as the cover art, but a great listening experience all the same.

I enjoyed bits of this but I do feel like this another band with solid musicianship trapped in the apparent need to have mediocre vocals smashing through everything. This about the time when some instrumental works became commercially successful so I'd have been keen for them to try that on for a track or two. My last rating was a "4 nearly a 5", this is definitely a "4 nearly a 3". What's this about not wanting to be on your own with a book?!

Fuck me sideways. Not one but TWO Beta Band albums. Arbitrary award winner, worst album covers for a band featured more than once on this list. Jesus Christ. Is it better than the other album? Maybe. I don’t remember that one. I don’t really remember this one either. It’s trying to be smug and carefree in a real 2001 way that just doesn’t happen anymore. I just can’t be asked. Parts of it are fine, there are moments of shine but like. There are times when I’ve had diarrhea twice in a month and there were parts that were bearable there. But I’m not gonna give it more than one star. Fuck you.

Made me sleepy

Found it quite interesting but at the same time didn't entirely stick. 3.5 rounded down.

Not bad, I like this genre, but I quickly get fed up if it sounds too introverted and serious. Despite quirky lyrics, this often did seem a bit earnest. It was too artsy and (not literally) one-note for me: my favourite moments were the sudden, speedier outros in Human Being and Quiet. Lovely chords and harmonies, sometimes some good beats, but I don't think I'll come back to it. Reminded me of Alt-J? I think. Controversial comment: they need a better singer. I did snort when I read the review complimenting the recording engineer, despite the singer's head being up his own arse. Yup.

Mellow as.

I enjoyed this. The Beta band kind of passed me by and my impression was kinda of flaming lips/lemonheads/early beck style music. Turns out there were a lot of tracks i knew and enjoyed, the album hung together really well and i feel bad for missing it first time around. I felt it dropped off towards the end so i'm not going nuts but it was a good listen.

Interesting

Another surprise! Good mix of music and lyrics

I've enjoyed some of their other albums more and I found the recording quality to be distracting.

I remember liking this album more 20 years ago. I still like the music but something about the singer gets on my nerves now it’s too bad because I used to really like it.

Los he escuchado de pasada alguna vez en Radio3, pero nunca un album completo. Veo que tenía Squares como favorita de antes. Pues salvo esa, un peñazo en general, se salva porque es tranquilito y se queda en 2 estrellas.

Best Song: Squares. Nice intro to the album. Feels like it aspires to be a Bond song. Worst Song: Eclipse. The phrasing on some of the vocals on this track seem intentionally bad. Overall: Very unobtrusive, vaguely groovy background music. Not so interesting that I would actively listen to it, but fun enough to throw on while doing other things.

7/10

I'll be honest, this album went in one ear and right out the other. Just completely did not hold my attention.

So glad I came across this. I loved it!

Doesn't contain any of the big hits, but still has some good moments, like the opening of 'Life' which is menacing and lyrically original.

I have been tricked twice by the name and branding of this band. I go in expecting some funky disco situation and am given Scottish chillwave. It's not bad, but I'm just shocked by the disconnect that's going on in my brain. Is there another Beta Band? Why do I always think these guys are going to serve me disco grooves?

I wouldn’t call this essential but it was not bad and something I wouldn’t of listened to otherwise.

3.5

Thought this album was better than anticipated

Interesting sound; electronic rock with sort of soft vibes that maybe feels... distant? It's okay but not incredible. Couple crackin' bits of weird lyrics though... "Sell to them the killing gem, attack to get it back." Or, "Or because the power ranger robots in disguise / Have called a war to you honey?"

Beta band is always a vibe.

This was bad.

Had absolutely no idea what to expect and am glad to say that I really enjoyed it. Varied but focused and fantastically produced. Another one I never would've checked out and plan on revisiting.

Pleasant enough. Some of it reminded me of Beck, but not as original or as talented.

This was new to me (apart from 1 track) and I really liked it. It was background music but I will re-listen.

Okay, I love this. Why have I not ever listened to them?

Interesting, unique kind of style. Half electronica half folk, I think I like it? Only 2 songs in rn tho. Okay mostly done. It's really lost to being great, but not quite there. Still pretty good.

-this was a really interesting listen actually. I had read about The Beta Band from Radiohead but never actually listened to anything from then. it wasn’t what I expected, sounded almost chamber pop-esque at points -generally I liked this a lot, it had some great high points. I cannot stop listening to Life and idek why. 3.5 stars -Favorites are Dragon, Broke, and Life

Nowhere near the three eps album.

2.5/5

Not my thing.

Ummm hmmm. A lot of this album consisted of me just continuously checking if it was over because I couldn’t find it incredibly interesting. Given that, I think it’s different and gave some good and new impact and such.

For one thing a better singer could have made this worth something. These monotone vocals made even the first track a bit of a sludge to get through and it literally never varies for the entire damn album. Also Mr Beta - I noticed your lyrics. 90% of the time for me that's a bad sign and oh yes it is the 90 %. These are banal and stupid stupid lyrics . Yeah this one just pissed me off - nearly always frustratingly stuck in 1st or 2nd gear. And many times it was *so close* to making something out of nothing that it almost made me mad. Plus it is way way too inorganic - not sure we get a sound of air from any element whatsoever and it really hit me for whatever reason - in the end made this an easy 2 at best. 4/10 2 stars

Album 1035 for me, which also means album art 1035. This has to be the biggest mismatch on the list. You can't really argue this is spacy and for sure nothing explodes, or is bedazzled for that matter. Anyway, good album, never heard of them before, would listen again. Deserves to be on the list more than some other albums I've listened to, and I'm glad to have been exposed to it, but not making the revised list is also not unreasonable.

This is another group from the UK. Most groups have a specific genre, but these guys seem to be electronica, rock, and very etherial. Sometimes they remind me of Pink Floyd, sometimes Depeche Mode. I applaud them for their diverse music, although nothing stood out to me as outstanding.

Never heard of them, so no idea what to expect with this one. The good news is that they aren't boring and the noises (though there are noises, beep bloop), lyrics, and singing are acceptable to me. Still, I bet there are jokes in the other reviews about them rightfully not being the Alpha Band. And those jokes would make sense, because they aren't really tops, they're just okay. Highlights: 'Human Being', 'Dragon', 'Quiet' (the sun and the people DO blind me!!) Lowlights: the rhyme scheme of 'Life'

One digs records that mix an off-kilter, even outre, vibe with supreme listening ease and imminent diggability. This is such a record. All the cuts work well enough, but "Squares" and "Alleged" and "Eclipse" are one's faves.

100% not what I was expecting.m, sound-wise. Very unique sound for the time which is why it’s getting a 3 despite me probably not ever listening to it again.

Hot Shots II is a well crafted album and a fun, interesting listen. Had to listen to this one twice, and it was even better the second time through. A lot going on musically, especially in the background. Beta Band is hands down the best unheard of act on the 1001 List to date. Beckish! (4.7*s)

I don't love the band name (and let's not talk about the album name or the cover art) but this was a surprisingly good listen. I dig the groove sound, it's a unique blend of folk and electronica which I think is hard to do. A lot of the tracks were really catchy, I actually knew the first song "Squares" but not sure where from. I liked this enough to listen through a few times and check out some of their other work. The list provides again. I'm very into atmospheric, ambient rock so this was def up my alley. A few tracks left me wishing they pushed it to third gear but still very satisfied with the album (and more-so with the discovery). Of course there are people who won't like this "so no pizza for them." 3.5 for the grungy acid house Scots.

Hot Shots Part Deux the movie is great...Hot Shots II the album is decent. Some good electro-space jams again from the list. I like the music but C-Swings a bit too low and melodramatic tone. Cut the last track "Eclipse", too weird with all the pizza and moon landing conspiracies. Would like to here HS I...where'd it go? Liked this enough to maybe check out some other albums by the band but it's not blowing me away...3.08.

The Beta Band brings some soft electronic rock to the table that works at times and doesn't at others. There's some tracks I enjoyed and some others that did nothing for me. Second half of the album grabbed me a little more than what I heard initially. Not really sure what to say otherwise. It's a middle of the pack album for the most part. Wish this had been a soundtrack for the comedy masterpiece Hot Shots Part Deux instead. 2.42 stars

2.5

Good but not earth shattering.

Pretty forgettable

Pretty interesting and reminds me a lot of Beck, but a bit too chill for me. The opening track (Squares) was my favourite upon first listen.

Looked up my rating of the other Beta Band album we've had and was surprised I went with '2 stars - the boring band' because i really liked this one

Very enjoyable

What did fucking beta bands sponsor this thing?!

same as the other one. would not seek out but not terrible could i write poetry to this? n

This list does not need two Beta Band albums. This one would have been sufficient. It is slightly better than the one we heard just yesterday (and I have already forgotten its title.)

Motorhead only gets one album. Thin Lizzy only gets one album. No Mastodon. No Death Metal. No Black Metal. But there are generic Britpop/Alt bands for days. Fuckin nerds

The perfected the formula on Dry The Rain. Every other Beta Band song tries to be that, but falls short. This album is better than the other Beta Band album on here, but but still just a 3.

Decently fun at points but still has periods of just not-so-interesting melodies and such. 5/10

It’s very cool, it’s very moody, it’s got so much unique stuff going on that I’ve never heard before..it’s just not really for me.

Pleasant album, was a fun listen from start to finish. The most popular track didn't initially stand out to me that much. Possibly influenced by it just being a good album for my current environment at work; good background music.

Yet another album that doesn't deserve the acclaim this list is giving. Maybe if I ask nicely, they'll put the album my high school band recorded on this list and I can feel like a special boy too! This is the second album I've got for The Beta Band (Heroes to Zeros is also on here for some reason) and while this is the better of the 2, it's still nothing to write home about. Sure, I can hear it's influence on some of my favorite bands, but those bands just did it better. I was going to just skip it all together until I heard this is where Lupe Fiasco got the sample for "Daydream" and thought, sure, I'll give it a try, and about halfway through, I had to move on to something else. Incredibly mid snooze fest

Chill, dreamy, catchy

I agree with everything Sean said (getting lazy in my reviews).

Dare I say that after three listens yesterday, I really enjoyed this. McCartney style vocals, experimental millennium sounds, spacy guitar layers. The recipe for this cup of tea worked for me.

Wow, Sean’s right! He does sound like Paul McCartney. (Exclamation does not mean surprise by the way). I really like the song Dry the Rain, which I think is from Trainspotting, but I’m less excited about these songs, although the tensing and soothing sensation is still palpable. Eclipse is a good closer.

Pretty good! Wishing this list was less Brit-centric tho

It was okay, offered something a little different

Fav song: Eclipse Reminds me SO much of Hot Chip who are one of my favourite bands so naturally I loved this album. Fantastic from start to finish - but sometimes gets lost in the sauce.

A little goofy, but hey, sometimes that’s just what you need. Not bad.

First time ever hearing this band and by extension album. The chill out music and vibe is cut with enough selections of samples, vocals and more to keep it from getting too sleepy and boring. Two songs were immediately put on my regular playlist. Glad for this recommendation.

The first two songs gave me a feeling of "okay, I didn't enjoy it, but the style is there, and I definitely enjoy music *like* it, so maybe it'll get there!" But it just didn't unfortunately

This is okay, bass heavy and chill. Rating: 3

- Eh

Repetitive but in all the right ways. Mumble rock for the win.

Nothing stood out for me on this album so I'll just be moving on to the next one. Only 400 more to go...

Finally gave it a listen. Hmm. There are these moments when it catches you, all that laid back quirkiness, but most of the time it is rather a 'come to the point' feeling. A little bit too repetitive and same-feeling. I understand why this never became bigger, despite obvious talent.

A pleasant album to revisit-some gentle trip-hop/Beck vibes. Nothing mind blowing, but nice to have on in the background to uplift your mood gently.

This has some really interesting touches that piqued my interest but then they don’t really do anything with them. I wanted to like this so much more. Disappointing

Was, initially, put off by other reviews and expected to dislike this album. Was pleasantly surprised that it was very approachable and enjoyable. Their music's not changing the world, but I wouldn't change the station if this cam on the radio. Solid 3- trending to 4- stars.

This was pretty good, I liked it alright.

No clue who these guys where but kinda fun I liked it

I found a thread on reddit a while back asking if anyone who worked at a record store had sold any albums a la the scene in High Fidelity with The Beta Band's The Three E.P.'s. I'd never heard of them before this as I still haven't gotten around to watching that movie (yet), but I did check out their song Dry the Rain, which I really liked. I was absolutely hooked by the first half of this album, like I was ready to give it 5 stars. I love the harmonies, and it's so otherworldly. I don't know how else to describe it, but songs like AI Sharp, Human Being, and Gone are how feeling homesick sounds. I was definitely reminded of Beck quite a bit, which is a positive for me. The last few songs kind of lost me, specifically Eclipse, which I found kind of annoying, actually. But otherwise a mostly solid album with lots of songs I'd love to add to my playlists.

It's nothing special, but not terrible.

This was a vanilla album. Nothing great but nothing bad either. Not sure why it’s on this list

Most of this was ok, but I see both Beta Bands albums have been removed from the list? No huge loss, but I can think of heaps of other albums on this list I'd kick off before this one.

Honestly, not that bad, but nothing about this grabs me to come back for more.

Very weird mix of sounds that can't really be pinned down to being part of any genre. Some trip-hop vibes here and there, some R&B influence throughout, but not wholly either of those things. Vocal delivery, is soft, melodic, and echoey; really pushes this almost into ambient territory. Overall production just sounds "'90s" for lack of a better descriptor. Outside of keeping my head nodding, I'm not sure it really does much for me. I do think it's something that might grow on me with repeated listens though.

This is... fine. Nothing is really standing out to me.

Second album by The Beta Band I've heard on this list. It's not bad by any means, but I don't know if they are the unsung heroes that this book tries to make them out to be. They're pleasant enough.

Elbow bien. Muy interesante musicalmente, aunque a ratos soporífero. Momentos de 5 y de 1 según la canción. 2.5 alto.

Solid. Beta band just rocks solid tunes. 3.5/5

Always have loved Broke - just a great ambient song

Es un disco raro, como arreglitos indie o electrónica en un ambiente rock progre. Está bueno pero tampoco me dejó grandes cosas.

I have no reference point for this band. I guess they are Britpop adjacent? I don't know, this album was fine, it is like radio polished mass appeal background music that feels like it was probably alternative to the most popular when it came out. Very middle of the road and inoffensive. It was fine for sure, nothing to write home about.

Snore fest

It's certainly not bad

Imagine the disappointment on my face when I learned this had no relation to the Top Gun spoof sequel with Charlie Sheen

Lots of people tell me this is a goof album and it's not unpleasant listening but just really didn't resonante with me.

Why the fuck do these knobs have 2 albums on this list? I feel like this is Robert Dimery's personal playlist moreso than an "essential albums" list, because I definately could have went my life without hearing 1, let alone 2 Beta Band albums. The last thing I need in my life is to listen to more shitty British indie. Classless garbage. Bland and depressing. I'm beginning to realize that the lions share of UK music doesn't translate on this side of the pond. Too bad this list is made up of 85% of this trash. Favourite songs: Squares Least favourite songs: Gone ... I don't know, I lost interest.... 1/5

Why do people keep trying to make me enjoy the Beta Band?

Experimentation at its peak early 2000s

I’ve had some many albums that are just shruggs on this list. 2 or 3 star unremarkable stuff. This was an absolute lock for this list.

Unique and easy-listening songs. Nice instrumentation arrangement and performances. Going to check out more by this band.

7/10.

Veeeeeeery enjoyable Broke is the highlight Really really liked it. Got better, solid

Urg!

va be dai onesto 3.5

Reminded me of an old flatmate who used to play this off a burned CD all the time. There are some songs such as Human Being and Gone that I could come back to.

The opening track is memorable, but not amazing or anything, and the rest is just indietronica whateverism. F

I listened to this the whole way through and kept having to go back as it made such little impression on me I couldn't remember it at all. I still don't really remember it other than being a bit meh and not that interesting

It was quite boppy and enjoyable. Nothing much more to say to be honest.

Good background stuff. Well done.

Always a good listen.

They were looking to create a certain sound and they achieved it. Boring.

I dig it. A little pulpy, a little poppy.

Really enjoyed a few tracks on this- Squares is a great opener and I enjoyed wallowing in the woe of Gone. Maybe it’s because I only know the Beta Band from the High Fidelity soundtrack that I imagined a lot of this soundtracking an indie movie. Possibly that meant it washed over me a little? It’s pretty ambient, but there were some interesting lyrics once I tuned in properly. It felt surprisingly groovy for an indie record, kind of like a cross between a guitar band and Moby- very 2001, and quite a dance sensibility for something so low key (it felt very hooky). Alleged particularly reminded me of Spiritualized, who I love- the little moment of silence in the middle before coming back with a breakdown is straight out of the Jason Pearce playbook. I’ve put Squares on my December playlist and I’d listen to Dragon again, and Broke was fun.

I listened to this twice and actually liked it so much more the first time than the second but oh well haha. Great great start, and honestly I did enjoy the whole album really. Very much the end of brit pop and obviously very influenced by The Stone Roses, which I like. The production is amazing and is has been engineered amazingly, the lyrics... I mean sure. Will I listen again? Actually quite possibly.

interesting

this album was well recieved by critics. im sure at the time this music seemed adventurous but today it sounds like very generic indie rock. i really do believe that this band was way more influential than there sales would suggest since a lot of bands aped this. im not rating its influence though.

I really enjoy the Beta Band. I'm not sure why they chose to include this album over their debut but whatever. 3.5 rounding up

Damn. Just like Christine and the Queens, I really wanted to like this. Good production, good sound overall, but the songs aren't good. Or at least not good enough. They all sound generic, in a bad way. An incredibly, incredibly mid album with a lot of potential. They have the tools, they know how to use it, but the results just don't work.

not bad, aber irgendwie nichtssagend

Some great singles just weird enough to stand the test of time.

Sub average and forgettable.

Not particularly entertaining. No pop no fizz. Kind of boring Sort of like poetry reading. Best part? It was short.

Never heard of them, and seems there's a good reason. This is not interesting.

Better than their first album, but not as good as the 3 EPs

Começa bem, clima interessante com uso de elementos eletrônicos e depois soa constantemente como uma derivação fria do Paul McCartney

November 22, 2024 HL: “Squares", "Dragon", "Broke", “Quiet” “The intensity of Hot Shots II... will become legendary in, oh, about ten years time. Just wait and see" Since this list was first published in 2005, we still have a year to make it happen, folks! Despite the musical adventurousness, I wouldn’t describe this as intense, particularly as it ends in basically a shrug and a commitment to get high Bear in mind when I listened to this, I was already distracted by the fact I suddenly had new Kendrick and Kiwanuka albums to listen to. Consider this, like basically every other review, as an impressionable first impression. I thought its mix of trip-hop and slacker rock was often intriguing, it just didn’t grab me the way a few recent albums have 3.5

Snoozefest

Enjoyed this. Heard of but not actively listened to these. Will explore further. An intriguing 3/4

Surprisingly enjoyable

why'd he sound like bill wurtz

Better than I expected. A good change of pace for me. Will I listen to again: 50%

I admit I fell for the hipster hype after seeing High Fidelity. But the 3 EPs is where that hype stopped for me. The vibe is right but the songs are completely hollow. Another better band, Elbow, got the vibe and the songs right and are The Beta Band's lunch. This record has the vibe. But it's boring. It doesn't go anywhere. It just sort of siren songs you in promising something it can't deliver.

It's not bad, in fact quite pleasant but is it really worthy of a place in the Greatest of all time? No.

Listen to this while at work and I think that was the right way to listen to it. Not much to think about here. 4/10

Never listened to the full album before ....and I like it! I would say that over all it is a stronger set of songs than 3 EPs, nowithstanding the fact that there is nothing quite as transcening as Dry The Rain. What a song that is. Anyway a very enjoyable listen that I think will get more play that 3 EPs and that's saying something. 4 stars

I like the track one remix of daydreaming but nothing else really does anything for me.

Meh wasn't too bad. Kind of interesting. When I read that it was inspired by electronica I groaned. But it was better than I expected.

I think I'll wait until the Delta Band.

That first song unlocked a memory. The rest unlocked nothing.

Ok so this band seems painfully early 2000s but they don't sound too bad so far? They seem to know how to make good music that also is technically impressive. Squares Al Sharp!!!!!!!! Dragon!! Alleged! Eclipse This album is kinda nuts?! I thoroughly loved a lot of these songs and am super glad 1001 gave me this to listen to. There were some duds but over all super cool and unique

A while back this would have been a 2. It's inoffensive. It doesn't make me want to turn it off. But then I got to Kollaps. That was an album that was so offensive to the ears that it got a reaction and made me reevaluate how I feel about these bland, generic albums. Kollaps was not a good album, but it at least got a reaction out of me, which is the purpose of art, to speak to someone, whether that be in a good or bad way. Kollaps spoke to me so I gave it a 2. This doesn't say anything to me. This is a 1.

Ja wel fa2

This one was fun. Nothing blew me away but it was easy listening

I listen to this in the background and more often than not I felt like turning it off, then turning it up.

I really didn't know what this was, even after listening. Are they really a band? Are they playing instruments or is a lot of this done digitally? Does it really matter? No, it doesn't. This was great. Very moody. From the first vocal line, I knew I was in for something a little more unique. What a great opener. Seriously, it really set the tone for the whole thing and let me know what to expect moving forward. Really felt like it lived in its own sonic space, like it existed in its own world and you'd be hard pressed to ever hear this on the radio or on TV. You'd only hear this when listening to the album and nowhere else, not because its somewhat obscure, but because where else would it fit? I really enjoyed this. Not enough to give it five starts, but definitely enough to give it four. One of the more innovative albums I've heard from this century. Standout Tracks: Squares, Human Being, Broke, Quiet

It was quirky and I didn't dislike it.

I have a vague recollection of hearing some of these before but it’s blandness overwhelms any memory

I liked the first half a lot more than the second half, tempted to drop it down to 3 stars because of the second half but I’m not going to. Very good harmonies I liked it

I actually enjoyed it. the singing is a bit cringe, but the album is ok.

interesting

Experimental, groovy, fun. This is what I like to hear in a record. It has great rhythms, funky vocals and instruments and is a generally chill vibe with some psychedelic influences. Definitely some tracks I've heard sampled by other artists which was really nice to hear. I dig the eclectic dynamics of this one - great album.

Vibing

This was okay, I don't remember much of it

Was concerned that I loved something by a British band then found out they were Scottish. No wonder I actually like their voices

I think they have an interesting chill sound, and this should really suit me. While I found 'Squares' to be alright, I didn't find any of the other songs particularly interesting. Somehow the whole album also sounds very... weak, and bad? There is no punch in anything in the songs, and the singer's voice is extremely weak and sits behind everything else in the mix, so it just doesn't grab you at all. Also almost zero stereo image... just very bad sounding in general to me. Maybe a bit harsh, but getting a 2. Mostly because it's sounds so uninspiring, but also because it's a bit of a boring record.

Nothing really stuck out and while the general vibe was ok, I wasn't that impressed. The album art wasn't doing it any favours either.

No thanks.

So it turns out I really like The Beta Band. Maybe I should have explored further than the three EPs when I was younger. Such a nice chill vibe for a certain mood, with early psychedelic tendancies that don't outstay their welcome. Unique sound, unique voice.

I did not have high expectations for this, but I quite liked it! I think I'll listen to it again tomorrow too. I liked the spacy-ness, I thought several of the songs were quite catchy, and overall really mellow, good driving music.

Would return!

Det här var helt okej till bra Ska ge det lite fler lyssningar. Men gillade det jag hörde, Quiet t ex. Kul med nytt.

Har lyssnat flera gånger nu men kan inte riktigt landa i nåt rättvist. Ena dagen tyckte jag, meh..idag lite mer. Men klickar nog inte helt.

Kul med ännu mer trip-hop (för det här är fan inte rock) och med ett rätt unikt sound, vilket alltid uppskattas. Det är inte lika bra som t ex Portishead och Massive attack, men gillar det ändå. Svag fyra och skulle säkert växa med fler lyssningar.

I liked the chorus of "Squares" and couple of other moments on this album, but it was mostly just boring and forgettable. 2.5 stars

I think I liked this better after the second listen. I do not listen to a lot of these albums more than once because I really want to go with my first impression. Having said that, my first impression of this was... WTF is this? It sounded at first very much like a bunch of guys noodling in the studio. But the second listen gave me a bit more of the design behind all of it. I still wouldn't say it's great, though. The Beta Band broke up because they had critical success, but not commercial success. And this album kinda gives you an idea why: the songs are mostly b-side material; there's not an a-side in the whole album. Having said that, it's not bad. I didn't hate it, but I can see where critics will like the quirkiness of the songs, but it's not something that's going to widely popular. Top songs: "Broke," "Dragon," "Gone"

Feels a little plain vanilla. Almost like the new alternative / indie rock before that was a major thing. Piano or keyboards give it a different flavor, as does the fuzzy electronic sound layered in with the guitars and bass. It's not bad. But I'm ready to move on.

# Album Name: Hot SHots II # Artist: Beta Band # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: ANother album where i have no idea why its on this list. The opening some was decent. The rest could be background music from any random band. There was some decent melodies and layering at time. # Top Tunes: Squares # Would I listen to it again? No

The Beta Band fuero una banda poco conocida fuera del circuito alternativo a caballo entre los 90 y 00. Sin embargo sus discos y EPs tiene calidad de sobra para un mayor reconocimiento. Este segundo álbum, no está a la altura del siguiente, su mejor disco, pero tiene canciones exquisitas desde Squares (conocida por usar Daydream) hasta Alleged. 2001 también fué el año del revival garagero con Is this it de los Strokes y White blood cells de los White Stripes como punta de lanza, así como otros discos estupendos: el canto del cisne de Bjork con Vespertine, Things We Lost in the Fire de Low, Rock action de Mogway, el album verde de Weezer, Origin of symmetry de Muse, Morning view de Incubus, Gold de Ryan Adams, The Invisible Band de Travis, Rings Around The World de Super Furry Animals, debuts de Gillian Welch o Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions, It's a Wonderful Life de Sparklehorse.... (otros discos notabes también fueron Love and theft, Hallelujah! de La Buena Vida, Pleased to Meet You de James, Free All Angels de Ash, Souljacker de Eels, Can Our Love... de Tindersticks o el segundo de Manu Chao) y con la electrónica a pleno rendimiento ya fuera por vía experimental (Amnesiac), estética (Discovery de Daft Punk, los debuts de Gorillaz, Röyksopp, Zero 7) o simplemente lúdica (Fever de Kilye, Survivor de las Destiny´s Child...) ese mismo año publican Madredeus el sugerente Movimento y Gotan Project La revancha del tango....

Thought this would be a carbon copy of my review of Heroes and Villains a fortnight ago - ignore this and go directly to the 3 EPs. However I forgot how many good tracks were on this. I love their layered sound. Particularly Human Being, Broke and Quiet. Oh and obviously Squares. This actually great all the way through and I'm really pleased this prompted me to revisit.

I can honestly say I started Hot Shots II thinking I would hate it. I am extremely pleasantly surprised to discover a very unique and original record!

Super cool grooves.

There’s something particularly annoying about how thoroughly mediocre this album was

77% Best: Squares; Quiet; Alleged; Life Must-Hear? Pretty good, but not quite