Hot Shots II

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.

Excellent chill music

this sounds intense and fun. Maybe a 4? I just think it sounded kinda samey.

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

This one grew on me. Weird but strangely catchy

3.75

Another bog average early 2000s indie/electronica record that I couldn’t wait to get to the end of.

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

Pretty interesting. I liked the sparse electronic vibe and the fun accents but felt it went kind of downhill in the second half. It’s possible further listens could get this to a 4 but high 3 for now.

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.

This was fine, but there really is a disproportionate number of Scottish artists on this list

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

So this is some Scottish guys in the early 2000s doing something that's been dubbed "folktronica", which honestly is a pretty apt description. It's definitely unique. I was actually pretty high on the first few songs, it's got this really unique, layered sound that's fairly captivating. Based on this, I actually expected to like it more than I ended up liking it. I think the uniqueness wears off a bit as it goes on, though it's certainly not a bad listen. This is one that's probably a 3.5 for me. I actually ended up adding quite a few songs to my playlist, but I just don't feel overly positive about it as a whole. I tend to round up in these cases, but this feels more like one that I'm going to completely forget about until I randomly hear a song one day and think "that was a nice album", and then promptly forget about it again. Also, I don't give ratings based on album art, but I need to comment on it in this case. It's just horrible. What were they thinking here. Favorite song: Squares Other: Al Sharp, Human Being, Gone, Quiet, Alleged, Eclipse 2/8/24

Rock electrónico. Ni fu ni fa.

Empieza mejor que termina... Electronicblackrock, pero luego soul ambiental ...

Started off ok but it's starting to get a bit wearing like most electronica. They do love their repetition, don't they. It reminds me of Grateful Dead and their ilk. What do they have in common? You need drugs to like this stuff.

Good. Not any more than good, certainly not bad, but not probably a band that would come to mind when looking for something to play.

Eh

Pretty generically uninspiring rock to me. It wasn't bad, just didn't pull me in much either.

I couldn't tell you exactly why this reminded, at times, of old Moody Blues; but it did. I'm not really sure how to describe what the hell I just listened to, or why I found it oddly pleasing. It was good to have on in the background today.

I've already forgotten this, yawn.

Crossover alternative indie pop, rock, electronica. A bit similar to Super Furry Animals, but maybe not as catchy. Some is quite good.

This album wasn’t bad! Just not my cup of tea.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

It was totally fine but I have no idea why this would be in a best of album list. What am I missing?

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!

Surprised by this one. Not my usual style but found myself really enjoying some of it. Probably every other song. Not consistent at all but I was more invested than I thought I’d be for sure!

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

The first song is great (and I just realized it was sampled by the trip hop group I Monster for their song “Daydream in Blue”). After that it got a bit repetitive for me.

Basic rock songs fill this album. Theres no real hook to anything. It’s good music and I like the sounds made so that’s a plus but I’m failing to see…hear…what makes this album a necessity to listen to.

Didn't mind this at all. Quite pleasant, not outstanding. 3*

Not interested.

With the names of band and album, I expected a funny, rock nonsense album. What I got was some interesting mix of electronica and rock that works at the beginning, but becomes very meandering later down the line. Solid, but this list has too much of this kind of music.

I’m irrationally resentful of the gulf between the pedigree of praise the Beta Band receives and how bland I find them.

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.

A good mix of styles presented in a new way. Easy listening.

Nice trippy vibe with a sound that reminds me of quite a few other bands, all mashed together in a dreamy way that generally pleases. But the vocals are just lost in the mix, washed out, flat, and lifeless. In fact the whole album has a murky sound to it, like I'm listening to it with one ear under water with a head cold. It generally got more boring the further I got. Not unpleasant, but not as good as the first track had led me to believe. It hovered between 3 and 4 stars, but I'm voting it down as the lead singer sounded like he had places he would rather have been and was just dialling in his performance. I'm half sure this is what he was aiming for, some sort of disinterested cool thing? If so, then it fell incredibly flat for me.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Life, Squares

Very good. Surprising experience when realising that the first song of the album is identical to Daydream in blue by I, Monster to then realise that the original song is from a 70s choir band.

Beachboys reloaded

Interesting

Squares only good song

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

Good!!

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.

Pleasant

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.

This album was my kind of jam.

Bit tedious. Think the vocalist needs to smile when he sings

Great suprise

Did not like this at all.

Meh

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

Can't stand his voice which is a shame because the band are tight as fuck. Great bridges and breakdowns

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

This was pretty good - not really what I expected out of a Scottish band from the turn of the century but I'm into it. Very experimental and varied instrumentation on here, but done in a really chill relaxing manner, made for a pleasant listen. At times invoked Moon Safari by Air, and even a little bit of the more experimental Beatles tracks. It doesn't stand out to me as a long-term listen, but I;m glad I got to hear it nevertheless. Fav Tracks: Squares, Gone, Life

Empieza mejor que termina... Electronicblackrock, pero luego soul ambiental ...

2nd album d'un Scottish group. C'est doux, grosse influence des Beatles on dirait. J'aime bien. Moins de wow vers la fin qu'au début.

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

Rating: 7/10 Very good album overall. Really enjoyed the chill vibes throughout, nice combination of electronic elements and rock. Every sounds very similar after a while though. Favorite songs: Squares, Human Being, Gone, Broke, Life. Least favorite song: AI Sharp.

Good dynamics, subwoofers got a workout

This plays like DJ Shadow Muzak. Chilled out The Books. Radiohead except all beats instead of guitars and vocal aerobatics. It doesn’t live up to the hype of High Fidelity.

Dragon, Quiet, Life

Background music. Borink

There are some interesting beats on this trippy album. I listened to it as background yesterday and listened to it again today with serious volume. It’s an interesting one. I like the way the guitars come in and obnoxiously interrupt the beats on Human Being and Broke. I realize that if I don’t give this a 4, I will likely forget it and never listen to it again. I can’t get there. and I want to listen to it again.

I find the addition of electronics combined with guitar gives this a more interesting sound than the Beta Band release we received last week. The end result however, is a bit bland for me, due largely to the low-key vocal delivery. I'm surprised to see two albums from this outfit on 1001, when IMO many noteworthy artists have zero entries, among them Laurie Anderson, Grace Jones, Al Stewart and the Alan Parsons Project. Oh well....

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.

Wow! Super impressed with this album. It had a style that clicks with me and I’m sad that I have never heard of them before. Really reminds me of my friend Jon Burgoyne’s band and maybe that’s why they clicked with me. First band that I’ve wanted to download more of their music after hearing it. Good album! 4.5/5

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.

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.

Really solid album. And 'Gone' is beautiful.

New to me and very pleasant. 3/5

Good opener but the rest was meh.

Ok but forgettable. It was more background music and anything of note.

So so

I didn’t really connect with this album, I found it pretty boring overall. There’s some nice instrumentation and melodies, it has a lush sound it just drags a little.

21/100 Based on this scale: 1 star - 0 to 19 2 stars - 20 to 39 3 stars - 40 to 59 4 stars - 60 to 79 5 stars - 80 to 100 When I loaded up the album, I saw that the first song on the album had far more listens than the other songs. While that's not always indicative of much, I sort of felt like this album was going to blow its load on the first track and the rest would be boring. It turns out that as far as blown loads go, "Squares" wasn't much of one in the first place. "Human Being" wasn't a complete waste of my time, but otherwise...

Quirky, melodic tunes that are also rather same-ish after a while. 3.5 rounded down to 3.

Not bad this can be added to the listen again pile

I like the more electronic tracks. Some interesting moments like Dragon with its repetitive melody and glitchy beats. Broke goes further into weird sounds and percussion. There's a lot going on here but I want to listen to it more.

I liked this pretty well, it had an interesting and distinct sound. The album as a while would have benefited by more variety in tone though.

Not bad.

Boring.

Interesting, but really really simple folk rock.

I remember the original Beta Band buzz and how it was unfulfilled promise, so I went into this with a little trepidation, and was immediately blown away by the opening track, "Squares", but that might have been more to do with the "Daydream" sample/interpolation and how it reminded me of another song that also came out around this time. Where was I? Oh yeah, they close the album with a song called "Eclipse" about questions and answers and people lying but proclaim "And the music we make is not particularly good" and I'm undecided if they deserve the pizza or not.

Too dull, too esoteric, not my thing at all.

Perfectly pleasant chilled listen, but not an awful lot more. Squares (the opener, and by far the most listened to song) is basically a less good ripoff of I Monster's take on Daydream In Blue from a couple of years earlier. Nice and trippy, would be interested in hearing more of them if they've done stuff with a bit more depth to it. 3/5.

Good background album. Enjoyed the chill vibe with a little bit of variety.

The Beta Band has already graced my smokin and jokin playlist - more of the chill stuff here

A cozy album that doesn't ask too much of you. I'm convinced that this is on here because of the first track, which you've probably heard before. This list's author loves to throw a whole album (or 2 or 3!) onto here for the sake of 1 semi-popular track from 20-40 years ago.

Very cool vibe, interesting sound

Oh man. We talking overrated again? It has a certain original hazy charm but I much prefer Steve Mason’s more mature Boys Outside album. This is kind of dopey hipster music for dopey hipsters

I’m a bit surprised by the Portishead sampling. This is the second album I’ve listened to on the list where I heard it. The album is a bit dreamy and plays well as background music.

Dit album is het net niet voor mij. Ik kan er goed naar luisteren, maar het is een beetje een bord smaakloze pap. Wanneer track Y aan staat heb je al geen idee meer hoe track X ook alweer ging, terwijl je die 20 seconden geleden nog aan had staan. Veel herhaling, maar niet dat lekker dromerige/hypnotiserende. Het lekkerst vond ik eigenlijk de laatste anderhalve minuut van de track Dragon, alleen had dat stukje een stuk zwaarder aangezet mogen worden en langer mogen duren. Dan heb je een lekker depressief sfeertje te pakken. Laat na een minuut onverwacht nog wat drums die opgenomen zijn in een leeg pakhuis aanzwellen en kom dan nog met een dreigend bassloopje voor een Massive Attack-achtige vibe. Dat had heerlijk kunnen zijn. Maar dat hebben ze dus niet gedaan. Jammer. Ik rond omlaag af naar een 2.

Struggled to enjoy this one.

4-

It’s not for me

I like some of the production but most of the execution is not good.

Boring mushy gibberish

In a nutshell: Folktronica. Let that word settle in. How does it make you feel? The Beta Band play with trip hop, electronica, experimental rock and a touch of folk to make an album "something completely incredible, that didn't sound like anything else..." You have to give the band credit - they succeeded in their brief. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Overall: 3/10

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.

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

Some tracks were great, some were just ok.

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 interesting sounding for their experimental design. Positive disposition.

C'est vrai ue par moment on ese laisse prendre par cela. En course c'était bien. Mais réécoute peu pas probable. 3,85

Decent stuff, quite musical and enjoyable overall

I did a deep dive on The Beta Band a while ago, they’ll never be my favourite band but I do appreciate they bring something different to the plate if your ever in the mood for something slower and weirder

Think they're our first Scottish band. I liked it fine. The sampling was cool. I'll give this another go sometime

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

3.5 I think - started off strong but by the end I was a bit bored

Mostly dug this. Rounding up

Wat een slaapverwekkende ellende is dit.

Wel grappig, maar niet helemaal mijn ding

Ik kon dit wel waarderen, al mag het wel een tikkie spannender allemaal.

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

Started off really good, sorta Radiohead vibes but it became sort of repetitive. Even though their style was quite wide, the music was always similar. Great but unfortunate it wasn’t more varied.

Super interesting, but I probably won't come back to it

Cool vibes.

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.

I first became aware of the beta band when Jack Black’s character in the movie High, Fidelity played one of their records i(Dry the Rain) n the fictional record store. I really liked this album, it had a very peaceful energy. If you’ve ever seen the movie High Fidelity, or read the book, or watched the recent Hulu series I recommend them all.

When I saw the cover I was very skeptical. Then the first tune spun and I thought, "OK, this is better than expected." Then, by the second song, I was already losing interest, and by the end I was thinking it was a whole lotta wank. A sound in search of substance.

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.

Loved so much

I'd much rather watch Hot Shots! Part Deux than listen to this.

Some time around 1991 or 1992, I used to travel to Lansing, Michigan regularly for my job. My coworker and I would always go to this bar in East Lansing where the same band was playing every week, and I swear they were called the Beta Band (although it's possible I'm wrong). Obviously not the same band as this, since it was before they were formed and this was just a local band. They were kind of a hippy-dippy band, and they had this one song called "Don't Drop the Potato" that was not intended to be funny but it never failed to crack us up. But that's all irrelevant. This album is pretty good, but for some reason the vocals are just sort of "there". They're not bad, but they sort of just cause this whole thing to fade into the background for me. I've listened to it twice and I'm not sure I've really heard it yet. It might grow on me over time. 3 stars.

Mumbled whispering sounds with a slow repetitive sound. Not my thing in any way. They seem to experiment with sound, but nothing groundbreaking.

The title made me approach this with a bit of a side-eye, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Chill and a little spacey with nuanced arrangements. Worth coming back to. Fave Songs: Quiet, Alleged, Gone, Al Sharp, Human Being

Maybe I'm still wildly overstimulated from Trout Mask Replica, but this was just... bland. Like if early Beck/Gorillaz didn't know how to actually achieve their sound well.

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.

2/5. Not good and not bad. Plain and boring. That’s it.

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'll agree that it doesn't sound like anything else. What it does sound like is a little bit dated. It's OK.

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.

I like this! I wonder who did the sample on the first track, Squares. I love every song I hear that “daydream” sample in, so I will have to look into the original song. But I like this sound. “Folktronica” as I read on Wikipedia. Definitely some rock and country influences too. I’m here for it.

first listen very interesting vibe

Liked Squares but the rest was a disappointment to me.

I think I saw them perform live once, maybe as the opening act for someone else (looks like they toured with Radiohead). The album is extremely "meh". I think it's missing a captivating vocalist. It kind of sounds like a bunch of people around a campfire singing the songs of a band they like, versus the actual band. The general sound/production is OK.

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.

Maybe this is my NEW FORMS?

Not for me.

dik az a sample elaludtam

This is a really good record but I think it never quite gets me amped up enough to get over the hump to a 4. I've heard this music a bunch in the past, mostly just randomly bumping into it on playlists/shuffle... it's a good collection of tunes and enjoyable, but not exciting to me. I get that it's very laid-back music, and it's good at doing that job for sure.

So, electronica not my thing, I really don't get it. However, there is definitely some early Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd sounds in there, sadly it doesn't progress into anything memorable.

Didn't know what to expect, wasn't bad wasn't my favorite. Mid Beck

Nice, cheesy cover. This was actually pretty good. I might even listen to it again.

Excellent trippy sound. Definitely listen more and more

Very nice listen.

Hot shits

I like the mood, mysteriousness of the sound. Interesting that they were relatively short lived, only producing 3 albums before breaking up despite critical acclaim and support of powerhouse bands like Oasis and Radiohead. I like this well enough, might dig into the rest of their catalog.

I like much of what they're doing musically, but for me it's the vocals that bring it down. They're so flat and lifeless. I'm mean they're consistent in their relaxed, chilled out way, but there's hardly any emotional dynamics throughout. Makes it so nothing really sticks out.

I knew their song "Dry the Rain" which I liked so I had some expectations here. Unfortunately I was not very much into it and don't feel much. Meh.

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.

wild and crazy, but darn good. 4 stars.

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

This was an interesting and cool album. The album isn’t that old but it sounds like it mixes older styles with modern alternative. I found it to be similar to a precursor of bands that I like now. It is a bit dated compared to modern chill alt music but it has the same structure. Overall pretty solid. 6.9/10 (nice)

Rock. Alternativo

całkiem przyjemne, chlociaz nic co tkwi w pamięci

I loved the soundtrack feel and instrument experimentation.

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.

Bit of a dud for me. A sort of rock album, with some electro elements, but nothing crazy jumped out at me. Apparently acclaimed by Pitchfork too but I really don't see why. Not bad at all, but doesn't seem special or worthy of this list, especially considering it's from 2001. Favorite tracks: Al Sharp, Eclipse. Album art: An explosion in space, plus some cool bling era font that doesn't really make sense for the band or music. But hey, it's pretty cool. 2.5/5

#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.

Interesting and well made! Refreshing for a 2000’s electronic music album included on this list. Strong 3

Bruh

Good production, nice sounds, nice vibes, but a little middle-of-the-road.

Perfect.

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

Mostly boring. This would've been way better if they fired chickens like arrows rather than trying to make music (yeah, that was a stretch. Leave me alone)

Spoken word poetry was not really what I was expecting out of this band, some flashes of fun here and there when they verged on being an earlier incarnation of Django Django but the sheer wordiness and banal lyricism crater any interest I may have had here.

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

Hello, my name is Cornelius, and I...like The Beta Band now? Or do I just like this album? I've always maintained "Dry The Rain" is an all timer. But that song isn't on this album. And the more I listened for it, the more I began hating this album. Plus it made our dog go crazy, which is never a good sign. I began believing the Beta Band recorded this album just to reach our sweet dog. Well guess what? She's now sleeping comfortably next to me in front of the fireplace on October 14th, the anniversary of The Departure. Also, my name isn't Cornelius. Don't fuck with me, Beta Band!

It was ok

First listen Saved 3/10 Top track: Squares

A variety of trip-hop quietly smothers everything else. The record's quiet but not slow, starts and ends with opposite bookends. It's a nice project; Doesn't sound quite like anything else, is reminiscent of much.

Strangely this was just what I needed on the bus on a dark Tuesday morning.

Another album where you just wait for it to become interesting, then it’s over

Pretty groovy and very easy to listen to even on first passthrough. May not see myself listening to it constantly but it may come up again

The Beta Band I just cannot get to grips with. Is it the voice that is off putting? They attempt to make a modern retro sound? Is it the arch distance and lack of investment in emotion? Whatever, I find them unappealing and cannot get the buzz about them.

Okay

A lot going on with many interesting ideas and sounds. I wasn't that focused in on the music, but it was enjoyable enough with an eclectic sound somewhere between Beck and the Flaming Lips. Ambitious and worth a listen.

Que ce générateur se termine au plus vite.

J'ai presque cru au miracle, le premier titre de l'album étant plutôt sympa. Mais non toujours RAS, c'était bien un album de merde.

A little on the boring side, but not horrible. 3/5

I really waffled on the score here and ultimately settled on a lower one because it has a feeling of incompleteness about it that I think can be attributed to the weak lead vocals. Go get yourself a frontman and you've got a good thing going. Best track: Squares

That first track really swings and I love how it samples the 1969 track of 'Daydream' by the Wallace Collection. If it seems instantly familiar to you, that's why. It took me a little while to hunt that down. Excellent composition. Second track is far less appealing. And so it goes for the rest of this bouncy atmospheric album... It's fairly typical of other works by Beta Band that I have heard previously: pleasant, not exciting.

Songs on this kinda blended together, they all sounded roughly the same, but I didn't mind it. Granted, I was double-tasking, clipping my toenails and reading Grapes of Wrath as this played in the background. Needless to say, I got through the whole album with a newfound empathy for drought, Oakies and the dust bowl, and feet 1.5 sizes smaller without feeling the need to turn this off.

Who needs John Rambo when you've got Topper Harley? Rambo might have been all the rage in the 70s and 80s, but Harley was the hero we needed in the 90s. In a post-Cold War world, after Rambo's exploits in Vietnam and Afghanistan, a new action hero was needed for a new era. An era kicked off by the Persian Gulf War, with the specter of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein plaguing US interests abroad. Only Harley was capable of dealing with Hussein. And deal with him he did. Could John Rambo have infiltrated Hussein's palace in Baghdad? Could John Rambo have fought valiantly against Hussein himself in a swordfight? Could John Rambo have pushed a piano out of a helicopter to crush Hussein? Only Charlie Sheen's Topper Harley could have accomplished such heroics, which is why "Hot Shots! Part Deux" was such a huge hit. The Beta Band's "Hot Shots II" was not a sequel to "Hot Shots." It did not include Topper Harley (or John Rambo). It loses a star right there for falsely purporting to be a sequel. The original is almost always better (almost). Why would you want people to think you're a sequel when you're not? Despite the lack of a buff, mulletted Charlie Sheen, the Beta Band were still a decent listen. I enjoyed the "folktronica," though none of it stuck with you the way Topper Harley beating a man with Skittle-dipped fists will.

Started out strong with Squares. Was pretty decent for a while after that. Then petered out.

This is not my style of music. Very challenging to enjoy while listening to this. There were some bright spots here and there but for the most part it was not something I’d want to listen to again.

Trippy

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

definitely an album that's just okay. it didn't leave me with strong feelings or thoughts, so that means it was neither outstanding nor terrible. for an album released in 2001, hot shots ii didn't sound particularly new or old. the electronic aspects, for what it's worth, was the kind of electronic that i enjoy since it wasn't overly repetitive and remained different enough to keep my interest. the sample choices, too, seemed unusual. i'm not mad carole king's "it's too late" was sampled!

I definitely got Beck vibes from this, so I was glad to read the comments and see other people feeling the same way. This was definitely a curious album that didn't really fit quite into any one genre. This wasn't a bad listen by any stretch, but it was also incredibly average. I was left feeling pretty indifferent about it. I GUESS this is a very middle-of-the-road 3?

3.4 - This reminds me of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" by Wilco - nice guys with ambitions to create something beyond the limits of their nice-guy rock sound. Despite some stilted electronics, these songs are well-composed with lyrics that swipe lightly at philosophical truths rarely delving deep intellectually or emotionally. Overall, this sounds like fine background music for a nighttime work session at a coffee shop - enough ear candy to keep you focused, and a middling vibe that won't distract. Standouts: "Quiet", "Alleged."

"Hot Shots II" is the second album by Scottish musical group the Beta Band. Electronic and rock are the listed genres. That's appropriate. This album was a change from their more experimental previous album to a more minimal style influenced by R&B, hip hop and electronica. I heard the electronica. It was produced by Colin "C-Swing" Emmanuel and the Beta Band. Commercially, it did well on the indie charts reaching #1 in the UK and #11 in the US. The album starts out with clapping and electronic samples in "Squares." An electronic beat, a synth and background piano. Very chill. Lead vocalist Steve Mason singing about dreaming and feeling numb...nothing can touch him. In "Al Sharp," they add a xylophone, string samples and a groovy bassline. Layered vocals. His girlfriend left him for Al Sharp and money. "Human Being" is the most rockin' song on the album. It builds with real drums, guitar and a jam outro. "Life" adds ominous strings, laser synths and a cowbell. Yes! It's about unrequited love with the last verse commenting on big corporation and the Iraqi War. The last song "Eclipse" brings in a droning and washout synth and piano. An electronic beat. Nice vocal harmonization. Books, pizza, questions and answers. Sounds like my life. The song is very chill and ends the album the way it began. This is a decent album. It reminds me somewhat of Radiohead's "Kid A" and the Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" with its electronica aspect and concurrent albums at the time. There's nice harmonies. The songs build and usually have some aspect that's catchy. There's not a song the caliber of "Dry the Rain" but most of them are solid.

Sehr gediegen, aber auch etwas langweilig. 3.4

Strong beta energy. Was a bit enjoyable but not for long

it was interesting but got boring incredibly quick broke was decent

3.75

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

Decent enough indie rock, electrofolk with a little trip hop mixed in. Always remember that scene in High Fidelity when John Cusack’s character says I will now sell copies of 3 EPs by the Beta Band and then proceeds to play Dry the Rain, which is probably their best song and not on this album. This album doesn’t really have any memorable songs. It’s just chill music that you’d probably hear in the background in an independent record shop. I can’t really stand behind something more than a 2 here.

I think there's potential here and some great moments, but just the overall feel of this album I didn't really vibe with to be honest.

I've never listened to a Beta Band album before, but I liked The Aliens' 'Astronomy for Dogs' record back in 2007. You can tell this is by the same people given the vocals and overall sound. It's less poppy and more groove and rhythm based than The Aliens and is overall pretty enjoyable. Squares is yet *another* track to sample/interpolate that 'daydream, I fell asleep amid the flowers...' song. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Squares Date listened: 15/09/23

I listened to this a couple of times but I still remember almost nothing about it.

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.

The Beta Band are high on cool points with me because of Dry The Rain, that is a killer track. I haven't gotten into any of their albums or deep cuts though. This album was a pleasing listen. It didn't blast my tits off, but it was cool in it's own subtle and unique way. I can dig it.

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.

Shots could have been hotter.

would have preferred the alphas good self-knowledge tho

It was not good, but not bad. Pretty unremarkable. No need to relisten.

Umm…nope not for me

interesting

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.

This is music, and I listened to it.

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

Generic ass music

me gustó bastante!! 7/10

I became bored rather quickly with this album.

Boring

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.

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

Lovely ear candy

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

Standouts: Squares 2.5

Empieza mejor que termina... Electronicblackrock, pero luego soul ambiental ...

Uninspiring

This is a top album? Ok

6/10. Pretty good, nothing outstanding but glad I listened to it

Two sleepy albums in a row! 4/10

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

Pop tranquilo y sosegado sin grandes estridencias. Grupo totalmente desconocido. No aporta nada.

Good background music at work, but kinda boring. Sounds like a good Ringo Starr album - which isn't a compliment.

Not bad

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

Great opening track, but the rest of the album is quite unremarkable

Decent.

Nice early 00’s sounds. Reminds me a lot of Beck. I like the sound but don’t think it will stick with me. 3.5

Underwhelming, not really a standout album. Some unique instrumental parts, but nothing too interesting. 2/5

Ok, that album art IS a bumhole of fire, isn't it. ahahaha. That's fuckin fantastic. Deserves a prize. I'll even overlook it if it turns out to be from the UK (it will). Sadly though, there's no way it'll live up to that cover. I feel like unless it's super-catchy gay disco a la scissor sisters, it's gonna be a disappointment. Yeah, it didn't maintain the momentum. Boring vague electronica... and UK. What a shame. 2/5.

Really not my type of music. Felt very dated and not enjoyable. I can see why someone might like it, but just not me. 2/10.

Who cares dude. This was such an unremarkable album from a band that I've never heard of. I guess there was a bit of a point of interest when the music veered into an electronica version of '60s rock (specifically, parts of Alleged and Eclipse), but neither of those were interesting enough to elevate this beyond a 1 star effort.

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.

Better as a kids band