The Three E.P.'s

Beta Band

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 26, 1999)
• Original Release Date: January 26, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Astralwerks
• ASIN: B00000HYSJ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,959 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #52 in	Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo Fi
  #79 in	Music > World Music > Europe > British Isles > Scotland

Track Listings

1. Dry the Rain

2. I Know

3. B + A

4. Dogs Got a Bone

5. Inner Meet Me

6. House Song

7. Monolith

8. She's the One

9. Push It Out

10. It's Over

11. Dr. Baker

12. Needles in My Eyes

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Citing influences ranging from the decidedly serious Martin Sheen to the asinine Chevy Chase to funkmaster Bootsy Collins, the Beta Band is a delight. This aptly titled compilation of three separately released EPs is sure to leave music fans scratching their collective head while trying to define this Scottish band's intricate aural hodgepodge. The Beta Band makes a very distinct and exciting impression. There's the unusual coupling of acoustic guitar, horn, sampled beats, and a catchy refrain on "Dry the Rain"; the hypnotic instrumental "B+A"; and "She's the One," which opens with a chaotic, hippyish drum circle that segues first to an anthemic chorus and then to a highly processed breakdown complete with a Jew's harp. The Three EPs will dominate the CD player, becoming somewhat of an obsession, with each listen revealing some brilliant little nuance, quirk, or lyric. --Kerry Murphy

Product Description

2009 repackaging of the British quartet's first full length release, which was a collection of their EPs released in 1997-98. Though the band didn't achieve long-lasting success, their recordings (especially this release) had a lasting effect on their contemporaries as well as young fans eager to form their own bands after hearing this. After the band split, members subsequently formed other outfits including The Aliens, King Biscuit Time, Lone Pigeon and others. 12 tracks. EMI. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A millefleur of sound, May 18, 2000

By	Jim Owen (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Those of you wanting to know what all the hoopla is about, here is what you can expect in a nutshell: First off, "Dry the Rain", in the High Fidelity soundtrack, is most definitely NOT representative of this band. The film actually did the band a bit of a disservice by showing actors bobbing their heads up and down and saying how good it sounds. What John Cusack should have said then is "The rest of the CD doesn't sound anything at all like this, folks."

Think "Revolution #9" with a funky back beat. Though that's not entirely accurate either, because there are a bunch of songs on here that don't fit that description. Most of the time you'll get nice bosomy acoustic guitar strumming and monotone singing mixed very low on to of it, then lots and lots of baroque touches of sampled sound effects to add a sort of millefleur of color behind it. Bird chirps, record scratches, kitten meows, 70's synth bits, and about a million other inch-long snippets of random recording tape populate what are at their core just basic indie-rock grooves repeated for 5 minutes. I wholeheartedly agree with another reviewer who said that the recording quality is to be admired. These guys really know how to use all the buttons on their recording equipment.

Essentially, this is very minimalist music, but their amazing attention to detail keep it always interesting.

Last impression, imagine you're looking down at a simple spotted blanket. But then as you bend down closer, you realize they aren't spots at all, but little charms, gems and trinkets. Suddenly, what you thought was just a blanket becomes an incredibly complex collage of hundreds of tiny, beautiful things.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scotlands gift to the world, July 26, 2001

By	Owen Neeterin "plastic_coated_genius" (Redneckston, Alabama) - See all my reviews

Despite being early in their careers, the Beta Band is probably the best band to ever come out of Scotland. The 3 EPs shows them at their best and not the self titled debut album. If can listen to song Dry The Rain, and not fall in love with these guys, i cant help a case like you.

The 3 EPs has such a amazing variety of sounds and genres within. I remember trying to describe them to a friend of mine. it went like this- "well, they have a sort of alternative folk-rock sound to them, but they also bring in electronic, hip-hop, and avant-guard. oh yeah , they just love to jam out". his response-"wow.... thats alot"

The best Ep on here is Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos. Its very somber with a hint of light at the end. I enjoy it more than most full length albums.

A review though really is useless for the Beta Band. just try to get a listen of some of their songs (Dry the rain, Inner meeet me, Needles in my eyes) and see for yourself. You will either love it or hate it with a 4:1 chance of loving it i bet.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well, what a surprise!, February 15, 2000

By	Rob Worrall (Cairns, Wet Tropics, Qld, Australia) - See all my reviews

I recently stumbled upon this recommendation in one of those 25 desert island discs lists and thought, "whoa there, the Beta Band? who the hell are they?" After a bit of web surfing, I found page after page of accolades and was tempted to purchase both the 3 eps and the self titled long player. Wonderful. How refreshing. These will last years and years of enjoyable playing under all sorts of circumstances. They will just keep on growing. Without repeating the other reviewers, who I think have captured the sentiment pretty accurately, I guess, what else strikes me is the competency of the recording mix. Given the huge ambition of the soundscape they are attempting, they have technically blended their exotic aural masala deftly. This is not a slacker, throw away piece. it is deliberate and artful and it works beautifully. Comparing the two cds, the 3 eps has more funk - a more head bobbing backbeat, shimmering hammonds, fuzztone layers etc. The self-titled is a more deeply referenced tapestry. Compared to 99.999% of the rubbish out there in the music place, this excels. P.S. throw away your new Gomez cds after this - they just sound like a clumsy pearl jam.