The Beta Band – Heroes To Zeros (2004)

All I knew of the Beta Band was one track (To You Alone from their 2000 single) on a compilation free with a magazine, which I'd quite enjoyed, so this was worth a quid when I saw it. I'm not sure I've ever listened to it.

I have only just found out that they're not American as I'd believed, but are Scottish. No idea why I thought that.

I'm not sure how to describe their brand of laidback electronic music, full of dreamy qualities, but it has the effect my enjoying it if I actively listen, without capturing my attention otherwise. So like much else I'm listening to from the depths of these rarely played punts, while there's nothing I dislike here, neither is it leaping out at me. However, opening songs Assessment, Space start brightly, and Lion Thief continues with an almost folky feel.

But the rest slip by without too much impact. Wonderful has a horribly cheesy start, but livens up away from the awful chorus, and Out-Side tries to kick some ass and ups the pace as does Liquid Bird.

But the overall impression is that it's not really for me. Yet frustratingly, I feel there's something there that might 'click' if I persevere. But after four or five listenings over the past couple of days, it hasn't yet.

Link to album tracks

2* - for what it is, I'm sure it's well done, but really mostly not to my taste.