Beta Band - Best Of The Beta Band

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 19 / 11 / 2005

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Review

This double CD from the Beta Band has on its first CD the best tracks from their four studio albums and countless EPs, and on its second CD a recording of one of their last ever gigs at the Shepherds' Bush Empire on the 29th November 2004. The Beta Band have now split up but all its members have other projects on the go. Studio CD The first CD kicks off with 'Dry the Rain',which has a slow country rock vibe, some pleasant acoustic and slide guitar grooves and a charming vocal from front man Steve Mason. When this track finally speeds up, it builds up in wonderful fashion, recalling both the Farm of ' All Together Now' and Primal Scream during their 'Loaded' era. 'Inner Meet Me'is more spacey and proggish. There is some hard strummed acoustic guitar, before Mason's vocal joins in which gives it something of an easy listening groove, but with attitude, a bit like intelligent Brit pop with brains. 'She's the One' isn't the World Party track that Robbie Williams covered, but it is quirky and sounds quite oddball in a Bonzo Dog Doo Da Band way. Eventually it builds up to become a sing-a-long-number. 'Dr.Baker' is classical piano based. If features early 70's style Pink Floyd vocals before going into full trip nonsense. It then returns briefly to calmness before going back into weirdness once more. 'It's Not Too Beautiful' has large guitar riffs, urgent drums, weird vibes, Floyd vocals from Mason and some big cinematic samples that sound like they were stolen out of a James Bond movie. 'Smiling' is trippy in a dancey Primal Scream way and has upfront vocals, while 'To You Alone' has dubby bass and a choir providing humming backing harmonies. Mason's vocal is clean and clear and, as 'To You Alone' progresses, it sounds a lot like a classic Who track. 'Squares', which is one of the Beta Band's most famous songs, is bass heavy, and , with another Pink Floyd vocal, is as trippy as Echo and the Bunnymen. 'Human Being' has a slow vocal, backwards vibes, a good general groove and a mad, loud ending that again sounds like the Who. 'Gone' is very Pink Floyd and, starting very slowly, builds up firmly. 'Broke' is slow again, bass heavy and dubby, and recollects Blur. 'Assessment' in contrast is much faster. It has a groovy, dancey sound and is as exciting as the early Stone Roses. 'Easy' is a funky, upbeat number, and features both some strong acoustic guitar and a mouth organ solo. A bar room piano eventually comes in , adding to the track's general sense of fun. 'Wonderful' is another slow number, but eventually becomes anthemic. 'Trouble 'is also slow, but it is fuller in sound than the previous track and once more recalls Pink Floyd.'Simple' closes the first CD and, possibly the most developed of the tracks here, has strong instrumentation and another Pink Floyd style vocal. Live CD On the live CD the gig starts with 'It's Not So Beautiful', which is spacey and like an acid house number with its samples from Bond movies and its trippy sounds.. 'Squares' is more laid back, but again uses lots of samples, recalling Portishead with its groove, while 'Inner Meet Me', which recollects Oasis, is very dancey and uses big acoustic guitars, 'Simple' is another acoustic track. A sing-a-long number, its guitars are like those of dark wave period the Cure. 'Easy' in contrast sounds like early Stevie Wonder and Fun Boy 3,with dance beats behind them. 'Dr Baker', sounds like Echo and the Bunnymen, while country rocker 'Dry the Rain' , the best number here, shines brightly live and by the end of it has the crowd singing iback to the band. 'Quiet' is haunting in an early Cure way before eventually speeding up. 'Broke' is in similar vein , while 'Assessement' recollects U2 and has again dance beats. 'Dog's Got A Bone' recalls while 'House Song,'has a crowd clap-a-long, clear chanted vocals and is backwards psychedelia. It is acid house reinvented by the latter period Brit pop generation.

Track Listing:-

1 Dry the Rain
2 Inner Meet Me
3 She's the One
4 Dr. Baker
5 It's Not Too Beautiful
6 Smiling (Edit)
7 To You Alone
8 Squares
9 Human Being (Radio Edit)
10 Gone
11 Broke (Radio Edit)
12 Assessment (Radio Edit)
13 Easy
14 Wonderful
15 Troubles
16 Simple
17 It's Not Too Beautiful (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
18 Squares (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
19 Inner Meet Me (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
20 Simple (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
21 She's The One (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
22 Easy (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
23 Dr. Baker (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
24 Dry The Rain (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
25 Quiet (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
26 Broke (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
27 Assessment (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
28 Dogs Got A Bone (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)
29 The House Song (Live At Shepherds Bush Empire, 29th November 2004)