Customer Reviews

The Three E.P.'s

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Frontman Stephen Mason has oft described the sound of the Beta Band as "folktronic", yet that comment seems to only appease the masses. The music of the Beta Band is more complex and interesting than a simple label or generalization because the Betas are not JUST a folk band, electronic band, or anything of the likes. It's a blending of different music and cultures into a beautiful mess.

For example, songs like "the house song," which blend real interesting vocal harmonies and trance rhythms, almost personify the early Beta Band style. The blatant incorporation of different genres makes the Beta Band a band that one cannot truly define in one genre.

The Three E.P.s is the quintessential Beta sound real early into their careers. Unlike the polished and refined sound of Hot Shots Part II, you can really hear the Betas TRYING to create something new and innovative for our genre. For that reason alone the CD is worth buying.

In many ways I feel this is the superior beta band release simply because of it's great song writing and awesome incorporation of different genres. If you're gonna own one, own this cd.

Having listened to a great variety of music in the past few years, I think I can safely say that "The 3 EP's" is one of the most endlessly fascinating new finds I've stumbled upon lately. This collection of three separately released EP's (hence the title, heh) showcases a band that revels in eclecticism, adventurousness, and flat-out strangeness. Mutating frequently and unpredictably, these songs are generally built around the traditional rock-band lineup, but the Beta Band go well beyond facile classifications by embracing decidedly irregular song structures and incorporating found sounds ranging from piano to accordions to samples to God knows what else. All throughout, the band's obsession with detail is matched by a strong ear for melody. The opener "Dry The Rain" could actually make a decent single and perfectly exemplifies what this band is about, moving from twangy acoustic folk tune to upbeat horn-fueled anthem about halfway through. "I Know" is a hypnotic, repetition-oriented instrumental featuring some mangled beats and snatches of guitar noise. Starting out as a droning piece of acidy pop, "B + A" suddenly shifts into overdrive and morphs into a monstrous rave-up complete with hand claps, crashing percussion, and even an "aaaah, aaaah" chant. Things get even more interesting with "Dog's Got a Bone," a gentle, non-rocking mood piece driven along by little more than quiet acoustic strumming, accordions, and sweet vocal harmonies. "Inner Meet Me" actually manages to be catchy in its own unique way, with entrancing near-rapped vocals placed over a head-bobbing rhythm. "Monolith" is a fifteen-plus minute epic of almost comical weirdness, seguing from one ambient passage to another with no apparent pattern. A clinic on how to do a lot with a little, "Push It Out" begins as an eerily minimal piece before becoming steadily more expansive as it adds a series of new sounds throughout its running time. In yet another odd move, "She's The One" could almost qualify as a ballad, aside from the fact that it's more than eight minutes long and its soft sound eventually gives way to quasi-psychedelic jamming and some Alvin and the Chipmunks-style chanting. The last three songs, "It's Over," "Dr. Baker," and "Needles In My Eyes," find the band moving in a somewhat more accessible direction, but there's still plenty of gonzo experimentation and and startlingly original craftsmanship to be found. As cohesive as it is diverse, and as fun as it is wacky, "The 3 EP's" is a modern-day classic not to be missed by those seeking something out of the ordinary.

Okay. This album is my favorite backround music album of all time aside from The Velvet Underground's Velvet Underground & Nico. I really can't see how somebody can dislike The Beta Band but then again, people will be people. I know some people at school that own this record and I was pretty suprised (my school is run by trends...emo...cough cough...) but yet again, this album is just too good to resist (not to mention John Cusack's reference to it in High Fidelity probably boosted some sales). Yeah I'm blabbing on about nothing. Just buy this if you don't have it. You won't regret it.

This CD isn't bad if you like repetitive lyrical phrases without meaning, looping samples, speech that repeats and says nothing (like "pushin' out" over and over and over and over again). I can perceive some talent somewhere in here, but this group is making music CDs that mostly lack music. Where's the music?

Some songs start, seem to have potential to develop into something, and then don't. Now, having said all that, there are a few worthwhile cuts, a couple that are quite good. So ultimately, if you like to have more music than incoherent mixes of various sounds, then you have simply to decide whether or not you're willing to pay $3 or $4 a cut.

I'll admit: maybe I just don't get it, but if you can find a place to sample everything on this album I think you'll find I'm vindicated.

I finally purchased this album after owning the High Fidelity soundtrack for several years and loving "Dry The Rain" by The Beta Band. "The Three E.P.'s" is not exactly what I expected, but I still find myself really liking the album. I had expected a typical band with a lead singer (and therefore lyrics), but a lot of these songs are instrumentals and even the ones with lyrics tend to use the voice as another instrument (a lot of repetition is used). Despite the sparse lyrics on about half the songs, The Beta Band have really put together a unique sound and made some great music. Almost every song has a new and different instrument being played and/or being hit with a stick. It seems like the percussion player will beat on anything put in front of him/her, and it works great. I love every song on this album except for "Monolith".
I am not sure what music to recommend if you like this album, but maybe check out the High Fidelity soundtrack.

I've had the good fortune of driving in Scotland, an excellent method of refining ones sense of humor. Scots themselves, The Beta Band are great fun. And thus, incredibly serious. I pay a bit of attention to detail, and I noticed on the back of the CD box the cut and pasted lines "another bee god will be operated at a maximum of 150mph". How can you not love such surly madness. And the music is better. Everybody knows the good stuff: Dry the Rain, Inner Meet Me, etc. 'Please listen and you will see' the deft and subtle power of Dogs Got a Bone. The deconstructed harmonica solo and the repeating chorus stand in stark contrast to one another, a feature of TBB music in general. I can't get over the cheezy intro to Inner Meet Me. Perfect.

Wow....

This is one great CD. I am usually only a fan of classic rock (the Doors, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin) but a friend of mine told me I had to listen to The Three EP's. I had no desire to and was a little pissed that he kept pushing me to listen to this group I had never heard of. After listening to them once, and after hearing the song I Know, I was hooked. This CD is incredible. There isn't a song I don't like (although Monolith is a little long and I wouldn't miss it if it wasn't there...it's okay, but nothing like the other songs). Dry The Rain, I Know, Dogs Got A Bone, The House Song, She's The One...on and on...these songs are TIGHT! I encourage anyone out there, no matter your taste in music, to listen to this CD. I assure you that you will find it strange, yet very enjoyable. And this CD is MUCH better than The Beta Band's self-titled first CD and better than their second CD Hot Shots II, although Hot Shots II is better than the self-titled CD. All I can say is that this CD should belong in EVERYONE'S collection. It will open your mind and senses and leave you knowing that you have heard a really great chunk of music. YOU WILL NOT REGRET BUYING THIS CD!!! And you will not be able to stop listening to it. YES!!! IT'S THAT GOOD! I PROMISE!

I've had the good fortune of driving in Scotland, an excellent method of refining ones sense of humor. Scots themselves, The Beta Band are great fun. And thus, incredibly serious. I pay a bit of attention to detail, and I noticed on the back of the CD box the cut and pasted lines "another bee god will be operated at a maximum of 150mph". How can you not love such surly madness. And the music is better. Everybody knows the good stuff: Dry the Rain, Inner Meet Me, etc. 'Please listen and you will see' the deft and subtle power of Dogs Got a Bone. The deconstructed harmonica solo and the repeating chorus stand in stark contrast to one another, a feature of TBB music in general. I can't get over the cheezy intro to Inner Meet Me. Perfect.

OK first thing's first, I love the beta band. Secondly, they're a typical prog band. If you can imagine Stone Roses inviting Kraftwerk for an acoustic jam session (NOT an album recording though) you may get some idea of what this album is about.
Standout tracks for ANYONE are Dry The Rain (of course), Inner Meet Me, She's the One, and Needles in my Eyes. Some of the other songs on the album are just too average and boring but good as background music when you're busy doing something.
In some ways, the third album is more complete and much more accessible.

To anyone who knows a give-a-dog-a-bone about music, this is not exactly intricate stuff. My dead gramma could play something more complicated with her rattling bones. But, as my talented musical friend once objected to my complaints about Radiohead (yes, I complained about Radiohead, can you believe it?), sometimes it takes a genius to take something simple and obvious and transform it into something noone has ever heard before.

Now I'm not claiming that these Scottish slackers are geniuses or even groundbreaking. In fact, I'd bet the farm that they are the lazy derivative talentless slobs they sound like. But the fact is, this album, for what it is worth, contains an infectuous warm fuzzy something that transcends the simplicity with which it was crafted. Most of us are not always in the mood to listen to "challenging" music (in fact, most of us never listen to challenging music at all) and this album certainly should not be filed next to Jaco Pastorius. When your soul needs some swabbing with some mellow and blissful honey, this will do the trick. I'm gonna go home and listen to it tonight.