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Rating: Refined melodies and exquisite vocal harmonies, from melancholic sources to joyful endings. This is the effective Indie/Low-Fi offered in the collection "The Three E.P.'S" by the Beta Band, a reissue released a few years ago on Regal Recordings. An array of classical and traditional instruments, such as the double bass, organ, trumpet, harmonica, and piano, which harmoniously and quietly integrate into the 12 compositions, often also infused with sounds recorded outdoors. The reverberated voice and choirs are the strong point, the most compelling attraction of The Beta Band, while the rest is a pleasing melodic accompaniment, very well-crafted, yet always essential and minimalist. The best tracks are undoubtedly the last four, those from the E.P. "Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos" released in 1998: "Push It Out," with its fresh vocal experiments (try it yourselves), is undoubtedly one of the most representative pieces of B.B., as equally beautiful are the acoustic guitars in "It’s Over," originally recorded on Stephen Mason's home four-track, and the instrumental arrangements in "Dr. Baker," once again marked by the intense lyrics of the singer S. Mason. Few but good are the loops and samples by J. McLean. The four Scots apparently are not only brilliant musicians but also excellent directors of their own videos, which have become an integral part of their live shows. An eccentric and nonconformist artistic spectrum, difficult to classify with just one adjective, and given their insatiable experimental talent (their latest release "Hot Shots 2" is very different and more electronic), they are transitioning to new and futuristic sounds that will surely surprise us. An album that could have been co-produced by Badly Drawn Boy and Belle & Sebastian. djd
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Dry the Rain (06:07)
This is the definition of my life
Lying in bed in the sunrise
Choking on a vitamin tablet the doctor gave
In the hope of saving me
In the hope of saving me
Mott's in the corner of the room
Junkyard fool with eyes of [glue/gloom/blue]
I asked him time again,
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain,
Take me in and dry the rain,
The rain, the rain, the rain, the rain, my rain now
Dusty brown boots in the corner by the ironing board
Spray-on dust is the greatest thing
Sure is the greatest thing
Since the [light/lie], since the [light/lie]
Mott's in the corner of the room
Junkyard fool with eyes of [glue/gloom/blue]
I asked him time again
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
The rain, the rain, the rain, the rain, my rain now
I asked him time again,
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
The rain, the rain, the rain, the rain, my rain now
If there's something inside that you wanna say
Say it out loud it'll be okay
I will be alright, I will be alright
I will be your light, I will be your light
If there's something inside that you wanna say
You can say it out loud it will be okay
I will be alright, I will be your light
I will be your light, I will be your light
I need love
I need love
05 Inner Meet Me (06:19)
Inner meet me, oh you can't decide [repeated 10 times]
Last night I dreamt somebody fell asleep between my knees
I couldn't help it [?] rejected by a boy called me
Last night I dreamt somebody fell asleep between my knees
I couldn't help it [?] rejected by a boy called me
Last night I dreamt somebody fell asleep between my knees
I couldn't help it [?] rejected by a boy called me
Say what you feel
[help!]
Never dream alone
Never dream alone
09 Push It Out (03:49)
Push it out [repeated approx 70 times]
I wanna beat ya wanna hug ya wanna hold ya to me
Gone to hell thats where I'll be
I'll be fine then come with me
With a double shot of power and he's over me
11 Dr. Baker (04:32)
Dr. Baker phoned me in the morning
He left a note, he's still yawning
Dr. Baker phoned me in the morning
He left a note, she couldn't make it
How did she ever take a lesson outside his head?
Dr. Baker phoned me in the morning
He couldn't understand, he was a busy man
Tried to reach him again, plead with him:
"Please come please come please come
Please come please come please come"
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
overandoverandover
hovering and hovering and hollering home
Dr. Baker phoned me again later that day
Said he cried and he really sounded out of it
His wife was dead and his dog was dead
And misery planned inside his head
I tried to reason with him, tried singing
He said: "No boy you'll never listen"
Try it again
Try it again
Try it againgaingaingaingain
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
See me lost inside
You will see me lost how high
overandoverandover
overandoverandover
I'm a overandoverandover
I'm hoveringhovering oh
I'm a hoveringhovering oh
I'm a hoveringhovering oh
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By vonhesse
An album that I find beautiful and visionary that, despite the technical limits of the band, sounds like a long and wonderful psychedelic, noise, and post-rock journey.
The playful goofing off gives the 12 tracks the feel of a Great Dress Rehearsal awaiting the true debut album.
