Heroes to Zeros
When the Beta Band first hit in 1998 withThe Three EPs, the band seemed incapable of doing wrong with their infectiously murky, psychedelic mixture of contemporary electronic and early ‘70s stoner rock. Their songs seemed to fall apart as quickly as they came together, and this disposable quality made them classic, in a weird way. But while those EPs recalled the days of Canterbury prog without the silly Tolkein-isms, or the "Madchester" scene sans the nasty drugs, the group’s music has slowly slid into a disparaging mediocrity since then; it seems that the harder the Beta Band tries to be a real band, the worse the result. The tunes onHeroesall have the same muddy sound, sung in the same mushmouth-y style. By 2004, the mantle of loose, weird and fun experimental pop seems to be firmly in the hands of groups like theGo! Teamin the UK and theAnimal Collectivestateside.--Mike McGonigal