The Beta Band's back..... in the form of Beck.
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Artist:
On my drive home. I was listening to the radio today (the wonderful Zone 91.3 FM from Victoria) and this fantastic song came on. It was the Beta Band. I was floored-- a Beta Band song I had never heard before, but a Beta Band song I instantly loved.
Okay, so I knew there was just no way it could be the Beta Band, but the voice, the music, the structure, the strange, spacey but uplifting prog-rock-inspired and undeniably British sound...
This was the best piece of music I've heard in a long, long time.
I called my sister up, who I hoped would be sitting at a computer so she could check the website and read the constantly-updated playlist, and solve this mystery.
Oh, the suspense as she waited for the webpage to load!
I knew it couldn't be the Beta Band. There's no way they're getting back together, and let's face it, no radio station out here would play some obscure Beta song, if any Beta song at all.
Sure enough, it's the newest single of Beck's latest album. The song's called "Chemtrails."
I've listened to it via Youtube almost on repeat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeiFVfyiSiw) and I just can't get enough. However, let's give credit where credit's due. I nervously searched "Beck, chemtrails, Beta Band" to see what the general public had to say.
And thankfully, Spin knows it's music genealogy.
http://www.spin.com/blog/new-stream-beck-chemtrails
Let me just borrow Spin's words to sum it up here:
"Ever-morphing, Beck seems to have been listening to the Beta Band -- a lot."
I don't know if I'm criticizing Beck or praising him for his influences. Let's face it, the song's great. It's fantastic. Go out and listen to this. Now.
Then follow it up with "Wonderful" by the Beta Band... or the entire Three EP's album. Or the entire Beta Band catalogue. You can't go wrong.
Comments (4)
I won't deny that its a good song. It was great the first time, when it was called The Four Horseman by Aphrodite's Child. Beck is quality, as is Beta Band, but the album 666 by Aphrodite's Child should be required listening for all fans.
interesting. i haven't heard 'chemtrails' (although i'm listening to it now). i had the same reaction to 'orphans', from the same album. give that one a listen too.
Really late on this post I know. But thanks to all of you for this discussion, which has led me to Aphrodite's Child. I am a huge Beta Band fan (a big beck fan too), and this was a great find for me.
Thanks for letting us know about your musical discovery! That's awesome. I'm new to Aphrodite's Child as well so I've got to extend a thanks to Wholst, too! Hooray for sharing music. :)