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Don't you get it?

austin2138 | Poughkeepsie, NY | 11/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some of these reviews are the dumbest things I've ever seen. One actually said to avoid this until it is considered a classic in 20 years! Can you imagine someone who is such a sheep that they will not pay attention to this until it is considered good by other people?
Simply put, this album is insane. It's elements of insanity often don't fit together precisely, but that's kind of the point; any craziness that works in a linear and smooth fashion is just posing as genuine insanity if you ask me. This is the sound of a band just having fun, and pushing whatever madness they can think of to the absolute limit of listenability. There are times when this album doesn't "work"--many times in fact. But that's what makes it so special in my mind; the fact that they knew they weren't making something consistently wonderful but they made it anyway in the hopes that some of it would be worthwhile, that the recording process itself would reveal something about them as musicians and as people. I think the band themselves say not to buy it because ultimately its not even for our consumption; its a working out of their own demons.
Then why release it in the first place, you ask? Because there will be people like me (and there are a lot of us) who will like it for what it is. We have no expectations for it, we don't put our unreasonable ideas of what the Beta Band is "supposed" to sound like on it just because we have heard "The Three E.P.'s". We listen to this album on its own terms, and even if part of those terms is that the band themselves don't like it, I'm willing to accept that. I like this album. I respect the fact that many people don't, but some of the reasons out there are really dumb, in my mind. If you're thinking of buying it, just listen to the sound samples, and think about how much of that you can take. That's my suggestion. Hopefully you'll come to the right choice, and decide to buy it and love it or not buy it when you would've hated it anyway. I've been talking for too long. Bye."

If only all "bad" albums were this good

M. Sutherland | 05/27/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Maybe it's not their masterpiece. It easily beats by far most of the junk out there some people have the nerve to call music. If you've got disposable income, this is an album worth having. There are a few parts now and then that I can imagine would annoy some people. If you can't appreciate a little offbeat experimentation, too bad."

Better than just "good"

M. Sutherland | MA | 08/18/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I hate how people keep saying this is one of the beta band's "weekest" or "worst" albums. i admit im not too fond of some songs on here, but "it's not too beautiful" is fabulous! one of my favorite songs, and "hard one" is definately one of the best 10 minute songs i've heard. "broken up adingdong" is definately a fun song too. "smiling" at the begining might sound kinda annoying or wierd, but as it progresses it becomes really quite original and cool. "dance o'er the border" has it's strange parts but it's a pretty experimental song, and i'm glad at least some bands take risks like that instead of sounding like everyone else. "the cows wrong" in my opinion is also definately better than just 'good'. "round the bend," featured in High Fidelity is good but deinfately not the best of them and that song doesn't even begin to represent the awesomeness of the Beta Band."