Music Reviews Archive

When it comes to picking running music, one has to be very selective. At least in my case, it has to be something that will distract me from the fact that I'm breathing louder than factory whistle at lunchtime. It has to be inspiring, invigorating, and complete distracting me from what I'm putting my body through at the time. As I ran through the park and the newness of the day, when life isn't running so fast just yet, I got to totally absorb this Beta Band beat.

 

God was on my side that day, because other than thinking their CD cover was cool, presenting very detailed animated characters I am assuming are members of the band, I really didn't know a lot about this foursome. I guess I'm really out of it, because I used the stack of press Astralwerks sent me to practice my posture as I gracefully walked around my apartment, balancing it just so.

It's ironic that in one such interview, they kind of poo-poo'd DJ Shadow's "White boy, let's-milk-it-down-to-the-coffee-table nonsense...I like proper hip-hop." Ironic because they seem to use that kitchen sink mentality and formula for constructing a very unique and vibrant sound that has the closest resemblance to Brit-pop, if not a late '60s pop springiness of "Along Came Mary" or "Not Your Stepping Stone."

Here's what they list in their instrument ensemble and other toys I can hear through the twinkling notes: harmonica, keyboards, cello, viola, violin, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, maybe a synthesizer here and there, some butterflies, a Stone Roses riff, a Fisher Price xylophone, a barking dog, the cast of Cirque du Soleil, and the most glorious vocals I've heard in a very, very long time.

And the lyrics are just as invigorating and inspiring, as on "Troubles" as they give us some simple words to live by "It's about time we had a laugh/You Know I've been crying/Too many people, too many trouble, too many mouths are lying/If everybody laughed for just one day/You know that would make me happy."

We've got some new heroes on the block. Let's put some flowers in our hair and party in the park.

www.astralwerks.com

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