Heroes To Zeros

That said, on Heroes to Zeros--the Beta Band's first fully self-produced effort--everything seems to be gelling nicely, despite the dizzying disparity of the parts involved. It's more guitar-heavy than previous efforts, and it's strangely exciting to hear frontman Steve Mason cutting loose on the axe here--everything from U2-style dynamics to mournful English folk fingerpicking seem well within his grasp.

"Assessment" is the instant winner, Mason dolefully intoning "I think I cut my skull on the way down/ I think I lost my head when I lay down" over chiming guitar fanfares and roaring brass. But elsewhere, the band's characteristically eccentric manner is given free reign: try "Wonderful", a sprawling cosmic love song, or "Liquid Bird", a weird mélange of scintillating House of Love guitars, hip-hop rhythms and electronic kickdrums that beat like a hummingbird's wings. --Louis Pattison