Weirdo 'Heroes' triumph with latest

The Beta Band's sound has undergone a major evolution since the band's 1997 formation from electronica/trip-hop to indie rock. The band took over as producers for their third proper album, Heroes to Zeros, and they haven't lost a step. Other bands' projects, like the Smashing Pumpkins' Adore, have not been nearly as successful when the musicians played the role of producer.\nBeta Band purists will surely be a bit taken aback by the richer rock texture Hot Shots II merely hinted at, but the band's maturation as artists can only be admired. Heroes to Zeros preserves a whiff of the Scottish trip-hop aroma the band helped generate, but it utilizes that as a base for the record's innovative and elaborate sound.\nDespite the changes, this Beta Band record, like all the others, is great to have playing in the background while chilling with your friends. The song "Wonderful" has their signature easy-going feel, but it exemplifies the band's use of other styles to convey that mood. While its 1998 release, The 3 E.P.'s, was far more transcendental with its funky beats and seemingly endless inclusion of various instruments, Heroes to Zeros displays the broader range of directions this band wants to explore.