0321. The Beta Band
Hot Shots II

The Beta Band released an eponymous debut and then, in a feat of logic, released a second album called Hot Shots II. And those kind of moves show up a lot on this album: one minute there's a good thing going on and the next there's a whole other good thing and I'm not quite sure how we got to point B from point 3, but damned if I know how.

Even when the (nowadays) kind of overused sampling from Daydream In Blue kicks in in the opening track Squares this is top notch. Reminding me of Rings Around The World in both genreblending and general playfulness, Hot shots II is an album that gets the go-ahead as they move effortlessly from downright spaced out songs to rhyming about smoking pizza.

It just puts a smile on my face.