Having listened to a great variety of music in the past few years, I think I can safely say that "The 3 EP's" is one of the most endlessly fascinating new finds I've stumbled upon lately. This collection of three separately released EP's (hence the title, heh) showcases a band that revels in eclecticism, adventurousness, and flat-out strangeness. Mutating frequently and unpredictably, these songs are generally built around the traditional rock-band lineup, but the Beta Band go well beyond facile classifications by embracing decidedly irregular song structures and incorporating found sounds ranging from piano to accordions to samples to God knows what else. All throughout, the band's obsession with detail is matched by a strong ear for melody. The opener "Dry The Rain" could actually make a decent single and perfectly exemplifies what this band is about, moving from twangy acoustic folk tune to upbeat horn-fueled anthem about halfway through. "I Know" is a hypnotic, repetition-oriented instrumental featuring some mangled beats and snatches of guitar noise. Starting out as a droning piece of acidy pop, "B + A" suddenly shifts into overdrive and morphs into a monstrous rave-up complete with hand claps, crashing percussion, and even an "aaaah, aaaah" chant. Things get even more interesting with "Dog's Got a Bone," a gentle, non-rocking mood piece driven along by little more than quiet acoustic strumming, accordions, and sweet vocal harmonies. "Inner Meet Me" actually manages to be catchy in its own unique way, with entrancing near-rapped vocals placed over a head-bobbing rhythm. "Monolith" is a fifteen-plus minute epic of almost comical weirdness, segueing from one ambient passage to another with no apparent pattern. A clinic on how to do a lot with a little, "Push It Out" begins as an eerily minimal piece before becoming steadily more expansive as it adds a series of new sounds throughout its running time. In yet another odd move, "She's The One" could almost qualify as a ballad, aside from the fact that it's more than eight minutes long and its soft sound eventually gives way to quasi-psychedelic jamming and some Alvin and the Chipmunks-style chanting. The last three songs, "It's Over," "Dr. Baker," and "Needles In My Eyes," find the band moving in a somewhat more accessible direction, but there's still plenty of gonzo experimentation and and startlingly original craftsmanship to be found. As cohesive as it is diverse, and as fun as it is wacky, "The 3 EP's" is a modern-day classic not to be missed by those seeking something out of the ordinary. Wheelchair Assassin
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