It Took Seconds

Five minutes and fifty-seven seconds: Very little posting time tonight so excuse my muddledness. I was involved in a conversation about “vanguard indie” recently, which I liked as a phrase because it captures that feeling of expectation on particular bands - that they’re the groups with the responsibility to push things forward, make the plays that other bands might run with.

There was a time when The Beta Band might have been vanguard indie. Certainly they emerged at a pretty weak time for the music in the UK and there was a sense that they were doing something interesting - mixing up folk and instrumental jams and dance music and pop in fertile ways. When they put out the “To You Alone” single and were in the press citing UK Garage as an influence people got very excited: this kind of cross-genre pollination always looks great on paper. Looking back I don’t know whether the music ever lived up to those hopes - certainly the rap guest spot on “Won” wouldn’t start any revolutions - but it was always likeable.

There was a cuddliness about The Beta Band - sometimes a sinister or stoned cuddliness but there nonetheless - which at the time I might have said held them back but now seems their most important asset. “Won”, wandering around an old Three Dog Night single, shows it well.

What 5’57” track would you have picked?