It's good. I know.

Rob: I will now sell five copies of the 3 E.P.s by The Beta Band.
Dick: Do it. [Rob plays the record]
Customer: Who is this?
Rob: The Beta Band.
Customer: It's good.
Rob: I know.

It is good. A great scene from a great movie, which I imagine you’ve all seen. If you haven’t, go here promptly. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. Just groove to the Beta Band.

The album of which Rob speaks, The 3 E.P.’s, is fantastic. Each song has a groove, driven by a slow drum beat and simple, repetitive melodic motifs. For instance, take the song from the movie, “Dry the Rain.” In the scene, when the song is played, everyone in the store starts to bob his or her head. A guy and a girl start to make a connection. And Rob, owner of Championship Vinyl, simply waits for the inevitable comment—he knows that everyone will enjoy the track, and his belief is soon vindicated by the customer’s question. His taste in music is better than everyone else's, and that's why he owns a record store.

“Dry the Rain” is, I think, a relaxed pump-up song. It builds inexorably from understated beginnings to the final choruses, which repeat the defiant cry: “If there’s something inside that you want to say / Say it out loud it’ll be okay / I will be your light… I need love.” These declarations are punctuated by joyful horns and reinforced by sustained choral "aah"'s. The introduction of each new element is subtle, and no single element takes over, which allows the song's build to feel organic and natural. Whatever you’re doing—whether it’s running five miles or writing a blog entry—this song can pump you up, but it won’t leave you anxious or tense. It’ll just get you to bob your head and set your sights on whatever’s in front of you.

So, give it a listen, if you haven’t heard it. Also, check out two other similarly great tracks from The 3 E.P.’s. I hope they push you through a wonderful weekend. Enjoy:

The Beta Band – Dry the Rain (YSI) (filesavr)
The Beta Band – Dog’s Got a Bone (YSI) (filesavr)
The Beta Band – B + A (YSI) (filesavr)