Search - King Biscuit Time :: No Style

Essential Release for Beta Band Fans

Kathy Fennessy | 08/08/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"King Biscuit Time is Beta Band vocalist Stephen Mason's side project. This domestic release combines two import EPs. Arguably, the music sounds more like the Beta Band (circa THE THREE EPs) than their somewhat disappointing self-titled debut. The songs run the "usual" eclectic Beta band gamut from ambient folk textures to funked-up neo-techno. The real standout is "I Walk the Earth," which is to "No Style" as "Dry the Rain" was to THE THREE EPs, i.e. the should've-been-a-hit single. It's in the tradition of such catchy, deliriously repetitive numbers as The Troggs' "Anyway That You Want Me" and Pavement's "Summer Babe"."

Plenty of style, actually

Richard Diaz | 09/01/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"With a name like King Biscuit Time you just knew this was some arty musician's side project, and hey, that's absolutely correct. Stephen Mason , front man of The Beta Band, kept his flaky mates at home to release his own batch of cosmic blender quirk-pop, "No Style.". Not that this collection of EP's is goofy or frivolous- just the opposite (munchkin folk jam "Eye of the Dug" excepted"). Furthermore, the slick studio wizardry he and the Betas are known for has been rubbed with lo-fi dirt, a juxtaposition of country tavern band and stereophonic sound. The result is best exemplified right off the bat, the stellar snapbeat of "I Walk The Earth" bobbing Mason's supple voice through a folk tune of clear skies and psychedelic sunshine. The remaining tracks may not match in appeal, but collectively span such an impressive amount of ground to all rise up. The material of the first EP is more focused and alluring, from the innocent electronica of "Untitled" to the somber strumming of "I Love You" and "Time to Get Up." The remains stretch the definition of songwriting like taffee: from chanting with drum and bass, piping keyboards and breakbeat, to drum-free droning.Those who don't mind an album that screws with their CD filing system are in for a treat, and clocking in under 30 minutes, it's a dessert without the fat. "No Style?" It has plenty. Grade B."

Beta Band fan or no, this is quite simply a stellar album.

Nat | Chicago, IL | 05/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I will start by saying that it isn't often that every single song on a given CD is good. Even with my favorite bands, I still skip over some of the songs on their albums. King Biscuit Time's No Style, however, is one of those rare gems which breaks that pattern. Mason borrows a great deal of Beta Band-esque style from his earlier works, yet No Style is marked by a greater sense of precision (mostly springing from liberal use of synthesizers) than much of the Beta Band's music. His lyrics, reminiscent of the Beta Band's rhythmic stream-of-consciousness chanting, are toned down, yet still manage to pique interpretation. If you like the Beta Band at all, buy this album. If you don't like the Beta Band, buy this album. This is one of those rarities which, although avoiding the mainstream electronic/indie hype, is quite simply a good album."