Review Summary: Don't judge a book by its cover.
Expectations are a bitch. In music, if a band makes an album that is universally acclaimed, their next albums live in the shadow of it, because people expect their next works to be a continuation of the sound of that album, and a lot of bands have underrated albums because they are different from the old stuff.
But, when a band mixes the old sound with new ideas and make it work, it can be pretty great, and that is the case of Helmet's third album, Betty.
After the groundbreaking Meantime, Helmet had a mission to keep the pace with their sound without sounding the same from their previous works, and they achieved it better than a lot of bands that I have seen, maintaining the aggressively catchy riffs and absorbing more alternative influences.
The album features a cleaner production and more accessible songs, but that isn't a bad thing. It has a more groovy, infectious sound that blends with Helmet's original heavy tendencies, and mixes some different genres in songs like "Biscuits for Smut" and "Beautiful Love". Helmet's usual riff attack has more variety here, and songs like "Wilma's Rainbow" and "Milquetoast" are some of the band's best examples of how their formula works, making it catchy and insanely heavy at the same time.
Still, some songs here wouldn't sound out of place in their previous album, like "Rollo" and "Tic", which has dirty riffs that resembles Meantime's ferocity, and then there's the opposite, melodic songs that show a more Alt. Rock side of the band, like "Speechless" and "Overrated", and they work pretty well, showing a sign of the band's future. There's the joke songs too, like "Sam Hell"(which is a typical Helmet song... played with a Banjo) and "Biscuits For Smut", that introduce some cool ideas and show a band having fun with themselves.
Oh, and the band sounds more comfortable here, with the grooviest instrumentation in the band's discography. The rhythm section is tight and has clear Jazz influences. Page's vocals are a lot less aggressive here, and they're surprisingly excellent, adding to the band's chemistry, which is admirable in this album.
However, the album has its flaws, like some unnecessary parts that make the album drag for a little sometimes, some fillers and a lack of violence in some songs that needed it (like in "Street Crab").
Overall, Betty is an album that shows the band continuing to grow on their musical journey by adding some variety on their sound without going too far from their roots. It shows that the band isn't an one trick pony, and they have a lot to show to the world yet.
Standout Tracks:
Milquetoast
Wilma's Rainbow
Rollo
Biscuits for Smut
