Hot Shots II

{{For|the parody movie unrelated to the album|Hot Shots! Part Deux}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Hot Shots II

| type = studio

| artist = The Beta Band

| cover = Hotshotsii.album.cover.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|df=yes|2001|07|16}}

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Electronic|rock}}

| length = {{Duration|m=51|s=51}}

| label = Regal

| producer = {{hlist|The Beta Band|Colin Emmanuel}}

| prev_title = The Beta Band

| prev_year = 1999

| next_title = Heroes to Zeros

| next_year = 2004

}}

Hot Shots II is the second studio album by the Scottish musical group The Beta Band, released on 16 July 2001. Colin "C-Swing" Emmanuel and the band co-produced the album. The band's previous work had used dense experimentation but Hot Shots II had a minimal style influenced by R&B, hip hop and electronica.

Mason later said the album was "us doing what we promised to do and making something completely incredible, that didn't sound like anything else. Nothing else that's ever come after it has ever sounded like it. It's got good, fleshed out and complete songs on it."{{cite magazine| magazine= Record Collector | title=Fife Star|author=Daryl Easlea|page=65| date=1 May 2023}}

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| MC = 77/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/hot-shots-ii/beta-band |title=Reviews for Hot Shots II by Beta Band |website=Metacritic |access-date=19 June 2017}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/hot-shots-ii-mw0000006963 |title=Hot Shots II – The Beta Band |website=AllMusic |access-date=1 October 2009 |last=Bush |first=John}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2score = B+{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2001/07/20/beta-band-hot-shots-ii/ |title=The Beta Band: Hot Shots II |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=20 July 2001 |access-date=19 June 2017 |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011234352/http://www.ew.com/article/2001/07/20/beta-band-hot-shots-ii |archive-date=11 October 2015 |url-status=dead}}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2001/jul/13/shopping.artsfeatures1 |title=Tales of the unexpected |work=The Guardian |date=13 July 2001 |access-date=19 June 2017 |last=Costa |first=Maddy}}

| rev4 = Muzik

| rev4score = 4/5{{cite magazine|title=The Beta Band: Hot Shots 2 (Regal) |magazine=Muzik |issue=75 |date=August 2001 |last=Bell |first=Duncan |page=73}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5score = 8/10{{cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/beta-band/5401 |title=Beta Band: Hot Shots II |newspaper=NME |date=14 July 2001 |access-date=19 June 2017 |last=Pattison |first=Louis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325102948/http://www.nme.com/reviews/beta-band/5401 |archive-date=25 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 8.6/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/669-hot-shots-ii/ |title=The Beta Band: Hot Shots II |work=Pitchfork |date=30 June 2001 |access-date=1 October 2009 |last=LeMay |first=Matt}}

| rev7 = Q

| rev7score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=The Beta Band: Hot Shots II |journal=Q |issue=180 |date=Summer 2001 |page=97}}

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/112919 |title=The Beta Band: Hot Shots II |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=19 July 2001 |access-date=19 June 2017 |last=Hendrickson |first=Matt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060512084226/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thebetaband/albums/album/112919/rid/5946840/ |archive-date=12 May 2006 |url-status=dead}}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9score = 7/10{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f4iBwoaNrbcC&pg=PT4 |title=The Beta Band: Hot Shots II |magazine=Spin |volume=17 |issue=8 |date=August 2001 |access-date=19 June 2017 |last=Ryan |first=Chris |page=129}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10score = 8/10{{cite magazine|title=The Beta Band: Hot Shots II |magazine=Uncut |issue=261 |date=February 2019 |last=Pattison |first=Louis |page=45}}

}}

Pitchfork placed Hot Shots II at number 118 on its list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7707-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-150-101/4/|work=Pitchfork|title=The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200–151|date=28 September 2009|access-date=1 October 2009|archive-date=1 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301011241/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7707-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-150-101/4/|url-status=dead}} The album is also included in the 2010 edition of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.{{cite book|first1=Robert|last1=Dimery|first2=Michael|last2=Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}} Kludge ranked it at number 1 on its list of top 10 albums of 2001.{{cite web|last1=Perez|first1=Arturo|title=Top 10 Albums of 2001|url=http://www.kludgemagazine.com/articles.php?id=88|website=Kludge|access-date=25 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040722004951/http://www.kludgemagazine.com/articles.php?id=88|archive-date=22 July 2004}}

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing = The Beta Band, except where noted

| title1 = Squares

| writer1 = {{hlist|The Beta Band|David Mackay|Sylveer Van Holmen|Raymond Vincent}}

| length1 = 3:46

| title2 = Al Sharp

| length2 = 3:34

| title3 = Human Being

| writer3 = {{hlist|The Beta Band|Carole King|Toni Stern}}

| length3 = 4:31

| title4 = Gone

| length4 = 3:41

| title5 = Dragon

| writer5 = {{hlist|The Beta Band|Egol L. Frauenberger|Carlos Diernhammer}}

| length5 = 4:56

| title6 = Broke

| length6 = 4:40

| title7 = Quiet

| length7 = 4:49

| title8 = Alleged

| length8 = 5:31

| title9 = Life

| length9 = 3:51

| title10 = Eclipse

| length10 = 6:37

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese / US edition bonus track

| title11 = Won

| writer11 = {{hlist|The Beta Band|Harry Nilsson}}

| length11 = 5:57

}}

Charts

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

!scope="col"| Chart (2001)

!scope="col"| Peak
position

{{Album chart|Scotland|11|date=20010722|accessdate=26 September 2018|rowheader=true}}

{{Album chart|UK2|13|date=20010722|accessdate=16 November 2017|rowheader=true}}

{{Album chart|UKIndependent|1|date=20010722|accessdate=26 September 2018|rowheader=true}}

{{Album chart|Billboard200|200|artist=The Beta Band|accessdate=16 November 2017|rowheader=true}}

{{Album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|14|artist=The Beta Band|accessdate=16 November 2017|rowheader=true}}

{{Album chart|BillboardIndependent|11|artist=The Beta Band|accessdate=16 November 2017|rowheader=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable"
Region ! Date ! Label ! Format ! Catalogue
Japan \| 7 July 2001 \| Toshiba EMI \| CD \| TOCP 65723
United Kingdom \| 16 July 2001 \| Regal Zonophone Records \| CD \| REG59CD
United States \| 17 July 2001 \| Astralwerks \| CD \| ASW 10446

class="wikitable"

Region

! Date

! Label

! Format

! Catalogue

Japan

| 7 July 2001

| Toshiba EMI

| CD

| TOCP 65723

United Kingdom