Listening to Toronto-based musician Beta Trip (known to his family as Steve Lewin), it appears as if the mid-1990s never ended. On Superette, his debut LP, echoes of Clinton-era alt-rock influences, from Toad the Wet Sprocket and Better Than Ezra to Tonic, are heard on nearly every song here. The layered guitars and emotional lyrics are a constant throughout the record, which was written, performed, and produced entirely by Lewin—an especially impressive achievement considering his previous releases were limited to singles and EPs.
Superette sets the tone from the outset with “What I Need,” an early single that opens on an emotional note. Built around piano, brushed drums, and plaintive vocals, the track carries an earnest plea for understanding. It’s an unconventional way to begin a record—abrupt yet purposeful—serving as a prelude to what follows. The mood continues with “On My Mind,” another ballad, this time anchored by acoustic guitar.
The moodiness continues with “Let Down,” employing more instruments for an expansive, symphonic sound. Both “I’ll Try” and “Down” follow a similar pattern—opening with strummed acoustic guitars that gradually build into sweeping, emotion-laden ballads.
It’s not until “Juliet,” another earlier single, that he really changes up the musical tempo. While not necessarily an anthem, the piano intro that quickly gains speed and builds like a Pixies song (thanks in part to the brilliant marching band drumming), is easily one of the strongest moments of the record. “One End To Another” features its droning, sludgy guitar and layered, dirge-like vocals (think Layne Staley or Mark Lanegan), evoking another ‘90s genre and coming across as an updated version of Stone Temple Pilots or Pearl Jam at their brooding peak.
“Two Lips” coming toward the end of the set, with a cool distorted bass line along with “Juliet” and “One End To Another” offer a solid contrast to the first half of the record that almost got stuck in a musical and emotional rut. He caps the album with “Doing Time,” another great moment, mellower and still earnest and emotional, but not sounding as cloying as some of the earlier tracks.
Musically tethered to the ’90s, Superette has standout moments—particularly in its closing stretch—but its heavy-handed earnestness and overwrought delivery early on could test the patience of some listeners and risk losing them before the record’s later payoffs.
