The Beths

Yeah, this album feels like an instant classic. There's a lot of things to love here, but I think it really comes down to the harmonies/backing vocals which are just incredible. I really hope people get behind them.

They remind me of Charli Bliss

Pfork compared them to the Courtneys (which is what brought me to the album), but that was a misdirect IMO.

I haven't bought it yet but, as I said on the Alvvays thread, I find it really enjoyable. The vocals are v pleasant.

They remind me of Charli Bliss

― nostormo

Yeah, I mentioned they could be this year's Charly Bliss on another thread. I also think there are moments that are a bit Courtney Barnett.

yeah this is great, one of those albums that isn't doing anything new but just has great songs and an infectious quality

I would like to defend the backing vox on "Whatever." I think they rule.

Also, "Not Running" is, despite its name, a fantastic song to run to.

Little Death is incredible

the EP preceding the album is excellent, too, in case anyone missed it

a little more jangle-y than charly bliss but the comparison definitely makes sense. this is about as good as this sort of music gets, i love it. every track is so densely packed with hooks

i see that they are playing at yah yahs this saturday night for $10!

when can we poll this album

this album is awesome btw, kitchen person otm about the harmonies

Little Death is incredible

― alpine static, Sunday, September 2, 2018 10:45 AM (three days ago)

addendum: Not Running -> Little Death -> Happy Unhappy is absolutely mind-melting.

this album is my new obsession

Great album!

addendum: Not Running -> Little Death -> Happy Unhappy is absolutely mind-melting.

― alpine static

Totally agree. The first few songs are great, but this run is when the album goes to the next level.

Album of the year for me now.

i love that sequence too

it's really only "you wouldn't like me" that interrupts the flow of the first 7 songs, but otherwise it's just one great song after another

Not totally similar but close enough that I would suggest that if you like this record you should check out the Luby Sparks record.

Reading this thread I had a feeling I'd love this band (probably because anything compared to Charly Bliss immediately catches my eye), and yup, I love it a ton. From front to back, great record. It's not as good as Guppy, but it does offer similar pop punk-styled thrills. Personally, it's all about the opening of Great No One for me. I just remember hearing that guitar riff and vocal melody and thinking to myself "shit, I'm doomed to listen to this record every day for the rest of the month, aren't i?"

The harmonies on Whatever are fine imo, but the "whoa-a-oh-a-oh" and "oo-OO-oo-OO-ooooo" harmonies on Happy Unhappy and Uptown Girl, respectively, don't sound very good? They're just way too cutesy and on-the-nose for me. Which is a shame because they're excellent songs otherwise.

but yeah, this is definitely making my top 10 in the ilx 77 poll

this is pretty nice but I don't hear the Charly Bliss comparison at all, the energy levels are totally different

Yeah, I can’t figure out what I think of the harmonies. On some songs I think they’re fine and on others I just want them to go away. I think I just get fatigued with them after a while, so my tolerance for them depends on whether or not I’m skipping around or listening to the album all the way through.

I woke up with the chorus of the title track in my head several days in a row last week. Very catchy song but kind of becoming a living nightmare. You’re killing me, Beths!

there's a dry boredom conveyed by liz stokes' singing that i think contrasts quite strongly with the singer of charly bliss, who i think doesn't sound that different to carly rae jepsen at her most saccharine.

this is pretty nice but I don't hear the Charly Bliss comparison at all, the energy levels are totally different

That's my impression too. I said something similar in another thread, but Charly Bliss is an uninhibited joy bomb while The Beths feel a bit more studied and controlled—not bad qualities, but very much not what Charly Bliss is doing.

closer cousins for me are the aforementioned Alvvays, Best Coast, or even Standard Fare. anyway this is a great record!

^ yep

they both have a power pop sound reminiscent of the blue album but better, though they go in different directions with it

What part of what Beths song sounds like Weezer??

while we're throwing out people we hear I mostly hear Tuscadero

What part of what Beths song sounds like Weezer??

― Johnny Fever

The chorus of River Run Lvl 1 is probably the closest they come to Weezer.

i didn't really get the Charly Bliss comparison either, other than they're both pop-rock bands. vocals are far too different.

i can't quite nail down who i think they sound like except it's hard to get away from Courtney Barnett because of the accents.

this is really so excellent

man this rules

wow, they're playing a *tiny* room near where some of my friends live in oct. i think i will go.

Little Death is perfect.
I wish the rest of the album was more edgy and little less power ppp like this track.

What part of what Beths song sounds like Weezer??

This album reminds me of a lot of 90's power-pop that I had forgotten about, but loved dearly at the time: Velocity Girl, Jason Faulkner, Brendan Benson.

Thanks, Karl, for the heads-up on this band (I saw your post about them on the alvvays thread). They're playing a tiny room in my town too... either they booked this tour before they had any sort of traction at all, or no one besides the people on this thread are listening to them.

Also, this is totally OTM:

The harmonies on Whatever are fine imo, but the "whoa-a-oh-a-oh" and "oo-OO-oo-OO-ooooo" harmonies on Happy Unhappy and Uptown Girl, respectively, don't sound very good? They're just way too cutesy and on-the-nose for me. Which is a shame because they're excellent songs otherwise.

― josh az (2011nostalgia), Wednesday, September 5, 2018 11:53 PM

(i still love the album though)

i thought of That Dog and went and reminded myself of Totally Crushed Out ... close-ish, not quite right, but my next step was going to be Velocity Girl

I'm not invested enough in this band to play a long game of spot the inspiration, but if you're listening to "Little Death" and the strongest comparison you can make is Weezer, then that's what you *want to* be hearing. It's not there.

The chorus of River Run Lvl 1 is probably the closest they come to Weezer.

This checks out.

is the inspection over

xposts enochroot

jealous of the small room opportunity! they played a relatively small venue here (empty bottle) but it was just before i started listening to them.

but if you're listening to "Little Death" and the strongest comparison you can make is Weezer, then that's what you *want to* be hearing. It's not there.

This always happens me when I try to point out to my wife people who look like other people: she never sees it, because I think she's expecting to see an exact clone, rather than a few shared characteristics.
A band's output is similarly complex, nuanced, and unique, so seeing the similarities really depends on how much you're willing to squint and ignore the details.

btw, i'm rapidly zero-ing in on "Not Running" as my favorite track on the album.

for what it's worth they do say they were going for weezer

https://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/14777/Interview-The-Beths-Talk-About-Their-Debut-Album-Future-Me-Hates-Me.utr

that’s just what they *want* to be hearing

This was a weird thread detour. If other people hear it and the band says they intended it, fine. They're doing a Weezer thing.

I still barely hear it, but also I'm not deeply taken with this album anyway (it's fine). Enjoy!

They can be influenced by Weezer or by Justin Bieber for that matter. As long as they are good (and they are) who cares.

Just an aside: I just listened to two or three songs from the Charly Bliss album. This has nothing to do with it. What I heard did neither have the hooks nor the speed and variety of The Beths and I cannot get over the squeaky Minnie Mouse voice of the singer.

To me they're loosely kind of part of the continuum of everything old is new again. My brain immediately also says, hey, there are a million bands like this. And there may be, for all I know, but my brain goes there because I am old and there *did* used to be a million bands like this ... 30 years ago. A lot of the Teenbeat/Simple Machines stuff, some Sarah stuff (maybe like Heavenly), and so on, all the way through, I dunno, stuff like Dressy Bessy or whatever. Same with a band like Beach Bunny, who I also like. Of course, being from New Zealand, the Beths are part of a parallel continuum of all the great guitar pop bands from that country, too.

they are a phenomenal live band but i forgot my earplugs

opening act hans pucket, who pearce has produced for, were also excellent

Well "2am" just ripped my heart out and stomped on it. I'm going through a painful breakup right now, the "hard to let go" kind, and it hits pretty close to dead center. Pretty close.

Listened to the album 3 or 4 times yesterday, it's a really good album in the sense that almost every song is good and they work together musically and thematically. Stronger links and weaker links, sure, but they're operating at a high level of craft.

Stevie Deux otm

i have to say, as a mega-stan, i appreciate where Ghost Club is coming from with the paint-by-numbers, the lack of broad range, the "still listening to the records they loved when they were 13" comments. i don't agree w/ the conclusion, but i can at least see how those could be valid thoughts.

and i also think Stevie hit the nail on the head here: "this band is the epitome of a bolt of something indefinable that elevates songs from competent to great"

last thought: it is *highly* predictable that the backlash would begin now, with this third album coming out and getting significantly more attention. they were still a pretty small band/draw heading into the pandemic and the release of Jump Rope Gazers! they had a whole American tour booked in small rooms that got canceled, and now the venues have at least doubled in size, maybe more.

the only bad thing about the beths is that second album cover art

Is there a backlash in real life?

I woke up on a 26th side of the bed yesterday in an attempt to scientifically determine if my bed is a problem, and the album did sound better. I think it’s just really hard music to listen to when you don’t feel great, right now. I feel that way about most of their music and much of pop music in general. I only want to listen to gravel sifting through a long descending tunnel that leads to the bottom of the ocean

If a bunch of people on earth feel that way and there’s a huge backlash against music with properly formed chord progressions, please send them my way. I’m that house that smells like garbage, over there

I only want to listen to gravel sifting through a long descending tunnel that leads to the bottom of the ocean

Try this, KM: https://markmolnar.bandcamp.com/album/mark-molnar-saturns-son

Anyway, after a couple of listens, the album is very good! Good to see them branching out a little within the relatively narrow confines of the genre - more solos, more sonic variety, a little more harmonic complexity (thought I was hearing secondary dominants?).

I'm probably in the minority of really liking the second album cover, and not caring much for the cover of the new one. But that's mostly because I don't really like the choice of having big white text on top of a fairly bright and light looking image, and I don't like the out of focus flowers on top of fish. Whereas I as really like the shade of orange on the second cover.

Think this might be their best of the three? Chris L otm with his invocation of "drama": the band is super talented at assembling things in a way that feels exciting.

Looks like this show/tour film wasn't posted yet, it's a nice time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-JyAYfgC6c

do sund4r thanking you :D

somehow “xp” was autocorrected to “do”

I agree with Josh that there used to be more bands that give you this same feeling. I think over a long period of time, not just in music but in several of the arts, there's been a turn toward emphasizing self-expression more than craft. That is, people are more interested in getting their ideas out and creating idiosyncratic little objects rather than working in the continuum of a particular genre or tradition. This might just be a consequence of more voices being heard and seeking to break down "traditional" forms of art, or it might be something else. But The Beths seem like a group that's interested in refining the strengths of their particular genre to create an emotional impact, although I don't know whether or not they'd see it that way.

obvious chord progressions

There's not enough little surprises

thanks for proving to the board you don't have ears

There's definitely a type of listener that values innovation, and appreciates bands/albums that expand their horizons ("I don't hear anything I haven't heard before"). And for this type of listener, I can see where The Beths just aren't exciting.

It's a little harder for me to get in the headspace of someone who's repelled simply by a familiar chord progression, but I'm sure that they comprise like 50% of ILM.

I doubt there's a real life backlash. The backlash around here is pretty much me, and apparently I don't have ears.

I guess you're all wrong about Silence is Golden. I said it's a pretty good tune, so it must be rubbish.

i think it's fine to have preferences. but as Brad alluded to, you felt the need to do a patronizing bit about how this band would be a "good high school band". there's not really a need to present your criticisms as some extension of your superior, more sophisticated musical tastes. if anything, the fact that somebody might call this music "ordinary" speaks to the wizardry of the songwriting and arrangements. to me it also suggests that people who would say that wouldn't have really been listening

I woke up on a 26th side of the bed yesterday in an attempt to scientifically determine if my bed is a problem, and the album did sound better. I think it’s just really hard music to listen to when you don’t feel great, right now. I feel that way about most of their music and much of pop music in general. I only want to listen to gravel sifting through a long descending tunnel that leads to the bottom of the ocean

― Karl Malone

speaking as a fellow depressed person yeah music doesn't sound as good when i'm depressed

honestly this is the big reason i've only listened to _dots and loops_ all year, i don't _enjoy_ music, i don't enjoy _anything_, the best i can get out of a record is to hear it and say "yes! this is why life is terrible!"

which was why i liked crying when listening to "2am" and why i am listening to saturn's son right now. i am not crying but it is really painful to listen to and i don't think i deserve to listen to music that is any more melodic than this.

Xp lol budo, when did I ever claim to have "superior, more sophisticated musical tastes"?! I like some pretty basic, dumb pop music and I'm not at all ashamed to admit it. This isn't a case of rockist v poptimist snobbery.

Look, I don't like The Beths; they don't move me; I don't think they're special; and I find some of their music actively irritating. That doesn't make me a snob, I just have a different take to you. If some of my rehetoric seems hyperbolic, so does some of the praise lavished on The Beths. But you don't see me getting upset at others having different opinions.

My rhetoric was aimed at the band's music. Yours is aimed at me. I find your "you're not really listening" argument insulting and condescending. I have listened, multiple times, because often music I don't get right away grows on me. Not so The Beths. Just because I hear dullness where you hear wizardry, doesn't make my opinions less valid. And it certainly shouldn't be cause for ad hominems.

I'm not judging anyone who loves The Beths, so why are you judging me so harshly for not loving then? And more importantly, why do you even care what I think?!

I'm in the not-getting-really-getting-it camp but it's more just to do with my expectations having read about jazz-schoolers-take-on-power-pop and not really getting that (at least in the way I wanted it). It's not really fair to them, the jazz school background is basically irrelevant (other than that's where they formed?) and to be honest it's probably more impressive that they're not trying to sneak in Coltrane changes or whatever.

I'm somewhat chaotic good, Imago-aligned in tastes but have a big soft spot for a certain type of early-mid-90 bands like That Dog, The Breeders, Apples in Stereo etc. so I'm definitely into the idea of someone Max Tundra-ing that style but I just don't think that's what they're going for and I don't they've ever really sold themselves that way as such.

But yeah, because it *is* quite close to something that would be my thing that the narcissism-of-small-differences gets amplified into full uncanny valley gag-reflex opining of wondering why I don't like them more. So maybe that's what's happening with other people? Otherwise, it's very easy just ignore them like 99% of all other music you're not into?

I do really like a couple of songs off the first album (Future Me Hates Me, Uptown Girl). A Passing Rain is kind of more in that specific niche and - despite it being probably the least-"clever" song - it's probably my favourite one on here.

Basically I'm more of a Whipsmart person rather than Whitechocolatespaceegg one and while they occasionally dip into the former, I think their interests are more in the latter.

What makes The Beths stand out to so many is probably a sophistication, subtlety and taste-level in dealing with the type of material they do - ie. what makes it *special* for fans - that just isn't going to be apparent to those who aren't into it in general.

i think people took issue with ghost club's critique because it was quite overstated - reading it you'd get the impression they're basically just capable of an ok weezer impression and nothing much more

Ufo, I find it interesting how my critique rubbed people the wrong way. I've read much more stinging criticism of bands on ILX, as well as mindless "band X is shit" posts, which have barely raised an eyebrow.

I don't think it was my rhetoric alone. There's something about this band that inspires a defensive loyalty - probably because they operate in a genre that appears essy to dismiss at face value, so any criticism must be met with vigorous defence.

I get it, people are taking the critique personally - as if criticism of The Beths' music amounts to criticism of their tastes, which I didn't intend. I certainly didn't anticipate my original post would cause this reaction. It's actually been pretty cool to see how fiercely protective The Beths' fans are. You have to really earn that kind of loyalty, so more power to them.

I can see where The Ghost Club is coming from and the way it was expressed was fine - frank criticism is better than treating everything cautiously and trying to preserve everyone's sensibilities (you can't).

So, I certainly like the sound and craft of the new album, at worst it's super pleasant. But I must admit their songs have a similar tone and go for similar crescendos and climaxes - and that involves some of the band's strong points (Elizabeth's voice, drums). Like going over a pleasure point over and over until it's unnerving, or like an excess of comfort. Maybe explaining some of the mood resistance to being Beths-uplifted. It does not mean they are ordinary, they're not, but that the effect they are going for is a little too narrowly perfected and can wear out through repetition ?

With that said, I'm fine with light uplifting hum-along punkish twee pop and I am not sure what else I would like them to do. It's a niche. You can always turn to another band that has coined a different tone. Like idk, Wet Leg.

I will fight and die for The Beths if there's a Wet Leg comparison on the table tbh

My main points of comparison to establish how good The Beths are would be Camera Obscura and Paramore, but maybe that only makes sense to me.

I'd say that negative criticism of any music that people are prepared to say they like on ILX has gone a little out of fashion, as people are ultra-keen to not seem like party-pooping dicks. What there is, however, is a disparity in attention paid. The Beths have crossed an unnamed Rubicon and they're now a Discoursed Band, so even if people are daring to criticise them, they're at least talking about them. I wish some of the obscure stuff I listen to gets even a slating on here, but it's tumbleweeds

Now Wet Leg I do really like! Their songs are good fun, and they don't take themselves too seriously. Shamelessly lifting a Bowie riff was ballsy af. And most importantly, Angelica is a great song.

(The Beths are much better musicians though.)

So far there may be a dividing line here; Wet Leg do little for me and they have at least one song (“Oh No”) that I loathe.

'Shamelessly lifting a Bowie riff' is a great way to summarise the level of art Wet Leg are operating at, and also the panic at having to do a full album after the first single somehow went massive. At least The Beths make music.

I like the idea of "band that was not even making music somehow goes massive" and that it's imago firing shots at non-music :)

Preliminary dozen listens to this and it's "Passing Rain" lodged in my head.

Found it interesting that the Pitchfork review compared "Silence is Golden" to Life Without Buildings. I don't hear that, but the Beths are the first "guitar band" to kick me square in the guts this hard since LWB (who i came to very late.. like 2015). The idea of having to think any harder on this band is honestly really intriguing to hear about.

It's not even one of my favourites on the record but who else could pull off "Knees Deep"? Honest question.

why do new bands want their drums to sound this way? it's a major league bummer for me on lots of new stuff, i still dig this but it really sucks. i guess the strokes are to blame?

god "silence is golden"...the groove is bracing enough to rival any post-hardcore act from a couple decades.

Found it interesting that the Pitchfork review compared "Silence is Golden" to Life Without Buildings. I don't hear that,

yeah i don't really hear it, maybe in the repetition in the vocals? the actual sound of the song is more like...refused?

https://butterthechildren.bandcamp.com/album/true-crime

might appeal to the beths fans, digging it

Finally saw the Beths live. Their best songs were great (strong vocals, harmonies, ) while some cuts were just ok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt0J3IEYkIg

really great performance

glad they're playing "jump rope gazers" on this tour. thx for posting ufo!

New single! They left it off the album as it didn't fit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEO3vmxjoa0

Nice, I think that might be my favorite Tiny Desk since they had Koffee on.
I guess they had to skew towards mellower material given the setting, but those are their best songs anyway

Just got back from seeing them in Bristol. What a tight and thoroughly likeable band. Appalled that my compatriots couldn’t even bring themselves to pogo seeing as though it’s mainly 160bpm bangers but maybe that’s a generational thing. Definitely go catch them if you get the chance.

I was there too...loved it.

It was almost as amazing to think through what they didn't play - Not Running, Happy Unhappy, Whatever, Mars The God of War, Shy of Sure, 2AM - as to marvel at the quality of the set they actually performed. Such a strong catalogue already!

Ah Willl I didn't know they were playing. Would have been pogoing with you

They finally won a Silver Scroll (NZ's annual songwriting award) for 'Expert In A Dying Field' after being finalists for 'Future Me Hates Me' in 2018, 'Happy Unhappy' in 2019, and 'Jump Rope Gazers' in 2021 - I think if they hadn't won this year they'd equal the Phoenix Foundation's record for most nominations / zero wins.

Acceptance speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efMWxRN9H4k

Downbeat cover by Samara Alofa at the awards ceremony:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjCNyPs-ek4

(see also: jazz cover of 'Happy Unhappy' by Bella Kalolo from 2019, electro-pop cover of 'Future Me Hates Me' by French Concession from 2018, nothing from 2021 due to Covid)

Radio New Zealand interview about this song (drummer talks about listening to early 90s Kiwi pop-rock stuff like Crowded House and the Mutton Birds re: the drum sound):
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/music101/audio/2018908214/anatomy-of-a-scroll-the-beths-expert-in-a-dying-field