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
― alpine static, Sunday, 9 September 2018 14:58 (five years ago) link
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.
― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 9 September 2018 15:06 (five years ago) link
The chorus of River Run Lvl 1 is probably the closest they come to Weezer.
This checks out.
― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 9 September 2018 15:10 (five years ago) link
is the inspection over
― Karl Malone, Sunday, 9 September 2018 16:06 (five years ago) link
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.
― Karl Malone, Sunday, 9 September 2018 16:09 (five years ago) link
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.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Monday, 10 September 2018 05:11 (five years ago) link
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.
― enochroot, Monday, 10 September 2018 15:16 (five years ago) link
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
― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Monday, 10 September 2018 15:53 (five years ago) link
that’s just what they *want* to be hearing
― flopson, Monday, 10 September 2018 16:43 (five years ago) link
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!
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 10 September 2018 16:46 (five years ago) link
They can be influenced by Weezer or by Justin Bieber for that matter. As long as they are good (and they are) who cares.
― nostormo, Monday, 10 September 2018 18:11 (five years ago) link
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.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Monday, 10 September 2018 18:33 (five years ago) link
Idea/Intent from the E.P. is the best song they wrote
― nostormo, Wednesday, 12 September 2018 15:10 (five years ago) link
Listening to this album over and over
― The nexus of the crisis (Sund4r), Wednesday, 12 September 2018 15:14 (five years ago) link
When I was about 20 I remember thinking that there were 3 things that gave me the same endorphin rush: crushes, drugs, and music. Now that I'm in my 40's, the first 2 aren't happening any more, and music only gives me that buzz on increasingly rare occasions, but for whatever reason, this beths album does it for me.
They played live last night at a tiny place in Boston, and they definitely delivered the goods. It seems like the whole jazz-school background means that they're all solid musicians, so the live versions of the songs popped more than the studio versions. Also, there's something so primally pleasing about bands who can do 4-part harmonies.
Oh, and for whatever reason, they can't play River Run live.
― enochroot, Thursday, 11 October 2018 12:22 (five years ago) link
This is like the least challenging album ever recorded but it's really addictive. I dunno, sometimes, more occasionally than is claimed, when you've got the tunes that's really all that matters.
Interesting to hear they've got a jazz background though, it does SOUND much tighter and more muscular than records like this usually do. Like usually you listen to a straightforward indie rock record and it feels like aesthetic decisions had been made because the band weren't capable of doing much more, or couldn't think of anything else to do. Here, it feels like they've arranged things this way because that's what the song NEEDS.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 11 October 2018 12:28 (five years ago) link
"Least challenging" might actually be the key here (i.e. has anyone ever experienced that endorphin rush feeling from listening to Stockhausen?)
― enochroot, Thursday, 11 October 2018 14:13 (five years ago) link
Life is challenging enough sometimes, it's okay to just be a fun, well written and performed pop rock record
― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 11 October 2018 16:52 (five years ago) link
Absolutely what can you have against great music if your only critic is that it is unchallenging? What does that mean anyways? I find the whole concept that challenging music is good music which is somehow implied in the reasoning pretty dubious. There is so much crap challenging music out there. Let it challenge someone else, not me.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 11 October 2018 17:35 (five years ago) link
fwiw if you read matt dc's post he likes the album a lot, and he doesn't argue that music needs to be challenging.
― 1-800-CALL-ATT (Karl Malone), Thursday, 11 October 2018 17:38 (five years ago) link
(i.e. has anyone ever experienced that endorphin rush feeling from listening to Stockhausen?)
Yes.
― Zach Same (Tom D.), Thursday, 11 October 2018 17:38 (five years ago) link
Was just about to post the same thing! Kreuzspiel, Mikrophonie II, Kontakte - absolutely.
― The nexus of the crisis (Sund4r), Thursday, 11 October 2018 17:41 (five years ago) link
I love this album, though.
― The nexus of the crisis (Sund4r), Thursday, 11 October 2018 17:42 (five years ago) link
(i.e. has anyone ever experienced that endorphin rush feeling from listening to Stockhausen?)Yes.― Zach Same (Tom D.), Thursday, October 11, 2018 1:38 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Zach Same (Tom D.), Thursday, October 11, 2018 1:38 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I knew someone was going to post this, and ILM, you did not disappoint.
― enochroot, Thursday, 11 October 2018 19:06 (five years ago) link
fwiw, 2 of the 4 people on the current tour were not part of the "all 4 have jazz-school backgrounds" group that made the record.
maybe those 2 went to jazz school, i don't know. just pointing it out.
― alpine static, Thursday, 11 October 2018 19:39 (five years ago) link
yeah, good point. in that interview katherine posted upthread they mentioned that they used a different drummer on various parts of the tour (a good thing, i think, based off of their videos) and that the bass player was also not a permanent member.
― 1-800-CALL-ATT (Karl Malone), Thursday, 11 October 2018 19:44 (five years ago) link
i went to jazz school on the streets
― The Desus & Mero Chain (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 11 October 2018 20:34 (five years ago) link
These guys came on Spotify shuffle today at work and I was loving it. This thread bump has reminded me to get the album.
― Ctrl+Alt+Del in Poughkeepsie (fionnland), Thursday, 11 October 2018 20:39 (five years ago) link
Decent enough rocking guitar pop
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 14 October 2018 20:26 (five years ago) link
I’ve slowly come to realize that Whatever is the best thing here. It’s just one incredible hook after another
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Wednesday, 31 October 2018 15:09 (five years ago) link
I think "You Wouldn't Like Me" is my favourite but that's up there.
― The nexus of the crisis (Sund4r), Wednesday, 31 October 2018 15:37 (five years ago) link
At their show, they did play "Whatever" with an air of "well here's the one you've probably all been waiting for..."Also, it's the only song from their EP that they decided to keep on the album. So I think they might agree with you.
― enochroot, Wednesday, 31 October 2018 17:00 (five years ago) link
i have grown to like the backup vox on much of the album, but i still can't stomach them on 'whatever'. i have tried many times, but at this point i just play the album through happy unhappy, then either switch to something else or play "less than thou" as the closer
― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 31 October 2018 17:59 (five years ago) link
i also skip "you wouldn't like me" most of the time
― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 31 October 2018 18:00 (five years ago) link
this band owns live
― ||||||||, Wednesday, 7 November 2018 22:57 (five years ago) link
I'm seeing them Sunday. super excited!
― alpine static, Thursday, 8 November 2018 03:37 (five years ago) link
oh hey they're playing here in February.
their version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" somehow redeems that old croaker, with the help of strings and a ripping solo
― resident hack (Simon H.), Tuesday, 4 December 2018 13:57 (five years ago) link
Elizabeth Stokes is a really good singer. the chorus of "Happy Unhappy" is so warm, it actually makes you physically feel better to listen to it.
― Karl Malone, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:02 (five years ago) link
I had to force myself to have a break from this album as I didn't want to get burned out on it. I've been going back to it over the last couple of weeks and it's still sounding so amazing. Still can't get over that run of Not Running, Little Death and Happy Unhappy.
― kitchen person, Saturday, 8 December 2018 21:31 (five years ago) link
cosign on ALL of that
― Karl Malone, Saturday, 8 December 2018 21:32 (five years ago) link
The new video seems like the kind of thing that gets automatically created by Facebook based on all your 2018 posts:http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=166&v=BmCZ-NxESOc
― enochroot, Thursday, 28 February 2019 15:37 (five years ago) link
OTM.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 28 February 2019 16:50 (five years ago) link
while we're throwing out people we hear I mostly hear Tuscadero
Belated OTM! Certainly in that vein.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 28 February 2019 16:51 (five years ago) link
I'm so sad I was out of town when they played here :( :(
― bhad bundy (Simon H.), Thursday, 28 February 2019 16:51 (five years ago) link
I'm going to see them tonight! Just realized they are not actually the headliners, rather it's a band i've never heard of called Bad Bad Hats.
― enochroot, Thursday, 28 February 2019 19:28 (five years ago) link
They recently opened a 3-week long tour I was part of and I'm delighted to report that they are the nicest, weirdest, coolest people on earth. I watched every bit of their set almost every night.
― Davey D, Thursday, 28 February 2019 20:53 (five years ago) link
pulled out of their Smith Street Band national tour support slot (xpost with Weinstein thread)
― steven, soda jerk (sic), Thursday, 28 February 2019 20:58 (five years ago) link
Turns out they were actually headlining the show (the venue just posted the sets in the wrong order).
They really are a tight live band. I thought they were better this time than the first time I saw them. The sound was better (vocals higher in the mix), and whatever drummer they brought on this tour is a monster. He's an order of magnitude better than he needs to be for this material -- it was like the Cloud Nothings lent the band their drummer for the night. They played almost all the songs from the Warm Blood EP, which sound much better live... the live version of Idea/Intent was awesome.
― enochroot, Friday, 1 March 2019 18:37 (five years ago) link
saw them last night and they were awesome. im def gonna check em out again when they have more material. the drummer is so good--it's almost funny how chill and upright he seems when executing these ridiculous patterns and fills.
― voodoo chili, Saturday, 2 March 2019 22:04 (five years ago) link
While it’s not math rock, the arrangements are intricate and there’s a lot of dynamics that warrant more than timekeeping
― eva logorrhea (bendy), Sunday, 3 March 2019 00:55 (five years ago) link
Finally saw the Beths live. Their best songs were great (strong vocals, harmonies, ) while some cuts were just ok
― curmudgeon, Friday, 10 March 2023 06:24 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt0J3IEYkIg
― ufo, Tuesday, 28 March 2023 12:07 (one year ago) link
really great performance
― ufo, Tuesday, 28 March 2023 12:16 (one year ago) link
glad they're playing "jump rope gazers" on this tour. thx for posting ufo!
― Half Japanese Breakfast (outdoor_miner), Tuesday, 28 March 2023 13:48 (one year ago) link
New single! They left it off the album as it didn't fit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEO3vmxjoa0
― kitchen person, Tuesday, 28 March 2023 13:57 (one year ago) link
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
― enochroot, Tuesday, 28 March 2023 14:24 (one year ago) link
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.
― Agnes, Agatha, Germaine and Jack (Willl), Wednesday, 24 May 2023 22:29 (ten months ago) link
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!
― yugi ex, Friday, 26 May 2023 08:53 (ten months ago) link
Ah Willl I didn't know they were playing. Would have been pogoing with you
― Do I look like I know what a jpeg is? (dog latin), Friday, 26 May 2023 11:11 (ten months ago) link
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
― etc, Tuesday, 17 October 2023 21:53 (five months ago) link