The Beths

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