The Beths, four Auckland University jazz-school graduates, came together as a musical project wanting to explore the pop/rock sounds of their youth – which just happens to be the sunshine alt-pop sounds of the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
This is a potent sound for their debut album ‘Future Me Hates Me’, a smart, cohesive group of songs primarily written by frontwoman Liz Stokes, that sound at once familiar and original.
The band have also achieved something few have recently – making guitar-pop sound fresh again, with nary a synthesiser to be heard, something that works especially well on album opener Great No One and the catchy title track.
A follow up to their 2016 EP ‘Warm Blood’, ‘Future Me Hates Me’ keeps up the sonic energy with Little Death, and River Run: Lvl 1 providing some rhythmic texture to break up the pace a little.
It is a highly addictive confection of an album, one that brims with exuberance, melodic hooks and vocal harmonies that recall many of their own influences.
With crisp production by guitarist Jonathan Pearce highlighting their considerable strengths,
The Beths have possibly made the most enjoyable and catchiest local alt-pop record this year, one you may very well be hearing (of) for a long time to come.
