Choice Kiwi Cuts 2020: The Beths - I'm Not Getting Excited

Just quietly, I chuckled when I saw The Beths had claimed ‘best alternative act’ at the NZ Music Awards, because I’d placed them firmly in the straight-up “pop” realm. That award was one of three gongs the band won on the night. ‘I’m Not Getting Excited’ was the energetic opener to the band’s second album, Jump Rope Gazers.

Gig Review: The Beths, San Fran, Wellington, 9 October 2020

The Beths last Friday night at Wellington’s San Fran was either the third or fourth occasion I’ve managed to catch the band live on stage. But it was my own first live experience for a number of months (beyond DJ sets) thanks to the way Covid-19 has played havoc with the live music scene, both here in Aotearoa and overseas. It’s fair to say then, that this gig, the first of three successive sold out nights for the band at the same venue, was one I had long looked forward to. I was never likely to be disappointed.

One of the best things about a Beths live set in 2020 is the fact that the band now have two full albums worth of material to draw from, in addition to an earlier EP. Even better, is that virtually all of band’s tunes translate effortlessly in a live environment. In fact, it could be argued that loud and live is easily the best way to consume the music of The Beths. 

Before the gig was even 10 minutes old we’d already been treated to a punchy power pop masterclass with the band drawing one track from each of those three releases; opening with ‘I'm Not Getting Excited’ from Jump Rope Gazers, followed by ‘Great No One’ from Future Me Hates Me, before hitting an early peak with long-time crowd favourite, ‘Whatever’, which first appeared on that underrated debut EP. 

And for the next 70-odd minutes, as we traversed our way through the band’s catalogue, zig-zagging between releases, it was all about tight compact tunes, high energy levels, and charming pop hooks. Jonathan Pearce threw in the odd rock-god mini-solo, but as ever, it was the unassuming nerdy presence of Elizabeth Stokes nonchalantly guiding the band to new heights on tracks like ‘Jump Rope Gazers’, ‘Little Death’, and encore highlight ‘You Wouldn’t Like Me’. 

As gigs go, this one was close to perfect. One minor, very minor, quibble: I realise it’s election time and there’s a cannabis referendum to tick ‘’yes’’ to, and a Green Party to help get across the line, or a women-in-rock initiative to promote, but each time the band stopped to share their “message” they flirted with the prospect of losing hard-earned momentum. It just felt a little contrived and it interrupted the flow just a bit. And given all the saturation electioneering happening elsewhere, it was probably unnecessary anyway (ok, boomer!). 

A shout out too, to support band Vera Ellen, a local six or seven-piece with some amount of attitude. There was a sense that they were all about seizing the moment, throwing everything at us, from psych-freak-outs to edgy punk, and discovering that a whole lot of it was able to stick. Definitely one to keep an eye on. 

As usual, in my semi-drunken state, I took a whole bunch of photos and filmed a few clips, but unsurprisingly none of them turned out to be blog-worthy quality. Even poor hobby-blog-worthy ...

Album Review: The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers (2020)

According to the opening gambit on Jump Rope Gazers, Elizabeth Stokes and her band are not getting excited. But perhaps they should be. Since the release of their debut EP, Warm Blood back in 2016, it’s been one high watermark after another for The Beths.

That release was followed by a well-received full-length debut outing, sold out national tours, international touring and supports (pre-lockdown), and, um, a Christmas single. All arriving with rave reviews from the heavyweight likes of Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and a raft of other publications. Plenty there to be getting excited about, surely.

Having said that, the formula applied on Jump Rope Gazers is not vastly different to that found on those earlier releases, which, depending on your starting point, is either a very good thing, or a defiant act of gross negligence. A poke in the eye to those critics who believe pop artists are duty bound to offer some sign of real, perceived, or mythical “progression” on each and every release. 

Me? ... I’m not so fussed about any of that. The Beths have stuck with what they know, what they do best, what works, and the important thing is, they’ve done it very well. It turns out that “difficult second album” was not so difficult after all.

So that means we get a procession of fuzzy power pop tunes, and the sense that the band are still having fun together, despite all of the challenges and pressures that invariably come with life on the road (pre-Covid). It’s a super strong set, and very consistent, with no one single track standing out above any of the others. Which is always a good sign for the longer-term durability of any release.

There are a few tunes here that will doubtlessly shine much brighter in a live setting; the title track appeals as an ideal live singalong, and I can already see cuts like ‘Do You Want Me Now’ and ‘Don’t Go Away’, in particular, going down a storm when I catch the band on stage in my neighbourhood next month, at the first of three sold-out gigs at Wellington’s San Fran.

All of that said, I feel compelled to leave you with the words of another local reviewer, Alex Behan, who reviewed Jump Rope Gazers immediately upon its release a few weeks ago. Without wishing to detract from the key roles played by the rest of the band, especially that of guitarist Jonathan Pearce, I thought Behan nailed the band’s nerdy appeal with these words:

“The Beths’ not so secret weapon stands shyly centre stage. Elizabeth Stokes harnesses insecurity and doubt, turns it into witty, self-deprecating poetry, then wraps it up in uplifting, positively exuberant guitar pop.”

Almost perfect.