This next record landed at #8 of my favourite records of 2022. If you’d like to see the full list, you can do so here.
Disc 1879 is… Expert in a Dying Field
Artist: The Beths
Year of Release: 2022
What’s up with the Cover? A Yellowtail Amberjack or Haku. I do not know this because I am an expert in a dying field, I know this because of the Internet, which, unfortunately, can make anyone appear to be an expert. Emphasis on that word ‘appear’.
I sometimes feel like an expert in a dying field because of all the old Roman writers I read (I am currently reading Suetonius’ “Twelve Caesars”) but then I remember – nope, there are actual experts in that. I’m just reading a book.
Anyway, if you like fish, this cover has one.
How I Came To Know It: I was a fan of the Beths previous record, 2020’s “Jump Rope Gazers” (reviewed back at Disc 1443) and decided to give their follow up a shot.
How It Stacks Up: I have three albums by the Beths, and while I’m still getting to know their latest (2025’s “Straight Line Was a Lie”) for now, I’m putting “Expert in a Dying Field” at #1.
Ratings: 4 stars
There’s nothing more rare and beautiful than a band that just gets better with age. The Beths were already a band whose blend of frenetic indie pop and disaffected garage band sound had me captivated, but on their third studio album, “Expert in a Dying Field” they take their songwriting to new heights.
Despite this record finishing in my top 10 of 2022, when I first heard it this week my initial reaction was hesitant. There was a lot going on. The production was dense, with a lot of bang n’ clang of the sort that usually puts me off. However, the Beths are proof positive that a lot can be going on in the arrangement, and it can still be good when done well.
It didn’t take long for this record to remind me why I liked it so much three years ago. Everything I liked about 2020’s “Jump Rope Gazers” is present, but with a bit more polish and care applied.
When a band has a post punk sensibility, that extra polish can sometimes strip a band of the energy that makes them good in the first place. No risk of that on “Experts…” which stays out in front of the beat on most songs, leaving you breathless and eager for whatever comes next.
Elizabeth Stokes’ vocals remain a cornerstone of the band’s success. She can alternate between a slightly flat “who cares” tone of alternative rock and the sweetest pop icon you can imagine. Is she going to slap you or blow you a kiss? The answer is yes.
Musically this record is also a step up. While Stokes vocals could carry the load alone, the Beths are a tight band, and despite the fast tempo and saturated nature of many of these songs, they never sound muddy. The mix is very even across all the players, letting you appreciate the growl of the guitar, snap of the drum, or undercurrent of the bass with equal joy. Set your mind to follow whatever appeals, and you’ll like where the journey takes you.
Buried in all the forward lean and reverb the lyrics have an emotional frailty that draws you in. Sometimes it expresses itself dark and distressed (“some things are best left to rot” – from Best Left) but is just as likely to be vulnerable (“still only knees deep/I’ll never be brave like you” – from Knees Deep) or just downright unapologetically romantic:
“But here I go again
Mixing drinks and messages
So I'll say it plain
I just
I want to see you
I want to hear you say
Don't cry
I'm on the next flight
To be by your side”
For all the plain beauty in the words, these are songs that say plenty without my ever paying much attention to the lyrics at all. The experience was multilayered, well-balanced and fascinating through whatever facet you approached it.
Best tracks: Expert in a Dying Field, Knees Deep, Silence is Golden, Your Side, Best Left, When You Know You Know, A Passing Rain
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