The Beths, Future Me Hates Me

The Beths, Future Me Hates Me

The product of four jazz majors who don’t particularly show their roots, the Beths’ debut full-length is unrelentingly hooky, energetic indie rock with frenetic, grungy guitars and punk sensibilities. From New Zealand, this band lives at a charmed intersection of ingenuity and simplicity, with plenty of intricate riffs and clever turns of phrase, all of which wind up incorporated into catchy, chorus-focused, power pop bliss. Elizabeth Stokes’ wry, witty lyrics and confident but unassuming vocal delivery is championed by the exuberant backing vocals of her bandmates, who are obviously all friends from college. Stokes is the only literal Beth in the band, and she’s more than enough. Highlights: “Little Death,” “Less Than Thou,” “Future Me Hates Me”

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Ezra Furman, Transangelic Exodus

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Album Reviews by Stefan Wenger

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