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New Zealand indie-rockers, THE BETHS, are back with their fourth album Straight Line Was A Lie. For the quartet, the record can be summarised as a representation of life where nothing is straightforward, and everything happens in its own mysterious way. It’s as equally terrifying as it is beautiful but, in the words of frontwoman Elizabeth Stokes, “Linear progression is an illusion. What life really is is maintenance and finding meaning in that maintenance.”
And, frankly, the album serves as a sweet reminder that we are all human beings going through our own stories at different paces, so there’s no point in comparing yourself to others. As said, a beautiful thing. Something immediately obvious when we open with the title track where the first thing we hear is audio capturing raw scenes of a recording session, or maybe band practice, where we hear a false start after someone misses the countdown before heading into soft indie pop-rock territory. A one-word description of the track would be ‘lovely,’ yet even that does little justice for the song with its summertime vibes and psychedelic rock elements as we listen to lyrics summarising the album’s themes of individual life paths and timelines.
Another thing that stands out on this record is the overall whimsical nature where there’s something sweet and almost reminiscent of childhood imagination about everything. Songs like Mosquitoes, with its slow gentle piano and guitar that’s accompanied with lyrics that are somehow both touching and bittersweet; Til My Heart Stops, a melancholic yet pretty song with an opening that can be compared to earlier songs by THE 1975, where the lyrics seem to pertain to someone with a love for life and unafraid to take risks, whether it’s a minor decision about riding a bike in the rain or the more serious decisions when it comes to love and friendships; and Roundabout that has a twinkly quality that perfectly suits the lyrical content that can be used as a dedication to a romantic partner or a close friend, someone who you love.
Yet on the same album THE BETHS are unafraid to explore more serious, personal topics that, when discussed, leaves them in a vulnerable position for the listener as they pour their feelings out for the world to hear. No Joy, in one example, is about Stokes first year of being on SSRIs that left her feeling numb, hence the apt song title, perfectly captured with the somewhat disconnection between composition and vocals. On the surface it sounds clunky yet listening closer you realise what it represents and how accurate it feels. And then Mother, Pray For Me, a slow acoustic track is another deeply personal number about Stokes relationship with her mother and analysing the ways it can perceived from the different points of view of her, her mother, and the reality seen from the outside. A beautiful record that can leave you as equally enthusiastic as it can make you feel bittersweet about life and its challenges.
Rating: 8/10
Straight Line Was A Lie is out now via ANTI-.
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The post ALBUM REVIEW: Straight Line Was A Lie – The Beths appeared first on Distorted Sound Magazine.
