The Beths – Future Me Hates Me

Auckland four-piece The Beths tackle dejection with a sense of hope. Here, Elizabeth Stokes’ songwriting focuses on existential themes and self-deprecation while negating the need for the kind of down-tempo musical styles that typically accompanies sadness, with the exception of the comparatively sleepy River Run Lvl 1. Future Me Loves Me occupies a warm, energetic space between joyful hooks, melodic harmonies and lyrical substance.

There is only one disappointment to be had here and it’s the overly-polished production that typically sounds a little sterile in an indie pop context – it would benefit from something more rough and ready, perhaps. The upside to this is that Stokes’ commanding vocals take centre stage – eliciting both the brash confidence of Joan Jett and the disarming vulnerability of Jenny Lewis. In all, The Beths' debut is a triumphant take on bittersweet punk-pop music that’s crafted with conviction and potential. Opener Great No One, for example, is a contender for one of the best singles of the year with its achingly catchy chorus and bereft, melancholic lyrics.

Despite the sad sincerity of Stokes’ lyrics, Future Me Hates Me denotes optimism by relying on light-hearted music and acerbic humour. It’s this rejection of earnestness that makes The Beths talented purveyors of music that’s heartfelt but never too serious, resulting in a perfect riposte to the kind of po-faced cynicism that’s typically associated with angst-y guitar pop.

Listen to: Great No One, Not Running, Future Me Hates Me