Beths choose direct route to Boston concert

In Boston, The Beths are gearing up for a series of shows at Royale on December 1 and 2, showcasing their unique blend of indie rock music. Lead singer and songwriter, Liz Stokes, received a typewriter as a gift a few years back and found it to be an unexpected source of inspiration. Despite initial doubts about its usefulness, the typewriter became a valuable tool for her writing process, pushing her to think differently.

Between 2018 and 2022, The Beths released three critically acclaimed albums, including the 2022 release, “Expert in a Dying Field.” However, after this album, Stokes experienced writer’s block. To break past this barrier, she committed to writing ten pages a day for six weeks, using the typewriter as her primary tool. Her new album, “Straight Line Was A Lie,” features a track called “Mosquitos,” which was inspired by memories and places she wrote about during this period.

When crafting new songs in Los Angeles, Stokes revisited her piles of written pages for lines and ideas, drawing inspiration from her surroundings. The song “Mosquitos” took shape after she stumbled upon a memory of a flood-damaged creek back home in Auckland, merging the chorus with this narrative to create a cohesive track. This experimental approach to songwriting opened up new avenues for Stokes and led to unexpected musical styles and themes on the album.

As Stokes and her bandmates worked on finalizing the track list for “Straight Line Was A Lie,” she began to question whether the album was moving too far from The Beths’ original sound. Feeling the need to maintain a balance between their roots and new directions, Stokes penned the title track in a burst of creativity while traveling on a city bus. This song encapsulates the essence of The Beths’ music, blending catchy hooks, power pop melodies, and insightful lyrics about life’s cyclical nature.

Through this transformative writing process, Stokes discovered different ways to approach songwriting and capture the essence of The Beths’ sound. The band’s evolution and growth are evident in their latest album, showcasing a mix of ballads, tenderness, and sonic experimentation. By embracing new methods and creative challenges, The Beths continue to push musical boundaries and captivate audiences with their dynamic performances.