The Beths Strip Down Their Sound On ‘I Told You That I Was Afraid - Acoustic’

New Zealand indie rockers The Beths have introduced a new sound into their repertoire with the release of their latest track, ‘I Told You That I Was Afraid - Acoustic’. The track comes almost a year after the release of the quartet’s third album, ‘Expert in a Dying Field’, and kicks off a new wave of promotion for the upcoming deluxe version of the album. 

The acoustic track is certainly a departure from the band’s harder sound, but it’s a gentle and unique change of pace. Whereas the original features lead singer Elizabeth Stokes’commanding vocals over punchy guitar and a driving beat, the acoustic version allows for a more mellow side of the band to shine through. 

Guitarist Jonathan Pearce’s impressive fingerpicking work is at the forefront, and Stokes’ subdued vocals create space to showcase the struggle between the head in the heart portrayed in the lyrics. As Stokes sings, “I don’t know what I’m getting up for,” Pearce’s soft guitar allows for the raw emotion to seep from the lyrics in a way that listeners may have missed in the original version.

This is the band’s first acoustic track and sets the stage for ‘Expert in a Dying Field - Deluxe’, which will feature demos and more acoustic recordings (via Instagram). This track, in all its “wobbly glory”, ushers in a new era of The Beths, allowing listeners a peek behind the curtain and into the stripped down creative process.

 

‘Expert in a Dying Field - Deluxe’ is out September 15.

 

Bella DeSouza-Cook

@belladcmusic

Image: ‘I Told You That I Was Afraid - Acoustic’ Official Single Cover