The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field [Blue]

A breakup record that hums with hooks, The Beths' Expert in a Dying Field gets a limited blue vinyl pressing, and its bittersweet guitar pop sounds as bright as ever.

Fronted by Elizabeth Stokes and produced, as ever, by guitarist Jonathan Pearce, the Auckland band had already earned a reputation for nimble indie rock and stacked harmonies. Released in 2022, their third album takes on the end of a long relationship and the strange, useless expertise you gain in someone who is no longer part of your life, a premise neatly captured by the title.

The title track opens the album with a wistful chime before surging into one of their biggest choruses. "Knees Deep" captures the thrill of jumping in without checking the depth, "Silence Is Golden" is a sprint of frustrated guitars and frayed nerves, and "Your Side" softens into something tender and quietly devastating.

Stokes writes about anxiety and heartbreak with dry wit and real precision, and the band surround her with tight, sparkling arrangements that never get in the way of a good line.

It is the kind of record that sneaks up on you: catchy on first listen, quietly heartbreaking by the fifth, and a favourite for anyone who likes their sadness with a tune.