Tag: Expert in a Dying Field

The Beths to release a deluxe edition of “Expert in a Dying Field” on September 15, 2023.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Byrnes

The Beths — “one of the greatest indie-rock bands of their time” (Rolling Stone) — announce Expert In A Dying Field (Deluxe), out September 15th on Carpark Records, and present the new single, “I Told You That I Was Afraid (Acoustic).” Expert In A Dying Field (Deluxe) expands upon the brilliance of The Beths’ acclaimed 2022 album, “another collection of tunes that cements their status as one of the great guitar-pop bands of this present moment” (Stereogum), with three demos, two acoustic renditions, and the inclusion of previously shared standalone singles “A Real Thing” and “Watching The Credits.” The latter has already been deemed one of 2023’s best songs by Rolling Stone and Paste, who praised “Watching The Credits” as “a terrific, heat-seeking missile of glittering guitars and steadfast percussion work” that “speaks to how they endure as one of the most exciting rock bands in the world right now.”

Later this week, The Beths (and their beloved inflatable fish) will take to the U.K. for a string of select festivals and headline dates. Shortly after, they will return to North America for a full, almost entirely sold out tour including dates supporting The National, Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. The Beths will also headline three nights at Los Angeles’ Lodge Room (surrounding their sold out show at the Hollywood Bowl supporting Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service), plus three nights at New York’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. Full dates are listed below and tickets are on sale now. 

Listen to “I Told You That I Was Afraid (Acoustic)”

Expert In A Dying Field, the third studio album from The Beths, was released to a wealth of critical praise, and was named one of 2022’s best releases by the likes of Pitchfork, The Ringer, Stereogum and more. Surrounding its release, The Beths were profiled by Rolling Stone, Document Journal, The Big Takeover and more, and made their U.S. television debut on CBS Saturday Morning. The Beths are undeniably one of the most exciting indie rock bands to emerge in recent memory.

Pre-order Expert In A Dying Field (Deluxe)

Expert In A Dying Field (Deluxe) Tracklist

1. Expert In A Dying Field

2. Knees Deep

3. Silence Is Golden

4. Your Side

5. I Want To Listen

6. Head In The Clouds

7. Best Left

8. Change In The Weather

9. When You Know You Know

10. A Passing Rain

11. I Told You That I Was Afraid

12. 2am

13. I Told You That I Was Afraid (Acoustic)

14. When You Know You Know (Acoustic)

15. A Real Thing

16. Watching The Credits

17. Keep The Distance (Demo)

18. Expert In A Dying Field (Demo)

19. I Want To Listen (Demo)

20. 2am (Demo)

The Beths Tour Dates (New Dates In Bold):

Fri. July 14 – Utrecht, NL @ Ekko

Sat. July 15 – Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown

Sun. July 16 – Nijmegen, NL @ Valkhof Festival

Tue. July 18 – Liverpool, UK @ Hangar 34

Wed. July 19 – Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK @ Boiler Shop

Fri. July 21 – Southwold, UK @ Latitude Festival

Sat. July 22 – Steventon, UK @ Truck Festival

Sun. July 23 – Sheffield, UK @ Tramlines Festival

Fri. July 28 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival

Sat. July 29 – Omaha, NE @ Maha Festival

Tue. Aug. 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia * [SOLD OUT]

Wed. Aug. 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia *

Thu. Aug. 3 – New Haven, CT @ Westville Music Bowl *

Fri. Aug. 4 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr Smalls Theatre

Sat. Aug. 5 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern [SOLD OUT]

Mon. Aug. 7 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore *

Tue. Aug. 8 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee *

Wed. Aug. 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory *

Fri. Aug. 11 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom * [SOLD OUT]

Sat. Aug. 12 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom *

Tue. Aug. 15 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater *

Wed. Aug. 16 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park *

Thu. Aug. 17 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle [SOLD OUT]

Fri. Aug. 18 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage [SOLD OUT]

Sat. Aug. 19 – Quincy, MA @ In Between Days Festival

Mon. Aug. 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ Woodward Theater

Tue. Aug. 22 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe

Thu. Aug. 24 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed #

Fri. Aug. 25 – Abiquiu, NM @ Ghost Ranch Festival ^

Sun. Aug. 27 – Seattle, WA @ THING

Sat. Sep. 30 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater ^

Sun. Oct. 1 – Grand Prairie, TX @ Texas Trust CU Theatre ^

Tue. Oct. 3 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]

Wed. Oct. 4 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas ^ [SOLD OUT]

Fri. Oct. 6 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena ^ [SOLD OUT]

Sat. Oct. 7 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena ^ [SOLD OUT]

Mon. Oct. 9 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]

Tue. Oct. 10 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]

Wed. Oct. 11 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]

Thu. Oct. 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room

Fri. Oct. 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl ^ [SOLD OUT]

Sat. Oct. 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room [SOLD OUT]

Sun. Oct. 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room

Tue. Oct. 17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Wed. Oct. 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Thu. Oct. 19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [SOLD OUT]

* w/ The National

^ w/ Death Cab For Cutie & The Postal Service

# w/ Beach Bunny

Watch The Beths’ Tiny Desk Concert

Watch The Beths on CBS Saturday Morning:

“Expert In A Dying Field”

“When You Know You Know”

“Your Side” 

Purchase Expert In A Dying Field

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: The Beths – Expert in a Dying Field

According to the liner notes of The Beths‘ new album, Expert in a Dying Field, the theme of the album can be summed up in one question: “What do you do with how intimately versed you’ve become in a person, once they’re gone from your life?”

As a widower of nearly a year, I can relate to that. We all can at some point or another, be it a spouse, a lover, a friend, a child who leaves for college, a pet, a coworker, or even a trusted neighbor. The album is a lovely, and rocking, story crafted lyrically by Elizabeth Stokes (guitar and lead vocals) and her bandmates, Tristan Deck (drums), Jonathan Pierce (lead guitar and keyboards), and Benjamin Sinclair (bass).

“Can we erase our history? It isn’t as easy as this,” Stokes sings on the opening title track. It’s not. Letting go of that history is hard, but the risk of holding onto it is being dragged to death. The song has a slight melancholy to it, but also a lot of hope. “Knees Deep” is, after all, about jumping into something new with both feet and braving the risks of adventure (and love). Pierce’s guitar fuzzes out on “Silence Is Golden” – a nice, ironic touch.

“Don’t cry. I’m driving all night to be by your side,” Stokes sings on the lovely “Your Side.” To feel this kind of love, where you’re willing to drive cross-state or even cross-country for even just a few hours with someone, is a gift to be treasured. “It’s been quite a year,” The Beths sing on “I Want to Listen.” That’s a mild way of putting it for certain, but they encourage us to reach out to each other to help us all heal.

“Head in the Clouds” is a great rocker, with Deck’s drums hitting hard for the seats in the back of the auditorium. “Best Left” continues the rocking, even as Stokes sings about her being miserable and feeling she’s “best left to rot.” “Change in the Weather” has her feeling better, and “When You Know You Know” has her thinking that love might still be in the cards for her, and for all of us.

Stokes and the rest of the band have a bit of an angry edge on “A Passing Rain” – in which Stokes calls out someone for sticking around to seemingly just make her like worse. I love the way they jump back and forth between silence and breakneck rhythms on “I Told You That I Was Afraid.” “2am” has Stokes wondering if she could return to a simpler time with a lover, but knowing that moment, like all moments in time, is already gone…and yet it still exists in the present.

The whole album is like this – a look back at the past through the lens of the present, which is truly the only way to see it since the past took place in the present. Expert in a Dying Field is a bit of a Zen koan, a lesson on letting go or being dragged.

Keep your mind open.

[Subscribing is also golden.]

[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]