Credit: Frances Carter

The Beths pick their favourite bands from New Zealand

Sat 10 September 2022 22:00, UK

As native Kiwis themselves, indie rockers The Beths know a thing or two about the music of New Zealand. Next Friday, the quartet will release their killer third album, Expert In a Dying Field, which is filled to the brim with hard-hitting punk-inspired tracks and sugary power pop melodies.

Before the album’s release, we talked to lead singer Elizabeth Stokes about the new LP, touring throughout the world, and how the songwriting duties get divided within the band. We also brought it back to the band’s home country by asking Stokes about some of her favourite New Zealand bands at the moment. Stokes gave some insight into the current world of Kiwi indie rock and how local bands inspired the writing of Expert In a Dying Field.

With restrictions on travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Stokes and the rest of The Beths had to look at a local talent in order to gain inspiration. “I was playing some Hans Pucket songs and a song called ‘Egyptian Tanker’ by Bressa Creeting Cake,” Stokes says. “It felt like a very New Zealand-focused couple of years. I guess the border was closed. The only live music any of us could see for a long time was local music. And it’s really good stuff. I felt quite lucky in that regard.”

Stokes continued to sing the virtues of Hans Pucket, the New Zeland indie rock quartet whose sophomore album No Drama was produced by The Beths lead guitarist Jonathan Pearce. “One of my favourites is this band called Hans Pucket, who are putting out their first album in a few years, and it’s great,” Stokes says. Stokes also highlighted one of her closest friends as another great New Zealand artist.

“My best friend’s music is called Chelsea Jade, and she just writes these incredible pop songs with really cutting lyrics,” Stokes explains. “There’s an artist called Anthonie Tonnon who makes amazing music that’s really hard to describe, but it’s probably better just to give it a try.” Stokes even had some recommendations for New Zealand hip hop that isn’t Flight of the Conchords.

“If you like hip hop, there’s a great duo called Church & AP who just write really great, hooky songs with a great sense of humour as well,” Stokes extolls. “They just have really clever lyrics.” All told, Stokes had a number of recommendations for anyone looking to jump down the New Zealand music rabbit hole.

You can check out some of Stokes’ recommendations down below.