Auckland, New Zealand’s The Beths have signed to Carpark Records and will reissue their debut EP. Warm Blood is a strong contender for the catchiest record you’ve never heard. Formed when four jazz students at the University of Auckland bonded over their shared love of the pop-punk sounds of their youth, The Beths bring new energy to the genre. This 5-song debut EP, a deliriously pleasurable statement of purpose, comes crammed with enough blissful hooks to carry through most bands’ careers.
Listeners for whom the tag “New Zealand indie rock” brings to mind the Flying Nun sound of bands like The Clean and The Chills may be surprised to find Warm Blood’s five unstoppable tunes landing closer to artists like Slant 6 and The Breeders. The nimble guitar work here moves from heavy riffing reminiscent of Sleater-Kinney to hazily bending lines that would make Stephen Malkmus and Mary Timony beam, while the joyous vocal harmonies from all four members bubble and swell to ecstatic crescendos that channel The Zombies’ Odessey and Oracle.
With impeccable production from guitarist Jonathan Pearce and stellar musicianship across the board, Warm Blood is a non-stop delight. Tracks like leadoff track and first single “Whatever,” the ridiculously addictive standout “Idea/Intent,” and “Rush Hour 3,” a playful ode to romance in this era of download-and-chill franchise films, take delight in the challenge of breathing new energy into the limitations of the 3-minute pop song.
The Beths are now poised to take the U.S. and Europe by storm with their first Western Hemisphere tour. This U.S. re-release of Warm Blood (released in New Zealand in 2016) offers a perfectly distilled introduction to a band that has become a live favorite Down Under.
Stream The Beths’ Warm Blood EP:
The Beths Tour Dates:
May 10th – Dublin, IRE – Workman’s Club
May 12th – London, UK – The Radio Days Cafe
May 14th – Bristol, UK – The Louisiana
May 15th – Manchester, UK – 57 Thomas Street
May 16th – Newport, UK – Le Pub
May 20th – Exeter, UK – The Cavern
May 21st – Leeds, UK – Wharf Chambers ^
May 22nd – Glasgow, UK – Bar Bloc ^
May 23rd – Edinburgh, UK – Henry’s Cellar Bar ^
May 24th – Durham, UK – Empty Shop ^
May 25th – Portsmouth, UK – Wave Maiden
May 26th – Paris, FR – Le Popin
May 27th – Lille, FR – Do It Yourself Cafe
June 1st – Berlin, DE – Bei Ruth
June 3rd – Langnau im Emmental, CH – Kaeptn Holger
June 7th – Hamburg, DE – TBD
June 9th – Kiel, DE – Secret Lake House Party
June 11th – Brooklyn, NY – Alphaville *
June 13th – Philadelphia, PA – Ortlieb’s
June 14th – Washington, DC – Otherfeels
June 16th – Chicago, IL – Charm School
June 20th – San Francisco, CA – The Battery
June 22nd – Los Angeles, CA – Make Out Music
^ w/ Fresh
* w/ Peach Kelli Pop
Warm Blood Tracklist:
1. Whatever
2. Warm Blood
3. Idea/Intent
4. Rush Hour 3
5. Lying In The Sun
