I can’t help but enjoy the vibe and looseness of the New Zealand indie pop band The Beths. Their relatable, down-the-block garage band image really works for me, and their music is full of upbeat, infectious melodies, and catchy riffs. And despite the no-frills, indie-cliché title, Whatever is performed with plenty of sincerity and conviction.
You can tell they genuinely enjoy what they do, and their songs – especially today’s Whatever – reflect that bright and carefree spirit. The groovy guitar here comes straight out of the 1982 hit Vacation by The Go-Go’s. Oh, and if you’re quick enough, you can catch The Beths performing tonight at The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California.
Lead vocalist Elizabeth Stokes must be a bit of a cycling enthusiast. She appeared in the last featured song here, Til My Heart Stops, riding and tinkering with her bike, and here she is again taking it for a spin through a typical New Zealand town. Interestingly she named the band after herself, inspired by how the Gilmore Girls character Lorelai Gilmore named her daughter after herself.
Whatever appeared on the band’s debut EP Warm Blood in 2016 and was released as its first single, complete with an accompanying music video. The Beths received financial support from the New Zealand Music Commission and NZ On Air, which helped fund the video. The Music Commission also backed three of the band’s international tours through its music market development grants.
Elizabeth Stokes and guitarist Jonathan Pearce (far right in above image) first met in high school. They later met bassist Benjamin Sinclair and drummer Ivan Luketina-Johnston while all four were studying jazz at the University of Auckland. Since then, The Beths have released four studio albums.
I’ve mentioned before how much they remind me of the Canadian indie band Alvvays, who have also featured here. Interestingly, Alvvays are among the bands The Beths have cited as inspirations of their work.
[Verse 1]
Blind, you’re blind
Full of breaths and sobs, and shakes, and shakes
Saying you will do whatever it takes
(Whatever, yeah, whatever)
Call declined
Say you’re ’round the corner, fine, okay
You think I will buy whatever you say
(Whatever, yeah, whatever)
[Pre-Chorus]
Now you’re getting me started, you’re pulling the yarn, and
You’re pulling it harder and I think I’m gonna (I think I’m gonna)
You’re getting me started, you’re pulling the yarn, and
You’re breaking my heart, you’re making me want to
[Chorus]
Crash the car, we’ll hit the water
Brush the rock and wait for the maker
And if he doesn’t show
Then heaven knows, heaven knows
I’ll make you feel so good
[Verse 2]
You arrive
Towing silence on a lively eve
Eyes are crying for another reprieve
(Another year, whatever)
And we’re blood and water but my back is blown
Your shoulders, slumped are saying
You should’ve known I’d let you down again
(Whatever, yeah, whatever)
[Pre-Chorus]
Now you’re getting me started
You’re pulling the yarn, and
You’re breaking my heart, you’re making me want to
You’re pulling it harder and I think I’m gonna (I think I’m gonna)
You’re getting me started
You’re pulling the yarn and
You’re breaking my heart
You’re making me want to
[Chorus]
Crash the car, we’ll hit the water
Brush the rock and wait for the maker
And if he doesn’t show
Then heaven knows, heaven knows
I’ll make you feel so good
[Bridge]
Baby, you’re breaking my heart
Baby, you’re breaking my heart
Why do you make it so hard?
You’re breaking my heart
[Chorus]
Crash the car we’ll hit the water
Brush the rock and wait for the maker
And if he doesn’t show
Then heaven knows, heaven knows
I’ll make you feel so
References:
1. The Beths – WIkipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Love love love The Beths. I think there the best poppy indie band on the scene. Four faultless albums
While I’m not as immersed as you are regarding The Beths’ records, I can say I haven’t heard a bad track from them. I can see why you hold them in such high regard. Cheers.
You had me at The Go-Gos. Will definitely give them a listen.
Hey Tracie! It’s uncanny how similar the guitar sounds here to the one in Vacation. I hope you enjoy it.
I’m sure I will.
Without sounding patronising, you are the first person I’ve encountered here that comments without hearing the song.
Hey, if you say something that sparks my interest I will listen. It’s like a friend telling you they like some song and then you go listen because you trust their judgement. We are just having a conversation about music
So normally one will respond to the music / article.
I guess I just respond to the interest it brings me. Oh well
So I gather you still haven’t heard the song. Are you having a lend of me?
No, I have not because I have been running around with .y husband all day. I do plan on listening to it later.
No problem. I hope you had a good day Tracie.
What a thorough deep dive into The Beths, Matt. You’ve captured exactly what makes them so compelling: the sincerity beneath the garage-band looseness, the infectious melodies, the genuine joy in their playing. That’s harder to identify than you’d think.
The Go-Go’s connection is perfect, that groovy guitar *is* pure 1982 sunshine. And your observation about Elizabeth Stokes’ recurring bicycle imagery is the kind of detail that reveals genuine fandom. You’re not just listening to the songs; you’re watching the videos, catching the themes, understanding the artist’s vision.
I also appreciate how you’ve contextualized their story: jazz students at University of Auckland, New Zealand Music Commission backing, four studio albums of consistent quality. That’s not accidental excellence. That’s craft.
The Beths deserve more recognition than they get. Thank you for championing them this way. 💙
Thanks, Khadija, for your extensive feedback on my post about the fabulous song ‘Whatever’ by The Beths.
I’m very grateful for your encouraging words.
I was just reading some of your enlightening posts and subscribed quick smart. Hehe.
For someone whose first language isn’t English, you have such a strong command of the language. Congratulations!
Matt, thank you so much for that kind compliment! Honestly, I still feel there’s so much I need to improve, especially vocabulary and grammar. But I truly appreciate you saying that. It means a lot. I work on my English every day, and comments like yours make it worth it. Thank you for subscribing too! I’m so glad you’re here. 💙
I can certainly relate, as I live in a Latin American country and have had to learn Spanish myself. My pronunciation and grammar still need plenty of work. I don’t think you ever really reach a point where you know it all. Learning a language feels like a lifelong pursuit, and that suits me just fine.
I applaud your dedication to studying English every day. You’re already at a very advanced level, and it really shows. Sweet!
Cheers.
Matt, thank you so much for this! You know, I am from India. English is not my native language, but it is super important. All of our schooling and college is in English. And we need it for work too.
I was not great at English before. I really struggled. But now? It’s a journey! I read books, articles, and use AI to help. Every day I learn something new.
Your words touch me so much. It’s nice to know someone else gets it. We are both learning languages and growing every day.
Language learning never stops. And honestly, I like that. There is always something new.
Thank you, mate. Really! Cheers! 💙
How interesting that you’re from India! I practised yoga for many years and still incorporate a lot of Kundalini Yoga (ancient form of Indian yoga) into my exercise and stretching routine. I love its philosophy, mantras, and breathing techniques.
I’m glad to hear that English is so well integrated into your culture and education system.
I also use ChatGPT (AI) just before I publish my articles to help spot any glaring errors in wording, expression, or factual accuracy, but with the important caveat that it maintains my voice and simple style. Often its edits are quite minor, and I sometimes find myself returning to my original text.
It’s wonderful that we’re both learning second languages. My children were born here in Colombia, and I communicate with them almost exclusively in English. They often correct my Spanish, which I’m very grateful for! Lol.
I really enjoyed your post on the importance of reading as a lifelong pursuit. It resonates strongly with the quote I attach to all my posts:
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize the less I know.”
I’m so chuffed that we’ve connected here. I hope we can keep chatting from time to time.
Matt, wow! Even I practice yoga! Just stretches, meditation, and surya namaskar mostly. I got a knee injury a while back, so I had to rest. But now I am getting back slowly. It feels so good to move again.
I am amazed that you do Kundalini Yoga. That is beautiful. And yes, I do use Ai but not frequently just sometimes to check writing! Haha. But we keep our own voice. That is important.
Your quote really speaks to me: “The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize the less I know.” This is exactly me! Always learning, always growing. I am truly happy we connected, Matt. Your kindness and your love for languages and yoga, 🧘 it means so much to me. I hope we stay friends and chat more.
Thank you for understanding me. Cheers, friend! 🫶🫶🫶
I’m glad you are on the mend from your knee injury.
That quote is so significant, but it doesn’t come close to shining the light that your wonderful article does on the importance of reading.
It’s grand we have connected here. We have lots in common, obviously. Here I hope we continue conversing.
Matt. It sits perfectly with everything you’ve been saying all week.