I first listened to this album last year when it came out. I liked it. A lot, in fact. But it didn't really stick out to me.
Part of it is because, and I say this as someone who likes this album quite a bit, it's pretty standard stuff as far as indie rock goes. It's clear where it came from and it's clear where it's going, and it doesn't really offer you any surprises along the way. (Put a pin in that.) But it's mostly because between Wet Leg and Nilüfer Yanya and Alvvays (good god that Alvvays album....), 2022 just happened to be an obscenely good year for indie rock/pop, and The Beths just got a little lost in the shuffle in my head.
Now I've listened to his album again without that context, I was able to enjoy it a lot more than I did the first time. The guitars hit heavier, the lyrics penetrated a little more, and most of all, there's a warmth to it that's been lacking in a lot of what I've been listening to in my own time lately. A lot of Miami and Brazilian bass has been traveling through my speakers lately, and compared to that stuff (which, for the record, I love), this felt like a big warm hug.
Yet I still have to say that I think this album is pretty standard as far as indie rock goes. Expert in a Dying Field is, very much, a meat and potatoes indie rock album, and what that means for you will vary depending on how much you dig the sound. Luckily for me, I like me some indie rock, and I'm very much buying what this album is selling.
Sometimes I want to be challenged or presented with something new and revolutionary. Sometimes I want to kick back. Sometimes I want a substantial meal, and sometimes I just want sweets. Sometimes I want Baldur's Gate 3, and sometimes I want Starfield. (Guess how I feel about Starfield so far???) Both experiences are equally desirable, and I actively want one so I can fully appreciate the other. Expert in a Dying Field doesn't do anything new. But so what?
Favorite Songs: "Expert in a Dying Field," "Silence is Golden," "A Passing Rain"
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