The Beths Share New Single “Knees Deep,” Announce 2023 North American Tour

The Beths take a huge leap of faith on their latest single, “Knees Deep,” from their forthcoming album Expert in a Dying Field, out Sept. 16 via Carpark Records. The Auckland-based band has also announced a 2023 North American headlining tour, which will kick off in February.

Vocalist/guitarist Elizabeth Stokes expresses her hesitations to take the emotional (and later, literal) plunge on the band’s jittery new track, opting instead to test the waters, wade in slowly and not allow herself to get in over her head. An ambivalent track teeming with tightly wound guitars and a jumpy bassline, the song is a rush of anxious energy that mirrors the same high-strung circles her thoughts race around in. Sporting a nervous charm as she expresses reservations despite yearning to loosen her grip, Stokes laments, “The shame! / I wish that I could say what I’ve been thinking / But I never have done and never will do / Still only knees deep / I’ll never be brave like you.” Facing her fear and bungee-jumping from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the accompanying music video makes even the intimidating stuff seem not so scary when soundtracked by The Beths’ adrenaline-drenched power-pop.

“I’m the kind of person who wants to go swimming, but takes like ten minutes to get all the way into the cold water, slowly and painfully,” vocalist/guitarist Stokes says in a statement. “I hate this about myself, and am kind of envious of people who can just jump straight in the deep end. In a shocking twist, this is also a metaphor?! For how I wish I was the kind of person who was brave and decisive instead of cautious and scared.”

Check out the Callum Devlin- and Annabel Kean-directed music video for “Knees Deep” below, along with The Beths’ 2019 Paste session and complete list of North American tour dates.

The Beths 2023 Tour Dates:

February
16 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
17 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
22 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
24 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
26 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
28 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair

March
02 – New York, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
04 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
06 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
07 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Heaven
08 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
10 – Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
11 – Dallas, TX @ Tulips
14 – Denver, CO @ Summit
16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
17 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
18 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore