Best New Music New Music Reviews

The Beths Return With New Album Straight Line Was A Lie, Out August 29 via ANTI-

  • June 24, 2025
  • 2 min read
  • 88 Views
[addtoany]
The Beths Return With New Album Straight Line Was A Lie, Out August 29 via ANTI-
The Beths, Straight Line Was A Lie, Elizabeth Stokes, indie rock, new album 2025, ANTI Records, No Joy single, world tour 2025, Brooklyn Paramount, 930 Club, The Wiltern, The Fillmore, Salt Shed, new music, indie pop, Drive-By Truckers, Olivia Rodrigo, Criterion films, mental health in music, SSRIs and songwriting

New Zealand indie-pop favorites The Beths are back with their most emotionally raw and lyrically sharp album yet, Straight Line Was A Lie. Arriving August 29 via their new label ANTI-, the record explores the illusion of linear growth with poetic clarity and punchy hooks.

Lead single “No Joy” is a thunderous burst of existential pop, wrestling with numbness and relief in the aftermath of depression and SSRIs. “It’s about anhedonia,” frontwoman Elizabeth Stokes shares. “I wasn’t sad—I just couldn’t feel the things I used to love.”

Written during a turbulent creative period and shaped by a ritual of daily typewritten pages, Straight Line Was A Lie finds The Beths dismantling and rebuilding their process—absorbing influence from LA’s vibrant scene, Criterion films, and the Drive-By Truckers.

With a sound that leaps between vulnerability and euphoria, the band continues to evolve without losing their signature charm. Stokes’ lyrical lens is sharper than ever, making this their most moving work to date.

Watch “No Joy” now and catch The Beths on their world tour this fall—headlining iconic venues like The Wiltern (LA), The Salt Shed (Chicago), Brooklyn Paramount (NYC), and 9:30 Club (DC).

Share Button
About Author

Chris Ryan

Chris Ryan is an accomplished promoter, event planner, producer, activist, counselor, poet and blogger. Within the course of two and a half years Chris Ryan has worked with some of NYC's most established promoters/event planners, been named 2007′s GaySocialite of the year, granted a promoter of the year award from NYC's most famous gay establishment, Splash. He's worked in some of NYC's top venues including; Avalon, Capitale, Cipriani, Cielo, Pacha, Element, Le Poisson Rouge, XL, G Lounge, Plumm, Hilton Hotel, Indigo Hotel, Spirit, Myst/Quo, Splash, The Ritz, Vlada, Roseland Ballroom, Heaven, etc.In 2008, Chris Ryan has begun to unveil some of the most innovative & unique parties New York City has ever seen. The Fusion events "fuse" together all disciplines of art into an event that remains diverse yet cohesive at the same time. ChrisRyanNYC.com won best gay promotions website from NYC Event Patrons in 2008 & he was granted an award from the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Gov. Patterson & Michelle Clunie (QAF) saluting him for his hard work in nightlife. Chris Ryan has also begun working with many renown companies, including; doctors, lawyers, physicians, modeling agencies & more. Chris Ryan has been responsible for wide-scale promotions for all these companies & generating tremendous business. Chris Ryan has even started to become National with events taking place in LA & Miami this year.In May of 2009 Chris Ryan received the very prestigious honor of being named a "40 Under 40″ Gays in America by the Advocate Magazine. He also created three successful parties that generated over 1,500 patrons each. In January of 2010 Chris Ryan was featured as one of the top promoters to look out for in Noize Magazine Chris Ryan joined forces with legendary promoter/event producer, Lee Chappell and created one of the most talked about events of all 2010, Desire @ Capitale. Chris Ryan and Lee featured one of the most outstanding artists NYC has ever seen, "Oh Land." Her performance coupled with an exquisite and unforgettable set design added to this extravagant event that held over 1,000 patrons in one of NYC's most successful PRIDE events! Chris Ryan then joined forces with legendary Pacha promoter, Rob Fernandez in addition to Jake Resnicow and Tommy Marinelli to bring one of the largest and most successful parties worldwide to NYC, MATINEE. The event on Governor's Island saw over 2,000+ attendees and one of the most ambitious productions ever.In 2011 Chris Ryan started Emerge Music Promotions with business partner Darren Melchiorre. Emerge Music promotions began signing artists with plans to develop and market the artists to the community at large. Emerge Music promotions has big events planned for 2012 and 2013. Chris Ryan debuted the IMAGE events which took place on top of two of NYC's most beautiful rooftop venues, Rare View and Indigo Hotel. The events were blogged everywhere and featured the fashion designs of several clothing designers, artists and photographers. Chris Ryan felt that fashion and art should be displayed at every event and attracted the likes of Malan Breton, Calvin Klein and even Katy Perry. Chris Ryan began an extremely successful event which incorporated the concept of a house party into a nightclub atmosphere. The event Twist'D at G Lounge has been one of the most talked about events in NYC and allows it's audience to play nearly-naked Twister, beer pong, flip cup & more with other attendees. Chris Ryan was granted an excellence in volunteering award from AVP (Anti-Violence Project) for all his efforts in supporting the organization.2013 has a very promising landscape on the horizon and Chris Ryan is complacent in saying "you haven't seen anything yet!"

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.