“Lee’s voice, steady amidst adrenalized guitar parts and head-bobbing rhythms, is drawly but cosmopolitan, Music Row meets the Bowery, Grand Ole Opry meets CBGB.”
– No Depression
Beth Lee breaks the genre mold with new songs on Hardly Matters, out on October 25
Produce
d by Vicente Rodriguez of Chuck Prophet’s band
Single – “Blue Skies” out on 7/26
Her slinky vocals glide through each song effortlessly, recalling classic rocker-girl sounds
Beth Lee is a rock star: her red hair, the way she holds the guitar, and her nonchalant gaze reveals her swagger with a new album, Hardly Matters, out on October 25. Longtime Chuck Prophet band member drummer Vincente Rodriguez once again produced the album with the band’s guitarist, James DePrato. The 11 original tracks cover a rich tapestry of emotions from romantic exes to the challenges of living in the very music-saturated town of Austin.
“Lee’s are infectious tunes, where she sounds animated in a delightful voice that’s confident and resonant with little girlish hints throughout.” – Glide
From her early albums with her band, The Breakups, to the critically acclaimed Waiting on You Tonight, Beth Lee has always been able to write great songs that can be equally painful and hopeful. She meets you with a stare that can cut you deep. Her voice is as expressive as Lucinda Williams’, as sassy as Debbie Harry’s, and as defiant as Liz Phair’s.
The first single, “Blue Skies,” comes out on 7/26 and is the ultimate summer car song about spending time doing nothing with someone you love. The jangly guitars recall the ultimate rocker-girl groups like The Cardigans and The Breeders, with Lee’s signature attitude shining through. On the song “Only You,” the vibe continues with the big guitars and drums chiming along with the vocals, commanding you to dance and celebrate being faithful to someone through thick or thin.
It was a windy 5th of July
I saw the lingering look in your eye
Top down, baby, cruise control
We were runnin’ loose with no place to go– “Blue Skies”
As the album rolls on, Beth explores the challenges of living in Austin as a musician in the song “Hardly Matters,” trying to move through her journey. One of the standout tunes, “Umbrella,” Beth wrote on her front porch during the 2020 Covid pandemic days, as she questions a love that is on the fence of going away or staying put – with just her voice and her guitar: it’s raw.
Love isn’t old, but it’s gray
It’s the butt’s end, a cigarette stain
I didn’t break the line
I’m just taking my time to waste it right – “Umbrella”
With new album demos and the success of Waiting, Beth, Vicente, and James convened this time in Austin to lay down the meat of the tracks with engineer Stuart Sikes (Cat Power, Jack White, Loretta Lynn). Other than “Wall,” a last-minute addition to the lineup that features her Austin bandmates Jessica Will (bass) and Jorge Castillo (guitar), the three recorded all of the instruments and vocals bouncing between Austin and Bay area studios. Vicente and James returned to the Bay area to mix with Nino Moschello at Bird and Egg Studio, where they had recorded Waiting on You Tonight.
We could have had it all
But it’s done now baby
We were just trying to stall
We hit a wall
I’m not the one anyhow
Don’t worry now
You don’t have to call – “Wall”
While having called Austin home since ‘99, Beth grew up on the grit and soul of the Houston music scene. Her first bandmate was her father, a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since relocating, Lee has been playing her evolving blend of blues, country, and rock ‘n’ roll in the studio and onstage with a handful of Capital City’s best. Over the years, Lee has toured the U.S. with the support of legendary Texas blues guitarist Chris Duarte, with whom she wrote over half the songs on his latest release, Ain’t Giving Up, two of which made Apple Music’s Best New Blues songs and received rave reviews.
Beth’s first album, Cassette Tapes & Cash Money (2008), was produced by power pop songwriter Ron Flynt (20/20), and it was a nod to her father’s old Houston rock ‘n’ roll band, Jimmy’s Pawn Shop. His love of Stax, sixties R&B, and fifties rock ‘n’ roll gradually worked its way into Lee’s list of early influences. Lee polished her energetic live performance over the next several years, debuting as Beth Lee & The Breakups with her rockabilly-tinged One More Time Again (2013), followed by the Stones-ey rock ‘n’ roll LP Keep Your Mouth Shut (2016). The latter garnered positive reviews from independent radio and roots publications, including a #19 ranking on the Americana Music Show‘s year-end list and love from the likes of KUTX’s Laurie Gallardo, who coined the sound as “country-fried rock ‘n’ soul.”
Feeling the itch to explore new sounds, Beth flew to San Francisco to work with producer Vicente Rodriguez and guitarist James DePrato on her 2021 release Waiting on You Tonight. Still seen through the same Americana filter that represents her past releases as Beth Lee & The Breakups, Waiting on You Tonight utilized even more of her diverse influences, from her nineties love of Hope Sandoval’s ethereal vocals to the pop-friendly melodies of sixties girl groups and the southern soul of Stax Records. No Depression called the album “one of 2021’s early benchmarks for Americana album of the year.”
Beth’s songwriting is translucent, floats between genres, and has a solid foundation. With the release of Hardly Matters, listeners may explore some existential themes and anxieties about worn-out situations; the record overall leaves the listener dreamy and, dare we say, hopeful.
Upcoming shows:
Sept 11 JJ’s Alley Oklahoma City, OK
Sept 12 Northside Social Lawrence, KS
Sept 13 Big Booty Trudy’s Salina, KS
Sept 15 Emery’s Grill Tahlequah, OK
Sept 18-21 AmericanaFest Nashville, TN
Oct 10 The Boathouse Terlingua, TX
Oct 11 The Starlight Terlingua, TX
Oct 12 The Ritchey Alpine, TX
Oct 26 BBQ, Blues, & Brews Fest Ingram, TX
For more information: www.bethlee.net
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