Beach House-Teen Dream

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/15/10.

2008's Devotion help raise much attention for the Baltimore dream-pop duo known as Beach House. The duo featuring vocalist/organ player Victoria Legrand and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Alex Scally were riding high on a wave of critical acclaim from indie rock critics as well as artists on the scene. While on break, Legrand contributed vocals to the song Two Weeks by the Brooklyn-based indie band Grizzly Bear as it helped raise her own profile. Another vocal contribution for the band for the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack helped maintain the buzz for Beach House as they signed to a new deal in the famed Sub Pop indie label for their third album Teen Dream.

Produced by Chris Coady, Teen Dream is an album that expands Beach House's sound to new atmospheric textures. With songs written by Victoria Legrand and featuring Alex Scally's haunting musical arrangements and instrumentation. The album takes the duo's dream-pop sounds filled with elements of country and indie to a new stratosphere. The result is one of the first new great albums to kick off a brand new decade.

Opening the album is the melodic swirl of Zebra that is led by Alex Scally's arpeggio-laden guitar track. Featuring Victoria Legrand's evocative vocals with cosmic, psychedelic-driven lyrics filled with weird imagery. The song is a hypnotic, rich track that includes a soothing synthesizer accompaniment and later, bopping percussion shakes with a tapping beat. Silver Soul is an ethereal track led by swooning guitar slides and Legrand's soaring organ that is accompanied by a slow, thumping drum track. Legrand's dreamy yet hollow vocals take charge with lyrics filled with mesmerizing images as it is a track that is enriched with Chris Coady's superb production.

Norway is an electronic-inspired track driven by a wailing keyboard track that is followed by melodic guitar flourishes and a pounding bass drum. With Legrand's vocals filled with a haunting tone to play up to the song's cryptic, dark lyrics, it is a superb song that works in its presentation and broad production filled with Scally's amazing instrumentation. Walk In The Park is led by a mid-tempo, pulsating drum machine track that is followed by a wavy organ track and Scally's arpeggio-laden guitar. Legrand's evocative vocals lead the way with its dreamy lyrics that includes a wailing keyboard track in the song's chorus. Used To Be, a single that came out in 2008, is a mid-tempo track with a slow, thumping beat and a melodic piano track as Legrand sings calmly with double-tracked vocals in this playful yet ethereal track. Scally's spurt-ringing guitar track with a momentum-building drum track is one of the best cuts of the album as it is certainly filled with top-notch production.

Lover Of Mine is led by a bopping, drum machine track that is followed by a melodic keyboard swirl that is mimicked by Scally's ringing guitar. Legrand's vocals take charge with its enchanting yet imagery-filled lyrics filled with sterling imagery and Coady's layered yet atmospheric production in what is another standout cut for the album. Better Times is led by a striking, mid-tempo piano track that is followed by a dreamy, fuzzy synthesizer track as Legrand sings the song with her wailing yet hollow vocals. Featuring somber lyrics of nostalgia, the song's rich arrangements coupled with its sparse yet ethereal production shows the band taking their sound to new heights. 10 Mile Stereo opens with a thumping bass drum and Scally's swirling, arpeggio-laden guitar flourishes. Legrand's hollow yet calm vocals features haunting yet melancholic lyrics that soars through with Scally's wailing guitar and the song's tempo picking up a bit in its dramatic form.

Real Love is led by tingling of metal objects with a haunting piano accompaniment as Legrand sings with her haunting yet dramatic vocal presentation. Featuring somber yet morose lyrics, the song is a rich piano ballad that is filled with amazing vocal harmonies from Legrand in its double-tracked mix with Scally's driving guitar wail in the background. The album closer Take Care opens with an eerie but enchanting harpsichord-like keyboard track with swirling guitar riffs and a tapping drum beat. Legrand's soaring vocals is filled with haunting yet desperate lyrics of longing as is supported by Scally's broad arrangements and Coady's broad production as it serves as a fitting close to the album.

Teen Dream is a brilliant yet hypnotic album from Beach House that includes some amazing production work by Chris Coady. Fans of the band will definitely be amazed by the band's new progression as it is clearly their best and most accessible work to date. For those new to Beach House and heard about them through Victoria Legrand's work with Grizzly Bear will definitely be amazed enough to hear the rest of their work. In the end, Teen Dream is a magnificent yet evocative album from Beach House that starts 2010 with a bang.

Beach House Albums: Beach House - Devotion

(C) thevoid99 2011

Beach House-Devotion

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/9/10.

When Beach House released their self-titled debut in the fall of 2006, the Baltimore duo captured the attention of the underground along with critics in the indie music scene. The duo, that includes vocalist/organ player Victoria Legrand and guitarist/keyboardist Alex Scally, also toured in support of the album where it raised more attention as in early 2008, the band released their sophomore album that broadened their dream-pop sound entitled Devotion. Devotion is an album where the band takes their sound to darker, ethereal heights. With all the songs written by Victoria Legrand with the exception of one which is a cover of a Daniel Johnston song. The album is a chilling yet spellbinding record that puts Beach House into a new stratosphere.

The album opener Wedding Bell is led by a soft, sweeping sound of percussions with a slow, thumping bass drum with melodic guitar swirls that accompanies Victoria Legrand's hollow, dream-like vocals. Featuring esoteric lyrics and a droning guitar solo, it's an enchanting song with wails of hypnotic keyboard chimes. You Came To Me is a haunting ballad led by Scally's melodic keyboard chimes with water-drop rhythmic beats that accompanies Legrand's ethereal vocals singing chilling lyrics. With bass-pounding drums emerging with Legrand's vocals presented with multi-track backing vocals, it's a rich yet hypnotic track. Gila is a slow, mid-tempo track with a thumping beat and Scally's rich, arpeggio-laden guitar as Legrand sings the song with her eerie yet ethereal vocals. The song's lyrics is filled with lush imagery in this mesmerizing song that includes Legrand playing a soothing organ track.

Turtle Island is a haunting track led by a chilling, pounding beat with a swooning organ track accompanying Legrand's dreamy yet evocative vocals. Featuring some mystical lyrics, the song's arrangements is filled by chime-like keyboards and soothing bass lines that would later be followed by ringing guitar spurts and Legrand's wailing vocals. Holy Dances is led by arpeggio guitar chimes with a smooth, tapping rhythm with slow tambourine hits as Legrand sings with her hollow yet hypnotic vocals. Featuring some esoteric lyrics and the song's tempo picking up a bit, the song's richness is heightened by its layered, atmospheric production. All The Years is led by swirling sounds of keyboard chimes with swooning guitar slides and a wailing organ track. Legrand's vocals take charge with some nostalgic yet imagery-laden lyrics that is heightened by its somber yet blazing production on the keyboards.

Heart Of Chambers is a slow, mid-tempo track with thumping beats and twangy, chime-like guitar riffs as Legrand's vocals lead the way as it features some cryptic yet haunting lyrics. With Legrand's vocals intensifying a bit, so does Scally's performance on the guitar. Next is a cover of Daniel Johnston's Some Things Last A Long Time that was co-written with Jad Fair. Featuring a smooth, thumping bass line and melodic guitar arpeggios with hollow, pounding beats. Legrand sings the song's childlike lyrics with her chilling yet soaring vocals as it is followed by swirling keyboard chimes. Astronaut is an atmospheric track with soft beats and swirling keyboards with a melodic synthesizer track accompanying the instrumentation. Legrand's dreamy vocals take charge with its spacey lyrics that includes a droning, twangy guitar solo as it maintains its calm yet ethereal tone.

DARLING opens with soft, wailing keyboards and chime-like, arpeggio-laden guitars as Legrand sings with her hollow yet dream-like vocals. Featuring some chilling yet cryptic lyrics, the song is led by Legrand's vocals and Scally's evocative, layered arrangements of guitars and synthesizers as it maintains its haunting tone. The album closer Home Again is a mid-tempo track with thumping beats and shaking percussions with a swooning organ track as Legrand sings calmly with its esoteric lyrics and subtle arrangements.

Devotion is a mesmerizing yet stunning album from Beach House. Fans of the first album will no doubt be amazed by the broader sound the band created along with its production. It is also one of the more overlooked albums to come out in 2008 as their upcoming third album is widely anticipated thanks to Victoria Legrand's vocal contributions to a couple of songs for the indie band Grizzly Bear. For anyone looking for some great dream-pop, Beach House's Devotion is the record to get.

Beach House Albums: Beach House - Teen Dream

(C) thevoid99 2011

Beach House-S/T

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/7/10.

Formed in 2004, Beach House is a Baltimore dream-pop duo featuring vocalist/organist Victoria Legrand and guitarist/keyboardist Alex Scally. While Victoria is the niece of famed French musical composer Michel Jean Legrand and famed French vocalist Christiane Legrand of the Swingle Sisters. Beach House is influenced by acts like Big Star, the Zombies, and Brian Wilson among others. In 2006, the band released their self-titled debut through Carpark Records. With songs written by Victoria Legrand, the album is an evocative, dream-like record that features Scally's hypnotic arrangements dreamy guitar pop and subtle electronic sounds mixed in with Legrand's ethereal, chilling vocals. The result is a fascinating debut album from Beach House.

The album opener Saltwater is led by soft, mid-tempo beats with shimmering guitar tracks with bass-droning organ flourishes. Along with chime-like keyboards, Victoria Legrand sings with her ethereal, low-pitch vocals with esoteric lyrics filled with melancholia as the instruments swoon through the entire song. Tokyo Witch is a chilling, mid-tempo track with soft, pounding bass beats with shaking percussions. With Legrand's dreamy vocals and haunting lyrics, the song includes a sliding guitar sound that is followed by a melodic guitar flourish and a brief synthesizer track. Apple Orchard is a somber yet atmospheric track led by synthesizer-heavy swoons and soft, drum machine tracks as Legrand sings in her nocturnal yet evocative vocals. Featuring some imagery-laden lyrics and slithery guitar slides, the song is a highlight thanks in part to Legrand's amazing vocal range and Alex Scally's arrangements.

Master Of None is an upbeat song of sorts with pounding beats and swirling keyboard tracks as Legrand sings the song with her hollow yet engaging vocals filled with dark, eerie lyrics. Featuring Scally's dreamy guitar slides, the song revels in its dark lyrical tone mixed in with hypnotic arrangements as Legrand's vocals are the highlight. Auburn And Ivory is a chilling yet hypnotic track led by a heavy, harpsichord-like keyboard riff and slow yet steady beats. Legrand's eerie vocals filled with cryptic lyrics laden with dark imagery shows the band taking on dark sounds that includes Scally's arrangements of eerie slides and mesmerizing keyboard tracks that is followed by a smooth, wailing organ. Childhood is an upbeat track of sorts led by a melodic organ track and thumping tambourine hits as Legrand sings calmly with its mesmerizing, imagery-laden lyrics. With Scally's arrangements of soothing guitar slides and arpeggio-laden keyboard flourishes, it's definitely the album's richest cut.

Lovelier Girl is led by a swirling, chime-like keyboard track with soft, thumping beats and a bass-droning organ track as Legrand sings in her hollow, low-pitch vocals. With Scally's arpeggio-laden guitar riffs and subtle electronic arrangements, it's a song that is rich in its presentation while paying true to the dream-pop sub genre. House On The Hill is led by hollow, metallic percussion beats with Scally's melodic guitar track. The song includes wailing keyboard flourishes to accompany Legrand's somber vocals with its descriptive, haunting lyrics as it surrounded by its flourishing keyboard chimes. The album closer is the seven-minute, fifty-second Heart And Lungs which is led by soft, clock-like beats that thump through along with swooning keyboard chimes. Legrand's vocals take charge with her dreamy, nocturnal vocals filled with dream-like lyrics as its subtle presentation and Legrand's vocals make this as a superb closer for the album.

Beach House's self-titled debut is a hypnotic, mesmerizing album from the Baltimore duo. While it may have a few consistency issues in the middle of the album along with several down-tempo tracks that might not please some listeners. It's a record that fans of the dream-pop sub genre will enjoy in its richness, Alex Scally's arrangements, and Victoria Legrand's vocals. Beach House's self-titled debut is a stellar album from one of the current rising act of indie rock.

Beach House Albums: Devotion - Teen Dream

(C) thevoid99 2011