The wearily drifting warmth of Beach House’s shoegaze always has left us less focused on the passage of time with their music, and more about the experience of hearing lead singer Victoria Legrand’s serene voice. But while she has usually stood at the noticeable forefront of Beach House, Teen Dream (2010) embarks on a path which not only celebrates Legrand’s talents, but allows multi-instrumentalist Alex Scally’s world of subtle guitar riffs and layered synthesizers to shine in full force.
|
| |
Beach House | 
"Teen Dream"
(Sub Pop)
Released January 26, 2010
|
| |
|
Scally’s presence, however, is not the only façade emerging throughout the group’s third album. The addition of regular contributors on drums and auxiliary percussion enhance the groups’ tone into a fuller, lusher, and increasingly poignant sound—one that puts the dream into Beach House’s brand of dream-pop. Between floating atmospheric nature of “Norway” and the lively, more dynamic reworking of “Used to Be,” Legrand and Scally step outside their comfortable melancholic lull, and glimmer with each passing note. “10 Mile Stereo” embodies a new awareness within the duo’s work, with a build-up unlike anything seen in their usual form—one that awakens from their usual dreaminess, ascending into a simply astounding climax that stands as their finest work to date.
Ultimately, Teen Dream triumphs as a statement about coming to terms with hopelessly romantic ideals concerned with love and relationships. Where Beach House (2006) grasped onto heartfelt yearning and Devotion (2008) desperately clinged in its steadfast loyalty, Teen Dream prevails with new resolve to the issues prevalent in their past two albums. “Walk in the Park” expresses new realizations in regard to the ‘devotion’ of their last album, as Legrand responds, “The face that you saw in the door / isn’t standing there anymore.”
While the album wrestles with overcoming these old demons, Beach House finds a resting place in the album’s closer, “Take Care,” which rests as an acknowledgement of the relationship running its course. Despite the ultimate demise, the song closes with the recognition of an everlasting care for one another and cherished remembrance for the good memories shared in the past.
In the end, Teen Dream endures as one not only showcasing Beach House’s delicate, progressive, lo-fi beauty; but also as an album of resounding veracity in the most comfortable and relatable of manners. As Teen Dream provides closure to the melancholic trilogy of Beach House’s albums thus far, it provides music fans with not only the first great release of 2010, but also leaves us with much optimism about the group’s bright future ahead.
Powered by AkoComment 2.0!
