Albums

Beach House - Teen Dream

Alex Nelson 26/01/2010

Rating: 3.5/5

I decided to grab a copy of Beach House's new album Teen Dream for review after seeing them in just about every 'Tips for 2010' list you could care to mention. Although this Baltimore psyche-bliss duo consisting of Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand have been around for nigh on six years now, and are three records into their career, they are only now starting to make waves on British shores.

The record opens with a simplistic, crawling guitar line, which becomes washed in tranquil whirling backing vocals, the backbone of opening track Zebra. The song lifts the listener up yet higher with each new layer of organ keys that are moulded to its lucid rhythm. Silver Soul evokes the slight slide guitar leanings and slacker jams of Wowee Zowee-era Pavement, and Norway's Casio-keyboard beats and sustained keys give way to a joyous resonance, chiming chords sprawling out from across the speakers like lightning forking out and illuminating the night sky, creating what could be the sleeper hit of this summer's festival season.

From the slim skiffle beat of Used To Be, supplemented by its bouncing piano, to the minimalist power-balladry of Real Love and back to the smoky atmosphere of tracks like Lover Of Mine, the album is full of dream-pop gems. While some people may find it ultimately tiresome in full, listening in chunks provides the perfect post-indulgence soothe-out. Expect to see Baltimore's Beach House working their way up the festival bills at all of this summer's main events.