Beach House--Teen Dream

Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand (or Beach House) released their new album “Teen Dream” this month. The sound is more mature and polished than their previous two albums, Victoria becomes more confident with her vocals. Many credit the cleaner sound with the album’s release on Sub-Pop and fear that Beach House is selling out. In fact, the album doesn’t lose the dazed quality BH is loved for, it refines it. Teen Dream is all at once sorrowful, delightful, mesmerizing, but modest. This is a triumph of an album, and shows a clear progression from Devotion.

Favorite Tracks

silver soul

Silver Soul is a sad song. It opens with birds chirping , slides into a slow, soulful verse and settles into a devastating chorus. Victoria chants, almost sobs “it is happening again” over and over. The second verse is angrier, the percussion gets stronger and Legrand screams “it’s a sickness, embedded quickness”. The song builds; Scally’s vocals are added as additional rhythm and the song really sweeps you up. You can feel the despair itSilver Soul.

_norway

Norway is the first single off “Teen Dream”. It’s a perfect song for winter. Legrand’s breathy vocals are sampled softly as part of the rhythm section in the chorus. These laid over her soulful, warm voice creates a rich feeling. The song wraps you up in its long sad tones, but delights with its twinkling guitars and upbeat tempo. Norway is a standout track that defines BH”s new, cleaner sound and assures fans they’re not abandoning their dreamy aesthetic.

lover of mine

For me, Lover of Mine is the best track on Teen Dream. It has that haunting quality I love about BH. It begins with a fun sounding 80s synth line. Once the echoy vocals kick in the synth is faded out leaving you alone with Victoria’s tortured voice. The verses sound like fairy tales, lyrics about a dark forest and the contrast of this fantasy with the bleak quality of the vocals and melody makes the song all the more unsettling in the best way, like you’re dreading something, but you don't know what.