Teen Dream [CD]

"Teen Dream" is LP number three from Baltimore's Beach House and is their strongest by some considerable distance. Running at 48 minutes, it offers 10 spellbinding, intelligently constructed and ever so slightly "abnormal" pop tunes and is a pure listening pleasure from beginning to end.

The album kicks off with "Zebra", a formidable opener with a seductive electric guitar pattern that simmers away and builds to a serene chorus. It is immediately apparent that the songwriting skills of this two-piece outfit have developed enormously since their last record. "Silver Soul" is next - a slow burner with singer Victoria Legrand performing a soulful vocal that sounds like a resigned sigh. The enveloping, echo-drenched organ chords work particularly well here. Third tune, "Norway", has had some radio play and is unsettlingly beautiful - just check out its DISEASED slide guitar line! It will lure you in, I guarantee it.

"Used to Be" is a truly wonderful, infectious ditty that you will find going round in your head as you wait for the morning bus. It contains a very jaunty, almost McCartney-esque vocal, a playful piano backing and a frisky "oompah-oompah" beat. It's one of those tunes that will compel you to drop your spoon into your cornflakes and just LISTEN.

"Lover of Mine" is also very powerful. It has all the alien beauty of a dark 1980s synthpop ballad, but without the pungent aroma of 1980s cheese. No, Beach House know a thing or two about subtlety. Their tunes are also leant a haunting, etheriel air by the production technique ("Teen Dream" was recorded in a cathedral by producer Chris Coady).

"Real Love" is possibly my favourite track here at the moment. At its foundation lies a great minor chord piano riff that could have been spun from the spindly fingers of Thom Yorke. Also, the vocal melody on this one is positively GHOSTLY. This captivating creation is followed by a suitably epic closing track - "Take Care" - which contains descending chords and a poignant vocal refrain : "I'd take care of you/ That's true".

I've had this album for a couple of days now and it has become a permanent fixture on my hi-fi. I know it's only January at the moment, but I'll be very impressed if we get to hear a BETTER album this year. You see, on many occasions recently I have purchased overly-hyped contemporary releases and, on listening, been underwhelmed and frustrated. I have often thought, "Can new music still excite me? Must I continue to delve into the past? Have all the best songs already been written?"

Albums like "Teen Dream" put such fears to rest. The music is simultaneously classic and lemon-fresh, sweetly seductive and highly relevant. In short, a musical treat. A MUST-BUY.

PS - This release contains a bonus DVD which contains a video for each of the ten tunes here. The quality varies, but if you like some visual accompaniment to your music then this special release is probably the one to plump for. However, in my humble opinion, it's all about the tunes. Oh, those glorious tunes.....................................................

For many it was only a matter of time until Beach House delivered big time and sought world domination. For this punter alternatively (with the exception of a couple of songs such as "Apple Orchard" on their debut and "Holy Dances" and "Gila" on their second LP "Devotion") a sense of deep indifference has been the predominant feeling about this band. Indeed if truth be told they seemed like a bunch of Mazzy Star sound-alike's with "Fade into you" the overused template. What a mad fool I have been, "Teen Dream" is an outright stunner and propels them into the major leagues.

The anticipation around this album across American music blogs has been huge largely as a consequence of widespread leaks of the album. The result is that it is already being hyped up as this year's Animal Collective equivalent e.g. an album released in the first month of the New Year which will dominate 2010's musical landscape. In the first place a comparison between "Teen Dream" and "Merriweather" makes little sense since they are chalk and cheese in terms of musical styles. But more than this they are unhelpful since they burden "Teen Dream" with a comparison which it does not need and a weight of expectation that this fragile beauty should not be required to carry. After all it is the quality of the music that counts.

Beach House is a duo from Baltimore comprising Victoria Legrand (yes she is related to the French composer Michel) and Alex Scally. "Teen dream" is on the Bella Union label and recorded in a church in upstate New York and you can tell. This is an album of real grace and power. The songs are characterised by an ethereal dreamy pop sensibility and Legrand's voice has echoes of Nico, Marianne Faithful, Patti Smith and of course Hope Sandoval. It gives a slightly hard, sultry and sometimes raspy edge to Beach House's sweet melodies and Scally's wonderful backing instrumentation.

The album starts brilliantly with the sublime "Zebra" which sets the tone for the rest of the album with its slow guitar lines that build and burn into a classic pop anthem. It is gorgeous stuff as is "Silver Soul" which follows it. And then there is "Norway" the single which has been readily available for months. In this reviewers humble opinion it is one of the greatest pop songs of this century thus far. Legrand's vocal is as smokey as a fine Cuban cigar and contrasts with the breathless backing vocals. This mix is combined with a weird and slightly distorted electronic backing but which works in spades. It is bloody perfect and if you don't get the album at least download this. The slow processional pop of "Walk in the Park" which follows "Norway" is remarkably its equal and provides no let up. These first four songs are by far the strongest opening quartet to an album which I have heard in many years.

"Used to be" has shades of the wonderful innocence found on Mercury Rev's "Deserters Songs" album and for some reason "Lover of Mine" reminds me of "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" with a slight Japanese feel. "10 mile stereo" is easily the best vocal performance by Legrand on the whole album. The only qualms I have come in the shape of "Real Love" and "Take care" which are the tracks at the moment that I can't get too worked up about. "Take Care" has one of those constant repeat vocals that go on beyond the point of irritation.

Small caveats for what is a towering performance. "Teen Dream" is a lush and magisterial album that you would be fool not to let it into your life. They support Grizzly Bear in the forthcoming spring UK tour and that will be some concert. 2010 is starting well "Teen Dream" shifts it up a gear.

I had no idea about Beach House until I heard one of the tracks off this album on the Midlake 'Late Night Tales' Album. Teen Dream by Beach House is a great album, one of the best I have heard in long time, from start to finish it just flows. There isn't a bad track on there, so 5 stars!