Artist Overview: Beach House
Photo by: Beach House (2008)
âLove you all the time, even though youâre not mineâ, croons Victoria Legrand on the opening lines of Saltwater, the first song off their debut album, the self-titled Beach House (2006). Right then, you know the album is going to be heartbreaking, exceptâŠit isnât, and while there are the typical yearnings toward lost love and a sentimentality to the music, the star of the album is not really the lyrics, but the instruments and the unique sound that the band forms with them. Though they donât master their sound on the first album, they would eventually go on to release subsequent albums that would expand and refine their sound, albums which would also show the growth of Victoriaâs lyrics into effortless poetry.
"Saltwater": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lGoUGgJEnk
Beach House is a duo from Baltimore, MD, with French-American Victoria Legrand on vocals and keyboards and American Alex Scally on guitar. On their first two albums, they used a drum machine as their percussive element, but on their third and fourth albums, they hired a live drummer to give them a more dynamic sound. Though only two members, they manage to create a lush and whole sound using keyboards, organs, and guitar. One can describe their sound as lush, graceful dream pop or indie pop, but their music is so much more than just pretty cotton candy sounding music; there is an eruptive force underneath, a fire that both Victoria and Alex describe in their interviews as âsexualâ and though they are not an official couple, it is hard to deny the powerful musical chemistry these two have. Though their music is unique in the indie world, perhaps the most distinctive part of their sound is Victoriaâs voice. Operatically trained, Victoria has incredible control over her vocals and she is able to hit notes both high and low with graceful fluidity and effortless beauty. She has a husky, sexy voice which can evoke feelings of a late nightâs drink in a dark, damp wine cellar, but can also evoke a misty eyed sentimentality of a missed opportunity with a former lover. There is a lot of talk and stereotyping of a typical indie rock band with their jangly guitars, sincere vocals, and modesty; however, to merely compare Beach House to an indie rock band would be to belittle them as Beach House transcend the label âindie rockâ to become something much more, in another place, in another timeâŠ
 "Better Times"(Live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_tP6HoYc18
My first experience with Beach House was with their third album, Teen Dream (2010), released in early January, and not related to Katy Perryâs Teenage Dream, which would be released later that year. I had just finished finals during Fall Quarter of 2012 and was preparing to upload new music on my ipod that I could listen to over winter break. In searching for new music, I remember trying to find âwinter musicâ and stumbled upon Beach House. Only one full album was available on youtube, and so I ripped it off youtube and put it in my ipod. That album was Teen Dream, a perfect introduction to the band, and an album that would eventually become my favorite Beach House record. What they did on their third album was they took the introverted nature and sound of their first two albums and breathed new life into them with an extroverted sheen. The songs were more propulsive, compositions more full of life, vocals more varied and dynamic, arrangements more creative and unique, and melodies more unpredictable, original, and sublime. I distinctly remember having to scroll back through songs since a melody would seemingly pop out of nowhere, a melody so amazing that I just had to scroll back and see how I had missed its development in the first place.
 "Walk in the Park"(Live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uO7BI2Fy0k
 Lyrically, Legrand was at her peak, singing about being an untamable free spirit in Zebra (âwilderness for miles, eyes so mild and wise, oasis child, born and so wildâ), a newly discovered sexual energy in Silver Soul, and heartbreak in Walk in the Park (âthe face that you see in the door isnât looking at you anymore, the name that you call in its place isnât waiting for your embraceâ). Norway, a song composed for a competition in, you guessed it, Norway, features her signature, âhuh huh huhâ hushed vocal line, a unique and original vocal hook (much to the credit of her husky voice) which she would use again but perfect on a song (Lazuli) off the bandâs fourth record. Used to Be is a song that they actually released in 2009, but the ending of the song is changed to better fit the flow of the album. Such attention to detail speaks to the scope of their vision in creating an album experience, a set of songs that flow from beginning to end, a vision that wildly succeeds. Lover of Mine is probably the most closely related to their previous two albumâs sound, but even it gets an extroverted touch up; the song feels strangely danceable and yet still evokes that feeling of being in a dark, damp cellar (perhaps a dark, damp cellar dance party?). Though all the tracks on this album are incredible, I would have to say that my favorite song on the album, and arguably my favorite track from the band is Real Love, which is ironically the least âBeach Houseâ sounding song from them.
"Lover of Mine": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaUbNqJDdzQÂ
"Real Love"(Live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbnG4MZKapQ
 Composed on a simple piano figure, Real Love features Legrandâs most emotive and soulful vocal performance, and showcases her as a growing force of nature in writing lyrics. âI met you somewhere in the hell beneath the stairs, thereâs something in that room that frightens you when they go boomâ; that line alone evokes so much imagery and feeling, though you are not quite sure what she is referring to (mystery and her ability to evoke feeling through her lyrical imagery are important to her songwriting), that is, until the line âthereâs something wrong with our hearts, when they beat pure they stand apartâ comes out of nowhere and knocks you out. âReal love, it finds you somewhere with your back to itâŠ....I met youâŠâ, and suddenly you get an idea of what she is singing about. Sadness? Regret? Pain? Perhaps.
 The only other song that can match it lyrically is the song that comes before, 10 Mile Stereo. âThe heart is a stone and this is a stone that we throwâ she croons, and just when you thought she delivered her best line, she breaks your heart again with âlimbs parallel, we stood so long we fellâŠtear a moment from the days that carry us on foreverâ. All this poetic heartbreak seems heavy to digest, but as on the last song, Victoria promises that everything will be alright as she sings âIâll take care of you if youâd ask me toâŠIâll take care of you, thatâs trueâŠâ. With that line and the music fading off into the distance and closing the album, itâs hard not to think that you have just heard one of the best pop records of the 2010s, one that I believe will make it rather high on multiple âalbum of the decadeâ lists, that is, unless Beach House can top this record.
"Myth"(Live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBjxOeVLY3g
Released in 2012, Bloom was the bandâs fourth album, latest album, and the second album of the bandâs of which I had the pleasure of listening to. As an album, Bloom is more sonically cohesive than Teen Dream, but the songwriting, though great, does not quite match the songwriting on Teen Dream. With Teen Dream, there was a feeling of innocence and freedom, the feeling of a band discovering a new sound that felt joyful and infectious, a new energy that seeped through the fabric and tapestry of the music and lyrics. With Bloom, Beach House sought to zero-in on a specific sound and explore its possibilities, which consequently made some of the weaker tracks sound monotonous. The fourth record is much darker in tone, more grandiose in sound, and though the lyrics still focus on personal feelings, these feeling are much darker (in a more adult/reflective way) and there is an emphasis on story telling involving other people as well (and a song called Other People). Musically, there is more usage of organ drone and more usage of chords rather than the mercurial, childlike, wide-eyed wonder of guitar and organ leads on Teen Dream.
"Lazuli": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvwl7INZykc
 But perhaps the best thing about this album is how mature Legrandâs voice sounds throughout the album; whereas her previous albums were made when she was in her twenties, Bloom marks the first album that she made in her thirties, at age 30 going on 31. Like fine wine, her voice has aged gracefully and just keeps getting better. Nowhere is the newfound growth in her voice more apparent than on the first song, Myth, in which she yearns âIf you built yourself a myth, youâd know just what to give, but what comes after this momentary bliss?â Itâs heavy stuff that takes a darker turn on the next song, Wild, which begins with an ominous organ drone and proclaims âmy mother said to me that I would get in trouble, our father wonât come home cause he is seeing doubleâ; all this seems like some pretty sinister stuff until Beach House let in a little light with âthe earth is wild, weâve got no time, wild in our ways, what we are making, heartless to sayâŠgo on pretendingâŠâ. OkayâŠmaybe not so light after all, but there are some relatively light pop moments on this album, such as in The Hours.
 "The Hours"(Live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zju-wp0M1g
 In The Hours, Victoria sings about the playful innocence of young love when she sings âcan I wait the hours till they find me, climb up to the tower so that you could see, violence in the flowers where they found you, can I wait the hours, would it be untrue?â Sweet, innocent, and a bit twisted⊠of course, what would a song about young love be without capturing the fickle nature of youthful lust? âFrightened eyes, looking back at meâŠchange your mind, donât care about meâŠâ, she croons, ending with some light philosophical musings: âdeeper than you and me, itâs all in a glance youâll seeâŠâ
 The next two tracks, Troublemaker and New Year, are arguably the weaker tracks on the album, with Troublemaker being too melodically and musically conventional that it sticks out on an album that is mostly melodically and musically unconventional. New Year is sonically vague and although there are some nice melodies and a wistfulness to the lyrics, it mostly meanders. The lyrics, however, are stronger than the lyrics on Troublemaker. âYou are getting wiser, itâs better this way, faces in the mirror, memories againâŠall you ever wanted, is it getting away?â, and you get the feeling that perhaps Legrand is singing to herself and exploring a lifetime of regrets.
"On the Sea": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb0Rs_-Hsjo
 The last three songs are stronger songs, which provide a nice climax and resolution to the album. On Wishes, Legrand once again displays her penchant for evoking strong emotions in the listener. âThe contact that you made, the moment when a memory achesâ she cries, and suddenly, you feel your heart breaking again⊠âwishes on a wheel, howâs it supposed to feelâ she asks, perhaps reflecting sorrowfully upon a lifetime of broken promises. On the penultimate track, On the Sea, my favorite song on the album, we hear a piano figure similar to Real Love, but unlike Real Love, we get to hear Alex Scallyâs shimmering tremolo guitar solo, which sounds both profound and breezy. It also doesnât hurt that it has some of the best lyrics Legrand has ever written: âon the sea, weâd be forgiven, our bodies stopped, the spirit leavingâ, and youâd get the idea that she is shooting for some kind of physical and spiritual transcendence. âSomebodyâs child, nobody made youâ invokes a deep sadness that suggests unrequited parental love, and when she sings,â the heart is full and now itâs spillingâ youâd hurt with her too. But it is also these strong emotions that threaten to inundate her: âshadows bend and suddenly the world becomes and swallows meâ. On the last song, Irene, we are left with what to make of all this emotional turmoil. Victoria tells us that she does not know the answer as well, âno way of recognizing, the cat knows the call, fair child is rising, thereâs no mystery at all, itâs a strange paradiseâŠitâs a strange paradiseâŠ.youâll be waitingâŠâ. (also, there is a hidden track at the end if you didnât know already)
 Although I believe Teen Dream is their better record, I still think Bloom is a great album (with some songs rivaling the best of Teen Dream), and upon listening to a ripped version, I immediately went out to buy a physical copy. There is just something satisfying about holding a physical piece of musical product in your hand and being able to listen to the incredible music (at the intended quality) while reading the lyrics, liner notes, or even running your fingers through the dotted album cover. Beach House have not yet followed up this record, and if history is any indicator (they released an album every two year starting from 2006), we should expect a new album in 2014, or perhaps early 2015? Hopefully. I am not sure how they are going to follow up this album, for they have developed and expanded their sound with every album. Itâs hard to think were they could go after this album without revisiting some of their earlier stuff. There is always the risk that an artist may sound redundant if they revisit the sound of an earlier work, but honestly, I have faith in Beach House in following up this album since they have consistently delivered the goods, and if they end up revisiting some of their earlier sounds, it will probably be of very high quality and I would most likely pre-order the new stuff. Likewise, it is also interesting to see what they will do via the video format: on Teen Dream, they released a music video for every song, a move that I personally believe inspired Beyonceâs new album, which also has a music video for every song (Beyonce and Jay-Z were also spotted at a Beach House gig and are well known fans of the band). With Bloom, the band made a short film (Forever Still) out in El Paso, Texas, where they recorded the album. What they will do on the next album, musically and visually, is anyones' guess.
 "Master of None": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2YiUTh9dj4
 For those of us who canât wait, we can always listen to the first two records. Although I listened to Devotion (2008) first, I believe it would make more sense to talk about the debut album, Beach House (2006), first. Before forming the band, Victoria had graduated from Vassar College and lived in France for a while; however, she would soon move to Baltimore and meet Alex, a Baltimore native. It was there that they developed their sound and crafted their first record, released in late 2006. Although it sounds nothing like the band that they would eventually become, there is a charm to the album and an intimacy that is not quite captured on the bandâs third and fourth records. Part of this is due to the Lo-Fi quality of the sound, which is due to the nature of quickly recording the band on inexpensive equipment, as time in a professional recording studio is very expensive (they would later move on to record in a studio to capture a higher quality sound more appropriate for the dynamic and more grandiose third and fourth records). Highlights off the first record are Saltwater, Apple Orchard, Master of None, and Lovelier Girl. Though the album is quite good, the follow up is even better, a complete refinement and more varied expansion on the bandâs sound, while still retaining the charm, quirkiness, and intimacy of the debut album. The first two albums can be seen as a pair, as they mark the bands more introverted phase, before the wild, kaleidoscopic passion of the third record and the dark grandiosity of the fourth. However, this is not to downplay the strength of Devotion, as on some days I think this record is just as good as Bloom, though in a different way. Overall though, I think Devotion and Beach House are the bandâs third and fourth best records, respectively.
 "Heart of Chambers": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqGhEHthvDE
"Holy Dances": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y28tmp7IDDAÂ
What I love most about Devotion is that it sounds like a best-kept secret, a world completely unto itself, striking it its immediacy and warm in its intimacy. Itâs music that you would want to keep to yourself and a small circle of friends (not to sound all hipster about it). The music and lyrics are very modest and slightly quirky and on certain songs like Turtle Island, Holy Dances, and Heart of Chambers, Victoriaâs soulful croon comes close to matching the best moments on Teen Dream. Perhaps the biggest strength of the songs on this album is that they feel like they are full of mysteries, full of secrets waiting to be unraveled. Songs like You Came to Me and Gila sound haunting in their imagery and the way Victoria sings them can spook you (in a good way). Songs like Heart of Chambers and Astronaut see Legrand exploring a yearning in her music that was a bit underdeveloped in the first album but would be mastered in her subsequent albums. Home Again, the last song, is a song that I can only describe as Christmas-y, and it sonically foreshadows the bright tones of which they would perfect on Teen Dream.
Photo by: Unknown (Fan-made Devotion album cover with cats in place of Victoria and Alex)
"Astronaut": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a8FXd3YA0U
So far, the band has had an incredible eight year run, and it is exciting to see what direction they will head off to next. Though Iâve only been listening to them for a year and a half, I feel like Iâve been on a journey with them since the beginning, starting off in small clubs to playing large venues and large festivals, and likewise, beginning with a Lo-Fi, rusty sound and evolving into a Hi-Fi, crystalline sound. Today marks Victoriaâs 33rd Birthday (May 28, 1981) and though I wish her a very Happy Birthday, I am also eager to hear what the band has in store next, what mysteries and unlocked emotions they have yet to tap into.Â
"Real Love": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBDXI5wJBuwÂ
After a couple months of listening to Teen Dream, sometime in mid-2013, I was lying in my bed one night and decided to grab my phone and look up the lyrics to my favorite song off the album, Real Love. For the longest time, my favorite line was âyou know, you know, we belong, like the street to the darkâ because it evokes such powerful imagery and emotion; I imagined two lovers not being able to be together for whatever reason, like an empty street on a dark night, lonely, cold and desolate, the desperation, hopelessness and futility of incompatible or faded love. However, I quickly learned that I had actually heard the lyrics wrong and that the actual lyrics were âyou know, you know, we belong, by the stream, to the dawnâ. I was sad because I felt that the actual lyrics were a bit clichĂ© and so I proceeded to go through multiple lyric sites, hoping that my interpretation was the actual lyrics. However, after being proven wrong, I realized that it didnât really matter what the actual lyrics were, because what mattered was that I felt something. Such is the power of Beach Houseâs music that it can evoke such strong emotions in the listener, and what is music but a cathartic channel in which we project our own feelings in ways that allow us to better explore and better understand our own emotions, whether it's to help us make sense of the giddy rush of new love or whether it's to help comfort us through painful memories of a past heartbreak. With that realization, I put my phone aside and prepared to fall asleep, my last lingering thoughts of those lyrics slowly carrying me off to another state of consciousness, in another place, in another timeâŠ
