Since 2004, Beach House has been the leader of the dream-pop scene with slow, simple pop melodies layered over lush soundscapes to create achingly beautiful songs of love and longing. Vocalist Victoria Legrand and guitarist/keyboardist Alex Scally have crafted a winning sound that is completely their own, and with
Teen Dream it seems they've truly perfected it. The third album from the Baltimore duo - whose sound has alternately been described as indie pop, baroque pop, electronic and experimental - can only be described as dreamy.
The first track "Zebra" is easily the most memorable on the album. Legrand's sultry, breathy vocals draw you in, while her formal training in opera subtly shines through. Legrand's voice is simply mesmerizing again on lo-fi track "Silver Soul," while the more upbeat "Norway" has a strong driving rhythm with an infectious melody and poetic lyrics. "10 Mile Stereo" is another standout track which manages to capture a feeling of adolescent angst ("This push and pull is the force of a wave of time / In the heat of the night, we would cry, you are not mine.") This powerful album will leave you nostalgic for your first love and the carefree summers of your youth. It's Beach House's best album to date, and arguably one of the best albums of 2010 so far.
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