Beach House - Teen Dream (2010)

Beach House have released two great albums before this one, a self-titled (2006) and Devotion (2008), both of which were absolutely gorgeous. The same could be said about this one, although it sounds like their sound is diversifying. They don’t seem to be constrained in that somber dream pop sound that so many of their peers are, but they try some different things on this album. They don’t hide behind the melancholy, which only thinly veils these intricate songs. Victoria Legrand’s vocals are crisp and clear and will capture your attention, so you’ll have to listen close to really take note of the arrangements, like the organ on “Walk in the Park” that really add depth to these songs but may not jump out at you. Lyrically, this deals with common themes such as loss, which contributes to the sadness that characterizes their music, but it would do them no justice to not listen past such first impressions to the strong songwriting. Overall, this is pleasant album from back to front and compares favorably with their first two albums. Favorites: “Zebra,” “Norway,” “Used to Be.”

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