My better half just introduced me to the Baltimore based dream-pop duo BEACH HOUSE. And in case you’re wondering, as I was, just what dream-pop is, it’s a musical subgenre of pop-rock and alternative rock. The music tends to focus on textures and moves rather than propulsive rock riffs. Vocals are generally breathy or sung in a near whisper, and lyrics are introspective or existential in nature.
BEACH HOUSE is from Baltimore, Maryland and their self-titled debut album was released in 2006 to critical acclaim and has been followed by Devotion in 2008, Teen Dream in 2010, and Bloom in 2012.
The band formed in 2004, composed of Alex Scally, who plays guitar and keyboard, and Victoria Legrand, who sings and plays organ. BEACH HOUSE began as a recording project, thus, its music favored simplicity. The band's music consisted largely of the organ, programmed drums, and the slide guitar. Said Legrand to Pitchfork Media, "[I]t's a way to challenge ourselves: What do you do when it's just the two of you?". Scally affirmed, "[O]ne of the reasons this has been such a fulfilling experience for me is that with two people, it's so much easier to achieve things that feel exciting and new."
The song "Apple Orchard" was featured on a Pitchfork Media MP3 mixtape in August 2006. In October 2006 the band's self-titled debut album, BEACH HOUSE, was released through Carpark Records. That year, Pitchfork Media ranked it 16th on its Best Albums list.
BEACH HOUSE’S second album, Devotion, was released on February 26, 2008. It was received with similar acclaim and was included in Pitchfork's Best Albums of 2008 list. On October 21, 2008, the group released the single "Used to Be".
BEACH HOUSE also recorded a cover of Queen's "Play the Game" for the iTunes Store release of the Red Hot Organization's 2009 compilation, Dark Was The Night.
In 2009, Legrand provided backing vocals on the song "Two Weeks" by the indie rock band Grizzly Bear. She later collaborated with the band again by providing vocals to "Slow Life", the band's contribution to the soundtrack for the film Twilight: New Moon.
Teen Dream, the duo's 'dynamic and intense' third album, was released on Sub Pop on January 26, 2010. The album was released in the UK by Bella Union and in Mexico by Arts & Crafts. It contains a newer version of their 2008 single "Used to Be". "Norway" was made available as a free download on the band's website on November 17, 2009; and promoted on iTunes as the Free Single of the Week starting January 12, 2010. The album was produced and engineered by Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, Grizzly Bear). The album's unanimously good reviews have gained the band a much larger fan base, with Jay-Z and Beyoncé being spotted at the band's shows.
Teen Dream was listed as No. 5 on Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2010:
- Teen Dream did little to alter Beach House's core characteristics-- slow-motion beats layered with hazy keyboard drones, rippling guitar figures, and Victoria Legrand's melancholic melodies-- but greatly amplified them to the point of redefining the band's essence, from that of introverted knee-gazers into an assured, emotionally assertive force.--Stuart Berman
Bloom . . .
BEACH HOUSE, 05-13-2012, The Orange Peel, Asheville, North Carolina
On March 7, 2012 the band streamed a new song, "Myth", from their website. The album Bloom was released on May 15, 2012 via Sub Pop. A second song from the album, "Lazuli," was released on April 13, 2012. A music video for "Lazuli" was released on June 6, 2012, directed by Allen Cordell, who also directed the video for "Walk in the Park" from Teen Dream. A music video for the track 'Wild' has also been released.
Band Members:
BEACH HOUSE
- Victoria LeGrand - lead vocals, keyboards
- Alex Scally - guitar, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Touring Musician
- Daniel Franz - drums, percussion
Musical Style and Influences:
Singer Victoria Legrand's vocals have often been compared to those of Nico. Some music outlets have also compared Legrand's vocals to 1980s psychedelic rock vocalist Kendra Smith of the band Opal. Guitarist Alex Scally plays a Fender Stratocaster guitar in an E♭ Tuning.
The group's influences include This Mortal Coil, The Zombies, Maximilian Hecker, Brian Wilson, Françoise Hardy, Neil Young, Big Star and Chris Bell. Another known influence is the 60's folk group Tony, Caro and John. Beach House re-recorded that band's "Snowdon Song", renamed it "Lovelier Girl", and released it on its self-titled album with no attribution. Initially, Tony Dore of Tony, Caro and John stated, "I haven't seen much yet in terms of royalties or acknowledgement of authorship". Several months later, however, Dore responded that discussions had taken place to apply proper attribution on re-releases of the BEACH HOUSE debut.
BEACH HOUSE is performing at the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric Opera House on April 26th, 2013 at 8:00 PM
I hope you get the opportunity to catch BEACH HOUSE in concert. It’s great that we have a local band traveling around the world promoting their music. We need to support them and go to their concerts when they are in town.
So, until next time, keep playing your guitar and practicing every night. It will pay off for you one way or another. I promise you that !! Remember, “SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !!”, Help keep your local musicians employed so hire a band for your next party, wedding, etc. “Down with Disc Jockeys!!”
MUSICIAN by Night
“GOD Save the Blues”
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