In Full Bloom
Victoria Legrand (vocals, organ) and Alex Scally (guitar, keyboards) came together to form Beach House in 2004. Bloom is their fourth studio album, which is set for release on May 15, 2012, and is a gorgeous album; a true pleasure to listen to.
The songs are rich and meticulously crafted, conveying a dreamy, nostalgic feel which makes for a lovely lullaby of an album. It’s easy to lose yourself in the smooth and sultry vocals alongside the lush atmospheric melodies. Beneath the beautiful compositions there are themes of lost love, heartache, longing, and the struggle to move on. The track “Wishes” is a good example with its lyrics like “The contact that you make/The moment when a memory aches/Who can tell.” The most memorable song, “On The Sea”, has a gently strummed series of acoustic guitar chords followed by a nice piano sound which gently fades into the song. It’s melodic and beautifully sung, much like the rest of the tracks.
The sound of Bloom won’t surprise longtime fans, but the duo’s musical growth is clearly evident in these polished songs. Beach House is a little bit reminiscent of bands like the Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star; there’s that same dreamy, ethereal quality there. Victoria Legrand’s vocals occasionally sound like Siouxie Soux, and there’s a certain Cure-esque feel to some tracks; shimmery, watery guitars, and captivating vocals.
This is highly recommended for longtime Beach House fans, and fans of indie, ethereal “dream pop.” A slow, atmospheric rhythm created through mesmerizing texture and ethereal melody. This album will allure you.
Leave a Comment