Beach House – Teen Dream
Bella Union 2010
[tags: dream pop, 2010]
Listen while reading:
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Soooo, I think it is quite the right time to share some thoughts about the new release from leading dream pop duo Beach House. I hope, I don’t have to tell you that the title of the new album is Teen Dream, because if you haven’t heard about it yet, my strong advice for you is getting active in reading music blogs for the news were circling all around the web for months now. The first single from the upcoming album, Norway, had massive impact on the blogging scene and not few blogs praised Teen Dream as one of the albums of 2010 or the band’s best album so far.
I know Beach House for quite some time now and I can call me proud owner of their two full lengths Beach House (2006) and Devotion (2008), as well as of their 7’’ single Used To Be (2008) with pre-ordered 7’’ Norway and pre-ordered Teen Dream. But enough bragging, I just want you to see that I think of myself as someone who knows and loves the sound of this band. Especially the Used To Be 7’’ made me extremely curious to hear the new album and just here is one first thing that deranges me a bit: The version of Used To Be on Teen Dreams is miles away of being just nearly as good as the one on the 7’’. I see the point in not releasing the same version on the full length again and I think it is a good thing not doing so, but I don’t see why they removed the characteristic sound of the track and put such a polished one on.
What can you expect from the new album? I would say you can expect Beach House still being Beach House – you clearly see that they are the same band even though I think it conspicuous that their sound lost a bit of the dreaminess of the previous releases. Sure, the Used To Be 7’’ indicated such a step and it is completely clear that they had to move on as a band, but I think they moved towards a more mass compatible sound without all the sugary synthesizer clouds. If you like, you can say that they sound – and this was my first impression as I listened to Teen Dream – some kind of empty now. But it seems that this emptiness is just what the masses love about it. And I’m left with mixed feelings: on the one side the happiness about a new release, on the other side the missing old Beach House sound I loved so much.
But I’m sure not so many bloggers will share my muted enthusiasm – and this proves just another important point one has to consider. I’m talking about the fact that Teen Dream may not be the best album Beach House made (in fact I think it is their weakest effort so far), but that there is a great possibility that it will be the best dream pop release you will find in 2010. So, take what you get. (If I should change my opinion about the record, I’ll let you know.)
One interesting thing at the end. It seems to me, that not all people are aware, that the first single, Norway, is also available as a physical 7’’ copy. I don’t remember reading anything about it anywhere. The thing is that on the flip side of Norway 7” you find an exclusive track with the title Baby – and this is surely something no collector is willing to miss. To buy a copy of the Norway 7’’ head over to Norman Records and get one of the 500 copies that come on red vinyl. To pre-order Teen Dream, visit Sub Pop’s shop for Bella Union’s store isn’t working. Be certain to take a break on Beach House’s MySpace for all the additional info you desire.
p.s. To stream the whole album, click here. And make sure you visit Gorilla Vs. Bear because they feature one exclusive new Teen Dream video every day until Friday 01-22-09.
I definitely see what you mean about the Used to Be 7″. I like both versions, but they’re really very different songs. I think Teen Dream is a pretty happy album so it makes sense that the updated album is a little happier sounding (even though it is still a little yearning and sad), but I still value the older version. I view them completely separately so I guess I didn’t have any separation anxiety when I heard the new one on Teen Dream. They are both to be valued, I think.
kann dir da nur recht geben. werde die tage auch noch meinen senf zur schmuseplatte 2010 abgeben.
jo, bin gespannt deine meinung dazu zu lesen. bei mir macht sich leider immer mehr das gefühl breit, dass die scheibe bei mir einfach nicht zündet. meine erste impression vom review scheint sich zu bestätigen – mittlerweile bin ich mir immer sicherer, dass Teen Dream weitaus schwächer als seine Vorgänger ist. mal sehen, 2010 war auf jeden fall nicht das jahr für Beach House, zumindest nicht aus meiner sicht.
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