5. Beach House: Teen Dream [Sub Pop]
No you’re not seeing things, this is indeed what the cover of the album looks like. If you have yet to hear about Baltimore-based duo Beach House, you soon will.* Though they’re hardly new-comers — having released two albums previously — this is their first for indie label stalwart Sub Pop. Teen Dream is a fitting title for the album. With lush guitars, reverberated vocals and beautiful choral harmonies,Teen Dream is dream-pop of a first rate quality. Bolstered by beautiful vocals from French-born singer Victoria Legrand, Teen Dream works best when she is the main attraction (which is often). That isn’t to say that Alex Scully’s guitar work is not an integral part of the music. It’s just that Legrand is at once powerful (Real Love) and tender (Take Care) which makes for a wonderful blend of vocal stylings. Perhaps what I like most about Teen Dream is that like any great album, it both starts and ends quite well.
Prime Cuts: Zebra, Norway, Real Love
*You probably have already. Indeed, Beach House was one of the breakthrough bands of 2010.
um… it’s VICTORIA Legrand 😉
Oh my. That’s been sitting on here for almost 2 years and no one (not that I have many readers) caught that! Yes you are correct. Christiane is actually her aunt who experienced her own fame in Paris. Thanks!