Beach House

6th March 2010

Abart, Zurich

http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic

Truth be told, Beach House need little introduction here. The Baltimore duo have essentially been on the radar of fans of thinking-man’s pop since their inception in 2004. And we mean ‘pop’ at its most nutritious: Beach House have attracted comparisons with melodic sophists from the Zombies through to Fleet Foxes, who they of course pre-date.

They arrive in Zurich in support of new album Teen Dream, their third, and one that has split opinion. Some say it is their ultimate coming-of-age record, where all the fragmented moments of innovation and depth on their first two converge to make a collection of songs that ultimately may come to define them. Others, such as the Seattle Times, called it “pretty and atmospheric but ultimately insubstantial and undermemorable.”

That description is not entirely inaccurate, even if it is more appropriate in regard to their past work than Teen Dream. The new sound, with its streamlined and less textured approach, is Beach House experimenting with using more organic tools (less instruments, in other words) to drive their songs, and therefore is likely to be enigmatic indeed in a live setting. Their best song, however, remains ‘Gila’ from 2008′s Devotion.

They say: “… the words are coming from me, but, also, I try to keep myself out of it as much as possible. It’s me, but it’s kind of disguises. I write in an androgynous voice. I think you can read it from a male perspective or a female perspective. I think that’s what keeps the music open to interpretation.” – Victoria Legrand

We say: Wholesome, healthy, wise, literate. The vegetable korma of bands.