Teen Dream

by Beach House

Overview

There wasn't much room for Beach House to improve on Devotion, so they improved the room in which they made Teen Dream. Recorded in a converted church with producer/engineer Chris Coady -- who has also worked with TV on the Radio and Blonde Redhead -- Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally's Sub Pop debut echoes with a dark lushness that's more like a beach mansion than a mere house. The slightly squalid sound quality of Beach House and Devotion had a cloistered charm, as if the band had to record those albums not just on the cheap, but in secret. On Teen Dream, however, the hugeness previously implied in Legrand's lyrics and luscious vocals is made real, like tuning in Beach House at their full frequency. The duo's mix of retro electronics and chiming guitars is still as dreamlike and distinctive as ever; if anything, the tinny taps and hisses of their drum machine are even more present in Teen Dream's pristine settings, making the contrast between them and the molten slide guitars and rippling keyboards on "Norway" even more vivid. Beach House's songwriting is also more focused, with Devotion highlights such as "You Came to Me" and "Heart of Chambers" serving as templates for the album's elegant longing. As Teen Dream's title implies, Scally and Legrand are wry and wise enough to know better about idealizing love, and romantic enough to still believe in it. "Zebra" positively swoons, while "Walk in the Park," with its graceful coda and chorus lament "In a matter of time/it will slip from my mind/In and out of my life/you would slip from my mind," makes losing sound beautiful, even if it's anything but a walk in the park. Despite the wintry sorrow that dominates songs like "Used to Be" and "Better Times," Beach House lets a little hope into the album with "10 Mile Stereo" and "Real Love." Beautiful and heartfelt, Teen Dream reaffirms that Legrand and Scally are among the best purveyors of languidly lovelorn songs since Mazzy Star. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	06/30/2017
Label:	SUB POP
UPC:	0098787084542

Tracks

1. Zebra
2. Silver Soul
3. Norway
4. Walk in the Park
5. Used to Be
6. Lover of Mine
7. Better Times
8. 10 Mile Stereo
9. Real Love
10. Take Care

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Beach House   Primary Artist
Victoria Legrand   Vocals,Director
Graham Hill   Drums,Vocals,Percussion
Alan Resnick   Director
Allen Cordell   Director
Benjamin Beast   Director
Dan Franz   Drums,Percussion
Erin Gleeson   Director
Jeremy Selenfriend   Special Effects
Jon Leone   Director
Kari Altmann   Director
Sean Pecknold   Director
Sean Honey   Director
Matt Amato   Director

Technical Credits

Chris Coady   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Robert Dolan   Actor
Frank Hamilton   Photography
Michael Cohen   Make-Up
Victoria Legrand   Editing,Group Member
Beach House   Artwork,Arranger,Composer,Producer
Luke Higgins   Editing
Britta Johnson   Animation
Peter David   Actor
Alex Scally   Group Member
Nilesh Patel   Mastering
Alistair Legrand   Cinematography
Allen Cordell   Editing,Producer,Cinematography
Arthur Benassi   Additional Footage
Dustin Summers   Cover Design
Isabelle Jusseaume   Actor
Jeremy Selenfriend   Make-Up
Jon Leone   Editing
Laurie Isabella   Actor
Nick Krever   Actor
Monique Crabb   Still Pictures
Matt Amato   Editing
Marissa Dyrcz   Model
Maria Benassi   Additional Footage
Temperance David   Production Manager