100 - Classic Album; One Of The Best Of All Time
99-90 - Exceptional Work; Rush Out And Get This
89-80 - Very, Very Good; You Should Still Go Out And Get This
79-70 - Not Bad At All; Might Actually Be Worth Your Time
69-60 - Has Its Moments But On The Whole... Meh
59-50 - Won't Make Your Ears Bleed; Won't Make You Dance, Either
49-0 - Don't Waste Your Time; You're Smarter Than This (Probably)
Now... onto the review:
It seems a bit ironic to say this now but it was fair to wonder whether the advance hype behind Beach House's third record, Teen Dream (think back a year to the lead up to Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion or Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest and you get the idea) would swallow it whole before it ever really had a chance to stand on its own merits. I worshiped their 2008 album, Devotion, and in fact considered it to be one of that year's best releases, yet I was nervous for Teen Dream. Nervous not for any lack of faith in the band itself, but nervous for the fact that the indie press loves nothing more than to build something up only to ultimately tear it down as a manner of sport. Thankfully, those fears were unfounded as this is without a doubt a quantum leap forward from Devotion - no small feat, that. Albums like Teen Dream remind me why I'm as obsessive about music as I am. It isn't often that a record this transcendent comes along and when it does, as music fans, we're all the better for it. Boasting a completely richer sound than anything they've previously recorded, it's difficult to imagine that any record this year could open with a better quartet of songs than Teen Dream does. The opening "Zebra," in any other setting, is a phenomenal song in its own right but here it serves merely as an appetizer for the game-changing "Silver Soul," the year's best track to date. Narcotically druggy and drenched in organ, "Silver Soul" takes Beach House's sound to the proverbial next level and, quite frankly, represents everything that I want out of music. It's a strength of Teen Dream's production that "Silver Soul" bleeds directly into the first single, "Norway," a chilly yet inviting four minutes that doesn't sound quite like anything they've done in the past. With its multi-tracked vocals and woozy guitar line, "Norway" helped allay some of the fears of impossible expectations when it was released in December. "Walk In The Park" is the final member of the opening foursome and has a palpable sense of urgency that's yet another new element for Beach House, particularly as vocalist/keyboardist Victoria LeGrand intones, "More/ You want more/ You tell me more/ Only time can run me," over and over like a mantra as the track closes. If there's any slight criticism of Teen Dream it's that it's so front-loaded that, through no fault of its own, the back end does suffer a bit by comparison but that's a minor quibble when looking at a record that's this good, especially when the back end is home to Beach House at their most Fleetwood Mac-ian on both "Lover Of Mine" and "Better Times," or when LeGrand is eerily channeling Grace Slick on "Real Love." It may sound like overkill at this point but really, nothing Beach House has done in the past could have prepared listeners for the genius of this record, one that evokes mood and atmosphere more effectively than anything I've heard in years. Not only is Teen Dream a virtual lock to be the best record of 2010, but by the time it's all said and done it could end up being one of my favorite records... period.
RIYL (Recommended If You Like): Mazzy Star; Fleetwood Mac; Dream pop; Narco-rock; Pure genius
Standout Tracks: "Silver Soul;" "Norway;" "Lover Of Mine;" "Walk In The Park;" "Zebra"
Dirty Rating: 99/100
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