Beach House's latest release, Bloom, is now available from Sub Pop Records.
(Insert soapbox here)
So every hipster/indie kid will be all over Beach House’s latest album, Bloom, blasting it from college dorm rooms and decade-old Toyotas. Just as older fans of the band will make sure everyone knows that they liked them since its self-titled debut in 2006. This we already know.
What some may not know, and will really upset these people is this:
Screw the indie credibility and underground status. This is pop music.
Bloom is a pop album. And it’s good. Maybe even great.
Victoria Legrand’s Kate Bush-like vocals and Alex Scally’s resonant guitar play blend seamlessly into the sonic haze that defines Beach House’s style, which I wouldn’t expect to hear on your local radio station any time soon.
Bloom has pop sensibilities and deserves the airtime that top 40 songs get, but it’s not going to transcend genre barriers or become the next big sound, a la grunge in the ‘90s, pop-punk in the ‘00s, and what dub-step seems to be doing now.
The comparisons are abundant, as is with most albums. And there are both indie and pop elements that emanate from Bloom. But it’s in songs like “The Hours,” with its “Sun King” intro, recalling The Beatles; “Other People,” which evokes late ‘80s synth-pop; and “Lazuli,” the album’s first single, which has already been in heavy rotation on a number of satellite radio stations, that give me reason to believe this is pop music.
What makes it a great Beach House record, though, is the ability to take these techniques and blend them with indie styling, using Interpol-like guitars, slowed down electronic loops, and drawn out vocals, happily singing sad lyrics. And don’t overlook the fact that the band is still signed with Sub Pop, giving them a realm of independent abilities and a built-in fanbase.
If you’re turned off by these comments, that’s unfortunate. This is by no means a negative review, and you may pass up a great listening experience.
If you’re still reading, check out “On the Sea,” a striped down ballad that keeps the end of the album alive in thought with lyrics like “Out on the sea we’d be forgiven / Our bodies stark the spirit living / Wouldn’t you like to know how far you’ve got left to go.”
Or listen to the instrumental layers on “Wild” and how they cause a struggle between wanting to dance and laying back to soak them in.
When it’s all said and done this is an album worth listening to. No matter what you want to call it. It keeps you listening from start to finish (although there is a long break of silence between the last track, “Irene,” and the hidden track), and the end result is a positive listening experience.
Agree with me or not – n the end, pop is not the enemy. Your image of it is.
Bloom is out now. Go listen on Spotify or purchase the album on iTunes.
Awesome post.Much thanks again. Cool.