Beach House - The Hours
Submissions Week 2013
After their impeccable 2010 release Teen Dream, where could Beach House possibly go? How could they possibly get any better? However, last year’s Bloom puts those concerns to rest and beyond. At this point in the game, it has become clear that the duo operates by perfecting their sound instead of drastically changing it from one release to the next. In this way, Bloom is their most fully fleshed-out and sonically whole record. Moreover, it has become one of my go-to albums for anything and everything from walking to class to late night paper writing.
From the very first listen, ‘The Hours’ has always stood out to me, and the warmer weather has made it all the more pertinent and necessary. As usual, Scally’s guitar riffs are in perfect sync with Legrand’s vocals and keyboard. The song is quite an unexpected burst of energy with more prominent percussion adding another level to their already layered sound. A track this beautifully rich could have only come from the duo building and developing their dreamy repertoire over the course of four albums. A common complaint about Beach House and their music is that its sometimes slow tendencies induce sleep and drowsiness. But in ‘The Hours,’ that is hardly the case. The sun is out and it’s shining through the blinds. Just open your (‘frightened’) eyes.
