Beach House
Thank Your Lucky Stars (Sub Pop)
When Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally sat down to record their self-titled debut album back in 2006 in Baltimore, dream-pop didn’t really exist – because, they pretty much invented it.
If more of the same is what you’re after, Thank Your Lucky Stars nails it. While it will does exactly what we’ve come to expect from a Beach House record – lull you to sleep, or accompany you on a walk through the woods, it doesn’t branch out much further. No tantalizing “On The Sea” type riffs or thumping “Norway” gallops to be found here. Either the talents of these two are starting to be taken for granted, or they’re content just resting on their laurels, having released two full-length albums in less than three months.
Legrand’s star power is undeniable, and in an alternate universe, she could be the illegitimate love-child of Stevie Nicks and Patti Smith. She’s been quoted, saying this album was meant to be a sort of surprise (no previews or leaks to be found), but the only thing that shocked anyone was the lack of innovation evident in this collection. It plays like the discarded scraps of Depression Cherry or an album of B-sides.
Although that quintessential Beach House sound is there, all daydream-inducing with Scally’s guitar morphing into musical marriages with Legrand’s keys, this time that airy feeling they’ve perfected just leaves you bored.
Rating out of 5: ★★★
