Week's Worst: Beach House

By Chris Parker
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 9 | Posted Feb. 23, 2011

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Indie kids harbor this delusion that their shit don’t stink, but champion as many steaming loafs as punks and hard rockers. One recent lottery winner is Beach House, whose turgid Fall-flavored shuffles suggest Mazzy Star on Ambien. The music wanders listlessly about the room, expressing moody dissatisfaction and a contagious sense of ennui, while indulging a petulant spat with melody and pep. The gauzy, lo-fi setting for this minimalist pop fosters the impression they’re coyly reticent when the truth is they simply have nothing to say. Victoria LeGrand’s husky vocals affect dramatic sweep and stature that strives for Marianne Faithfull but sounds more like Kate Bush being drowned in her bathtub. Her voice isn’t rich and grainy, it’s wood paneling. Usually music this bland doesn’t make it out of the elevator, though the soft-focus texture makes sense—like photography, it’s great at disguising the fact that you don’t want to look too closely.

Thurs., Feb. 24, 8pm. $19. With Papercuts. Trocadero, 1003 Arch St. 215.922.6888. thetroc.com

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COMMENTS

Comments 1 - 9 of 9
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1. Courtney said... on Feb 23, 2011 at 10:42AM

“You sound like you just wanted to use alot of big words here. That, and I disagree with you. Can't wait to see this show.”

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2. Mike said... on Feb 23, 2011 at 04:02PM

“Sounds like you're talking about their first two albums, and I'd agree. But their third is really superb!”

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3. Anonymous said... on Feb 24, 2011 at 10:51AM

“There are no "big words" in that paragraph.”

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4. Anonymous said... on Feb 24, 2011 at 10:51AM

“There are no "big words" in that paragraph.”

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5. Anonymous said... on Feb 24, 2011 at 02:49PM

“I will thoroughly enjoy seeing Beach House perform tonight.”

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6. Ha said... on Feb 24, 2011 at 09:03PM

“I like that Courtney is upset Elliott wants to use "big words," but doesn't know a lot is two words.”

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7. Anonymous said... on Feb 25, 2011 at 10:08PM

“this review makes no sense. instead of attacking the abstraction that is hipster why don't you try listening without your guard up. strangely enough, much of the review sounds like you actually like them. fall-flavored, moody, gauzy, lo-fi, etc. are hardly compelling criticisms.”

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8. Anonymous said... on May 8, 2011 at 05:20PM

“Well, just because the author uses words that aren't attacks doesn't mean they like them... it means they are actually defining their music. I've never liked Beach House, but only because I haven't spent the time to listen to them. I have to agree with this article, and the fact that their shows are horribly crowded with this "abstraction that is hipster" doesn't help in any way.”

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9. Jackie Borellos said... on Aug 21, 2011 at 01:39PM

“Beach House makes me boner. Chris Parker? More like Christine Pooper.”

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