Review Session: Beach House's Teen Dream

Teen Dream by Beach House

Beach House's sound will always be considered "Dream Pop" because of the floating, imagery-induced feel to it. It can be mellow, yet speak volumes at the same time. And it never fails to satisfy those looking for good "Dream Pop". With their first two albums Beach House established this distinct ghostliness that envelopes both the music and the lyrics they create. However, with Teen Dream they perfect it. Teen Dream is much more open to influence then their first two albums, but they simply do not sway from the patent Beach House "Dream Pop".

Teen Dream starts off with a trio of sensational tracks - "Zebra", "Silver Soul", and the transcending "Norway". "Norway" will be a clear-cut contender for song of the year and it is only January! It's opening "a-ha-ha's" and its intricate triplets are only the basis of this surreal track that is somber in feeling at its best moment. I could take this song note by note, lyric by lyric and describe my every feeling, but that would take forever. If you listen to one song in the next month or so, let it be "Norway". The album steadily gets better, but more gloomy as it continues. After a lonely, but beautiful "Walk In The Park" follows "Used To Be" (the same single that they released in 2008), "Lover of Mine", and "Better Times". Then the album gets real in its final three tracks. "10 Mile Stereo" subtly reminds me of "Blue Ridge Mountains" by Fleet Foxes, but with a deliberate build that is affirmed in the gorgeous climax late in the song. It can only be described as one word, that I have yet to use in any Review Session so far, perfect. The next track "Real Love" is a woebegone track that shows of the vocals of Beach House's lead singer, Victoria Legrand. And to end the album a lovely parting song entitled "Take Care". A song that rightfully ends an album filled with pain, sorrow, heartbreak, and somewhat of a rebirth.

Teen Dream will be similar to Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillon as it is a remarkable album released so early in the year. It will certainly be remembered by many of the critics throughout the year, and should receive much recognition in the coming weeks with its release. Beach House have certainly put together a complete album from head to toe, and they should be satisfied in what they have accomplished with Teen Dream. It is a momentous album that carries its weight on its shoulders only to unload all its weight on the listener when the journey comes to an end. The only thing left to do with this album is to close your eyes and create visions to your own Teen Dream.

Rating = 9.7

Featured Artist: Owen Pallet

Owen Pallet

Well, some people may have heard of Mr. Pallet here by his prior stage name of Final Fantasy and if you haven't then shame on you cause this is an amazing musician with a brand of music that is quite archetypal. Yes, Final Fantasy was a tribute to the video games of the same name as he was a major fan, but don't let that major nerdness turn you off his music. There is no great story for the change to his given name, but it suits the fact that his newest release and first under Owen Pallet is clearly his best. That is saying something because his second album won the Polaris Music Prize in 2006, which if you don't know is a major honor beating out the likes of The New Pornographers, Wolf Parade, Metric and Broken Social Scene. Before I tell you about the basis for this album that won just know I am not making this shit up. Its called He Poos Clouds and 4/5 of the album's songs are based on schools of magic from Dungeons & Dragons!

Not only may you know Owen Pallet from Final Fantasy but you may know him as the writer and performer of the strings on a couple of albums by this little band called Arcade Fire or something like that. Also he contributed strings to Beirut, Grizzly Bear, Fucked Up, Great Lake Swimmers, The Mountain Goats, and The Last Shadow Puppets. As some people may know Arcade Fire is supposedly recording an album as we speak and Owen Pallet recently twittered, "10 days on the best album I've ever had the pleasure of working on." Which is such sweetness to my ears, but the reason I wrote this post about Owen is Heartland, his latest album. Heartland is as beautiful as it is sad. An album about "nothingness" that will move you to the brink of an emotional breakdown. Totally heartfelt, and totally phenomenal. Pitchfork.com gave it an 8.6 and a Best New Music label. Well I certainly agree although I would give it a little higher score at an 8.8 because it really hit the spot for me. Check out everything Owen Pallet does, cause it is all so very damn good!

Check These Songs Out:

- This Lamb Sells Condos

- Midnight Directives

- The Arctic Circle

- Oh Heartland, Up Yours!

- Tryst With Mephistopheles

Best Films of 2009 and Awards

Best Films

10. An Education

9. Up

8. District 9

7. Fish Tank

6. Up In The Air

5. Public Enemies

4. The Road

3. The Hurt Locker

2. Avatar

1. Inglorious Bastards

Awards

Best Director - Quentin Tarantino for Inglorious Bastards

Best Screenplay - Quentin Tarantino for Inglorious Bastards

Best Actor - Viggo Mortensen for The Road

Best Actress - Carey Mulligan for An Education

Best Supporting Actor - Cristoph Waltz for Inglorious Bastards

Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Review Session: Yeasayer's Odd Blood

Odd Blood by Yeasayer

Another heavily anticipated album coming out in 2010, and this should be the theme of the year since just about everybody has something coming out. But Yeasayer's new LP labeled Odd Blood had a special something in it because of how amazing I think they can be and how popular their debut album, All Hours Cymbals, was. Then to make the anticipation even greater they dropped the sensationally optimistic single "Amblin' Alp", which they had been playing live for years. It was totally upbeat, fun, and certainly up there with "2080" for their best track. So, if you couldn't this album had a lot to live up to in my opinion. Let's see if it did.

Odd Blood starts off with "The Children" a crawling, deep-toned track with a centered rhythm that grows on you after a few listens. It exits out with some horns and some simple synths that really add to the song. Not long after the album quickly jumps into "Amblin' Alp" which really blazes a trail for what is supposed to follow. The problem is that the album doesn't really hit this level of greatness again. That's the problem with having your best song in the second slot. Unless you have a slum of amazing tracks the rest of the album it can leave the listener disappointed. The album plateaus after "Amblin' Alp" into a a trio of ambitious tracks that are really good, but not at the quality of Yeasayer's ability. "Madder Red", "I Remember", and "ONE" are tremendous in their own right, but don't hit me as special. The mid-tempo, guitar-fueled track is lyrically dynamic, but holds back from the climax it starts to build. "I Remember" sounds like a angelic, disco song in slow motion. It is quite lovely and enlightening to listen too. "ONE" is a momentous track filled with a massive number of sounds that move throughout. It is a little Caribbean-based, but definitely enjoyable.

The second half only has two tracks I feel are worthy of talking about. The others are not bad, just not what I hoped for. Odd Blood is certainly front-loaded and not at all well-structured. It's kind of like MGMT's Oracular Spectacular in the fact that you only need the A-side of the record. However, if you did that on Odd Blood, you would miss out on the toe-tapping, triumphant "Rome" and the wild, blazing "Mondegreen". Both of which stir emotions whilst keep the body grooving. Despite some of my negative comments about Odd Blood I do think it is a fine album, but I really hope that Yeasayer take a new direction on the next album, because I was disappointed in Odd Blood. Maybe I expect more out of them, but I know these guys are musicians and not guys making music. So, therefore their music should be better. Regardless, the kept the lyrics simple, but intelligent which was pleasing and the hit big on some of their risks. So, overall I have to say the album still gives me goosebumps and I still listen to it over and over.

Rating = 7.9

Review Session: Vampire Weekend's Contra

Contra by Vampire Weekend

In 2008 Vampire Weekend burst onto the scene with their Caribbean-toned indie pop sound and their upper-crust, hip fashion sense. They gained tons and tons of fans, their album was a huge success, and they played their fair share of big festivals and TV shows. That sounds like a huge success to me for an indie band. However, the question has never been are the good? Do they deserve their success? It has been whether or not they could evolve their unique sound into finer, more sophisticated albums. Well, their sophomore album, Contra, is almost out, and the judgements will come fast and furious.

The album starts with "Horchata", which is the closest thing to a song of their first album. However, it seems a little more layered than the first album, but lyrically it fits in perfectly. Next comes the ethereal "White Sky". It is an excellent song with some classic Ezra Koenig yelping. After a so-so "Holiday" comes the fanatical "California English" that is quite busy, and almost has an Animal Collective meets T-Pain feel. It doesn't really set a tone for the rest of the album, but it does fit with the album. Later in the album the songs "Run" and "Taxi Cab" use synths, pedals, and other new forms of sounds to mix in with Vampire Weekend's staple of strings and guitar picking. "Run" and "Taxi Cab" are solid songs that move the album along efficiently.

"Cousins" is up next. It was the first single and video off the album and it is a rapid blitzkrieg of guitars and drums. It is the loudest song on a quite soft album, but it is definitely fun to listen to. The next song on the album, "Giving Up The Gun", is really the most surprising song, and in my humble opinion, the best track on Contra. It's fast-paced, without the feeling of island music, and in it they even bust out a xylophone. The album starts to finish with the floating "Diplomat's Son" which samples M.I.A.'s Hussel. It's the longest song on this album or Vampire Weekend, but it is worth it in my opinion. It's got great layers and its faithful to the Vampire Weekend sound without being too much of the first album. The finale on Contra is "I Think Ur a Contra" which in all reality is a beautiful song, but struggles to really grab a hold on to the end of the album with its lyrics. They switch from talking about a fleeting love to really committing to love. Which is really a new concept to Vampire Weekend. It's different from the rest of their stuff, but it is a successful song.

Vampire Weekend's Contra excited me, but not by the music or lyrics. It was because my biggest fear about Vampire Weekend is that they would just extend themselves from their debut album, but they really advanced themselves in this album. It didn't always work, but they tried, and that works for me. Their third album will be important to see if they can recreate themselves, but still create a very good album. Contra is a good album, but it is missing something that I can't quite put my finger on. I like it a lot but I need more.

Rating = 7.9