If my incredibly enthusiastic reviews of Atlas Sound and Beach House haven’t already given it away, I love dream pop, and Cocteau Twins are nothing if not pioneers of the genre.
Month: July 2012
Record #101: The Clientele – God Save the Clientele (2007)
Five years ago, I bought this record by merit of it being the only non-hip-hop record in my local record store’s selection of new vinyl (their selection has since improved greatly) and because of the owl on the front. Also, I thought I had heard something about the group on college radio. Nevertheless, when I first put the stylus into the groove, I had no idea what would come out of the speakers. I definitely was not, in the year 2007, expecting something that sounded like a George Harrison/Velvet Underground collaboration (in VU’s softer period, of course). The songs are delicately played, subtly sang, and hauntingly familiar–and when you’re dealing with British indie-pop, all of those qualities will work for your benefit.
Record #100: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (2005)
If you don’t already know and love this record, I’m not sure I can say anything to convince you.
Record #99: Black Lips – Arabia Mountains (2011)
The year is 1964, and the British Invasion has just begun. The Kinks get off of a plane to a throng of screaming fan and play the Ed Sullivan show, setting the all-time viewership record in the United States and becoming the most important band in the world. Years later, the Byrds, after dabbling in folk, rock, and psychedelia, move to the UK and pioneer a genre characterized by fast, brief songs, loud drums, and sneering vocals. The genre is dubbed “punk” by the press, and it spreads like wildfire.
Record #98: Beach House – Bloom (2012)
I’m back from vacation and in a new house with a slew of new records under my arm and the hi-fi set up in the living room. I’m ready to get on with this project.
First record back onto the saddle is Beach House’s new release, Bloom. As I mentioned earlier, Beach House makes some of the best dream pop around these days, existing in “the sweet spot between pop music and chill music where God intended dreampop to live,” (from my review of Teen Dream, way back on record #26). Bloom’s predecessor is one of my favorite records ever, a cloudy masterpiece of effervescence and ambiguity. Bloom has certain similar qualities; the sound of the record is nearly identical–nothing here would sound out of place on Teen Dream or vice versa–the same droning synthesizers and glassy slide guitars carry Victoria Legrand’s smoky, androgynous voice through the thick reverb coating the record.