Owning the group's first three albums may suggest that I'm a Beach House fan, yet I've always been pretty sniffy about them. I thought seeing the group live would change my opinion but it didn't. I was actually anticipating some aggressive comments beneath my review on the Fly's site, but everyone seems to agree with me. Another failed shot at controversial glory!
Beach HouseThe Arches, Glasgow29/10/12If history teaches us anything about Beach House, it's that they're consistent. A haze of droning keyboards, programmed beats and warped slide guitar, the band's musical palette was clearly defined from the outset and needed only the involvement of producer Chris Coady to render it a marketable proposition. Employing a more assertive sound than before, 2010's Teen Dream album was a breakthrough hit and won a substantial international following. This year's Bloom served to consolidate their success but offered few signs of change or progress and the same can be said about tonight's show. Anyone watching Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally perform on stage could justifiably describe them as either at the top of their game or stuck in a rut.
Touring as a tight three piece with drummer Daniel Franz, the fullness of the group's music is initially astonishing. Legrand's organ playing is stately and glacial, while her blocked nose vocals alternate between ethereal murmurs and despondent wails. Scally contributes intricate guitar effects and angelic vocal harmonies as he bounces enthusiastically atop a stool, their sidekick pounding new life into each song.
Unfortunately, what seems striking at first feels repetitive over time. 'Lazuli' and 'Norway' are atmospheric gems when heard in isolation, but listen to them in close proximity and it's hard not to be struck by the similarity of their wordless choruses. Most of the new material aired carries the same weight of familiarity as the band exploits a winning formula to the hilt. The slow burning 'Irene' stands out with an extended instrumental passage, but it's a performance of 'Gila', from 2008's Devotion that best offers a reminder of how essential Beach House can be.
Lewis Porteous
