@thesamuelcooke: really? you think depression cherry's their strongest? man, i think teen dream at least is their clear best. what songs on cherry grab you? i don't hear anything quite as good as "zebra," "10 mile stereo," "walk in the park," "silver soul," and "take care"--and that's half the record!
people argue about their best record a lot, but i just see teen dream as so clearly their best. i really only relate to those who say devotion, which is sort of the best of their "early" period (drum machines, really slow tempos, and a woozier sound), whereas teen dream is their best of their later material (and, since i prefer their later material, their best overall)
It's their first record that has hit me first time as being anything above 'good'. Beach House were not a band for me it seemed, only after perseverance and late night/early morn listening sessions did albums like Teen Dream approach real good to great level. Depression Cherry flows seamlessly. Bettering nearly everything I loved about the A Sunny Day in Glasgow album while still keeping that typical Beach House sound, and raising the quality significantly.
Songs like 'Levitation' sounds stereotypically Beach House but I dunno, there's an aura and a timelessness to it that their earlier output had never had for me. 'Sparks' is the first inkling of a progression that not only the band, but Dream Pop as a genre has needed (don't come at me with Pinkshinyultrablast, that was poor) since Yo La Tengo hit it out the park with the most serene moments on 'I Can Heart the Hear Beating As One'.
It's a soundtrack to drift away on, but it's also an album that would substitute as a Lost in Translation OST. It's a soundtrack for onsen, bedrooms, late night drives, winding down parties. The by the numbers dreamy twee pop has ever so slightly been stripped away album by album, and the shoegazey beast has taken hold of the band. It's a fantastic evolution, and I look forward to see where they can go next time.
So do I. For me this is an expansion and a look back at the same time and while I don't think it's their best right now my mind could surely change over time. I have a feeling their next record will have them overhaul their sound dramatically.
Teen Dream>Depression Cherry>Bloom>Devotion>Beach House
That Stubborn Kinda' Fellow 9.5/10 Moods of Marvin Gaye 7/10 In the Groove 8.5/10 What's Going On 10/10 Trouble Man 5/10 Let's Get It On 10/10 I Want You 9.5/10 Here, My Dear 10/10 In Our Lifetime 9/10 Midnight Love 7/10
i feel you manatee. i listened to cherry again today, and it was even stronger than i thought. still not better than devotion yet for me, but it could get there. i love how much each of beach house's records grow on me
Pablo Honey - 5/10 The Bends - 9.5/10 OK Computer - 10/10 Kid A - 9/10 Amnesiac - 8/10 Hail to the Thief - 6/10 In Rainbows - 7.5/10 The King of Limbs - 2/10
Scaruffi could never appreciate The King of Limbs! Think he likes OKC more than me as well. When I was younger I was all about Bends and Kid A and Amnesiac. Yeah man 8/10s and up fo' life. Then the Head got a bit boring for me. Kid A was a staple in my top 20 albums for years, even after I discovered the old Beatle-hating Italian guy. The stuff just got stale. KoL was a nice shot in the arm.
spirit - 10/10 (nick, you have to listen to this album)
danse - 3/10
campfire songs - 6.5/10
here comes the indian - 8/10
sung tongs - 10/10
feels - 9.5/10
strawberry jam - 9.5/10
merriweather post pavilion - 10/10
centipede hz - 7.5/10
EPs:
prospect hummer - 8/10
people - 6/10
water curses - 9/10
fall be kind - 9.5/10
Panda
young prayer - haven't listened enough to properly rate. i'll get on that, though
person pitch - 10/10
tomboy - 8/10
grim reaper - 8/10
i also haven't given avey solo projects enough time to rate. i do love some of the individual songs he's made, though ("laughing hieroglyphic" and "little fang" in particular)
indeed. i have difficulty distinguishing my favorite anco record, but that one is something really special. the first three tracks and the last track have some noise that can be difficult for new listeners (i know it was for me), but if you can get past it, it's an incredible record.
what does a 10 signify for you? listenable all the way through without any hiccups? because that generally signifies a 7 or an 8 for me,
for me, a ten is an album which holds together so well, to take a song out is like removing a support beam from a building. The songs flow into each other even if they don't actually transition. It has to be a shining light in its genre, and be an original voice which can stand the test of time.
Some times even have a transcendental feeling, where an album is better than just the sum of its parts, but feels more than that. Like something which emotionally touches me in a way which few albums do.
I've essentially just laid out why I enjoy my favourite album of all time, Joni Mitchell's Hejira, but it could be applied to many albums which I have in my top 10.
Comments
Teen Dream>Depression Cherry>Bloom>Devotion>Beach House
For now
Moods of Marvin Gaye 7/10
In the Groove 8.5/10
What's Going On 10/10
Trouble Man 5/10
Let's Get It On 10/10
I Want You 9.5/10
Here, My Dear 10/10
In Our Lifetime 9/10
Midnight Love 7/10
Poison Season 9.5
Kaputt 9.0
Destroyers Rubies 8.5
Streethawk 8.0
Your Blues 8.0
Trouble in Dreams 7.5
This Night 7.0
Theif 6.5
The Bends - 9.5/10
OK Computer - 10/10
Kid A - 9/10
Amnesiac - 8/10
Hail to the Thief - 6/10
In Rainbows - 7.5/10
The King of Limbs - 2/10
I dunno, here's some adjusted scores for 2015.
Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished - 9/10
Danse Manatee - lol/10
Campfire Songs - 6/10
Here Comes the Indian - 6.5/10
Sung Tongs - 9.5/10
Feels - 7.5/10
Strawberry Jam - 8.5/10
Merriweather Post Pavilion - 9/10
Centipede Hz - 7.5/10
I've had it in my top 25 of all time at some point, and I may still, but you know.