Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

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Setherex
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Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by Setherex »

[imgsize 500x500]https://rymimg.com/lk/o/l/cebea184ecddd ... 713091.jpg[/imgsize]

"Depression Cherry"
Beach House
Dream Pop
August 28, 2015

01. "Levitation"
02. "Sparks"
03. "Space Song"
04. "Beyond Love"
05. "10:37"
06. "PPP"
07. "Wildflower"
08. "Bluebird"
09. "Days of Candy"

Stream available here.
Nick
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by Nick »

Sometimes you just know an album isn't going to meet expectations. Sometimes these premonitions don't even come in the form of the actually music itself, sometimes it's something as simple as a lackluster album cover and a confounding album title with equally confounding song titles. And with the trifecta in place, Beach House have arrived with their latest LP, "Depression Cherry".

That's not to say that "Depression Cherry" is bad. In fact, the album is actually quite good. But that's it's problem. It's not a great album, it's just a "quite good" one. Maybe even a "very good one". But "great"? No way. Of course, none of this would matter if this were the first album by the band. In fact, "Depression Cherry" would make quite the stunning debut. But Beach House are responsible for two of the greatest albums of the decade thus far, 2010's "Teen Dream" and 2012's "Bloom", the former of which is in the running for one of the single greatest albums of all time. How could "Depression Cherry" live up to the hype?

Initial shoegaze aping single "Sparks" suggested that Beach House were changing their style up from the atmospheric dream pop that defined the aforementioned albums. But as it turns out, "Sparks" was a misleading choice for first single, and the other 8 songs on the album all have that same characteristic Beach House style. Which is a great style to have, it really is. Hell, it's the style that made "Teen Dream" and "Bloom" so great. And there are subtle variations between the albums after all. But it does feel like "Depression Cherry" is covering some pretty well worn territory here, and one wonders how long Beach House can keep cranking out the same style of music with little change between albums before people start to get bored.

While "Depression Cherry" has a great aesthetic and great pop melodies, it's hard not to feel like one would be better off listening to "Teen Dream" as opposed to it. After all, "Teen Dream" has that same aesthetic and also has great pop melodies. The only difference is that "Teen Dream" did it all better. There's nothing as immediate on "Depression Cherry" as, say, "Zebra", "Silver Soul", "Myth", "Lazuli", "Norway", or "Walk in the Park" (though "Sparks comes close). Overall "Depression Cherry" is a very good album that isn't going to win Beach House any new fans. But if you're hungering for more of that same atmospheric dream pop sound, "Depression Cherry" should make you happy.

P.S. Does anyone else think the opening to "PPP" sounds EXACTLY like the opening piano riff to Coldplay's "Clocks"??? Or is it just me?

Score: 7.5/10
DaveC
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by DaveC »

I have the same foreboding feeling, but "Audio is not available in your region", so I'll have to wait.

However, there were many reviews like this with Teen Dream = Turn on the Bright Lights, Bloom = Antics, & Depression Cherry = Your Love to Admire, and I really like that album (#46 All Time) so I'm still hoping for the best.
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notbrianeno
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by notbrianeno »

If the four previous Beach House albums were a lesson in remarkably natural stylistic change and growth, their new album, Depression Cherry, represents not so much of a continuation of this trend as it does a distillation of what came before. The first three songs are emblematic of this, and rank among some of the best of the band's career. "Space Song" unites the synth squelches of Bloom with the airy surf-pop of Teen Dream, while "Levitation" takes the lo-fi aesthetic of their earlier releases and combines it with the soaring ambitions of their recent output. Unfortunately, a few minute details prevent this album from being another masterpiece like Teen Dream or Bloom. The compressed dream-pop production style smothers songs like "PPP" and "Bluebird," songs which could have benefitted from room to breathe in the mix. "10:37" is a particularly weak track, which is much more noticeable in a 9-song tracklist. Ultimately, these are minor concerns, as Depression Cherry marks a great entry in a stellar run of releases.

85/100
DaveC wrote:I have the same foreboding feeling, but "Audio is not available in your region", so I'll have to wait.

However, there were many reviews like this with Teen Dream = Turn on the Bright Lights, Bloom = Antics, & Depression Cherry = Your Love to Admire, and I really like that album (#46 All Time) so I'm still hoping for the best.
If Teen Dream and Bloom = Aja, Depression Cherry = Gaucho
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PlasticRam
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by PlasticRam »

I don't like the album title Depression Cherry.
I feel like that
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whuntva
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by whuntva »

Nick wrote:
P.S. Does anyone else think the opening to "PPP" sounds EXACTLY like the opening piano riff to Coldplay's "Clocks"??? Or is it just me?
It's in the same key and the opening notes sound similar.

I never was moved by Beach House, they always just struck me as the band that I kinda liked but never loved.

This album is no exception. It has good songs but nothing I'd put on repeat or listen to in my spare time.
" Ah, yes! Our meager restitution"
irreduciblekoan
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by irreduciblekoan »

Big Beach House fan here. All of their albums are growers. My usual experience is, I really enjoy a few songs during my first listen, but the rest kind of bleed together. But then, the more I listen to each album, the more that the rest of the songs start becoming distinct and I fully appreciate their arrangements and melodies. The same has happened with this new record, Depression Cherry. After five listens now, I rank this album up there with the rest of their discography, with the exception of Teen Dream which I still think is their masterpiece. Depression Cherry is a little more subtle than their past albums. None of their songs as immediately grabbing as "Zebra" or "Used To Be" from Teen Dream, or "Myth" from Bloom. But overall Depression Cherry is a strong, gorgeous batch of songs.
Henry
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by Henry »

There is an interesting article about Beach House and the Depression Cherry at grantland.com at http://grantland.com/features/lifes-a-beach-house/
Jirin
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Re: Beach House's "Depression Cherry"

Post by Jirin »

It's a very well produced album but, in my opinion, does not have songs that stand out.
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