Beach House

In two quick beats of atypical percussion at the very beginning of Bloom, Beach House set an uneasy tone. It's a fleeting moment on "Myth" that gives way to twinkling keys, measured drums and quiet orchestration, but it's nevertheless telling. Yes, "Myth" would have been at home on previous LP Teen Dream, yet as singer Victoria Legrand coos, "It's never as it seems," portending a progression. It's an ideal introduction to a deceptively substantial album. Full of red herrings, the fourth record from the Baltimore, MD darlings is at once infinitely listenable and increasingly complex. On "Other People," Legrand is still breathy, although her lyrics emit a resignation to futility, while "Wild" drapes a drunken father over upbeat tinkering and sleepy drums. Legrand is the star, though co-conspirator/guitarist Alex Scally provides an excellent counterpoint. For "The Hours," he created a saccharine melody, its sweetness elevating an inherently harsh message. Meanwhile, his Robert Smith-style jangle on "Wishes" is ill fatedly optimistic. Bloom leans heavily on that push-and-pull dynamic and the results are hugely effective, affecting and ultimately beautiful.