Bloom (Beach House album)

Bloom
Studio album by Beach House
Released May 15, 2012 (2012-05-15)
Recorded 2011
Studio Sonic Ranch (Tornillo, Texas)
Genre Dream pop[1]
Length 60:28
Label
Producer
Beach House chronology
Teen Dream
(2010)		 Bloom
(2012)		 Depression Cherry
(2015)

Bloom is the fourth studio album by American dream pop duo Beach House. It was co-produced by the band and Chris Coady, and was released on May 15, 2012, on Sub Pop, Bella Union, Arts & Crafts México, and Mistletone. The album was written over two years of touring and was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas over seven weeks. Building on their previous album, Teen Dream (2010), the duo continued to add live drums to their song arrangements for Bloom, supplementing their drum machine rhythms.

Bloom received positive reviews from critics and debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, selling 41,000 copies in its first week.[2] It was ranked by many critics as one of the year's best albums, and in August 2014, was recognized on Pitchfork Media's list of "The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far".[3]

Recording

Bloom was written "between countless sound checks and myriad experiences during two years of tour",[4] and was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas. It was co-produced by Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blonde Redhead), who also produced the band's previous album Teen Dream.[5] Beach House chose to record in west Texas after being captivated by the area while resting there during a tour.[6] Bloom was mixed at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.[5] The album took seven weeks to record.[7]

Victoria Legrand described the album's title as an "abstraction of many feelings". Legrand continued:

"To find a word or a set of words we felt curated the whole thing, Bloom was it. And it was based on feeling and just a belief in the word. It actually has more weight for me than it has an ethereal quality. It came about where it made sense. [...] For things to feel right, it definitely has to sit for a while and I think that's why it's not ethereal for me. I associate that word with fleeting or not having any substance, I don't know. [...] I'm just saying that for us there's a certain intensity with this record, and I think the word "bloom" is an attempt at that."[7]

Release

The first song released from Bloom, "Myth", was posted on Beach House's website on March 7, 2012.[8] On March 8, 2012, the album's release date was announced.[4] A second song from the album, "Lazuli", was released as a Record Store Day single on April 13, 2012.[9] On May 6, 2012, the album was streamed in its entirety on NPR Music.[10] On June 6, 2012, the music video for "Lazuli", directed by Allen Cordell, was released.[11] On March 19, 2013, the band released a music video for the track "Wishes." The video was directed by Eric Wareheim of comedy duo Tim and Eric.[12]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
The A.V. ClubA−[15]
The Guardian[16]
Los Angeles Times[17]
MSN MusicA−[18]
NME7/10[19]
Pitchfork Media9.1/10[20]
Q[21]
Rolling Stone[22]
Spin8/10[23]

Bloom has received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 78, based on 45 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[13] PopMatters' Zachary Houle gave the album a perfect score and praised it as "simply, in the most awe-inspired sense of the term, absolutely golden from end to end—a real treasure and an utter delight to experience every time you play it."[24] J. Pace of Under the Radar also praised the album, writing, "It's always a perfect pairing of nostalgia and wistfulness with these two [Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally], who serve up these completely affecting but somehow ethereal moods you can't quite put your finger on."[25] Pitchfork Media's Lindsay Zoladz gave the album a Best New Album designation and praised the interplay between Legrand and Scally, writing that the two "sound in perfect sync: his nimble riffs punctuate her long, drawn-out notes to add depth and layered rhythm to the tracks."[20] Harley Brown of Consequence of Sound stated that Bloom "culminates six years and three albums of anticipatory ache with subtlety and meticulous song placement that unfolds if you let it",[26] while BBC Music's Hari Ashurst felt that the album was the band's best work thus far.[27]

Will Hermes of Rolling Stone said that "the melodies, guitarscapes and thrift-shop organ swells make for exquisite comfort".[22] Zack Kotzer and David Greenwald of The A.V. Club gave the album an A−, saying "Bloom takes what worked before and intensifies it" and that with the record, "they have mastered their sultry formula".[15] Other reviews of Bloom were more mixed. Annie Zaleski of Alternative Press felt that the album did not possess "as many memorable hooks (or as many well-defined song structures)" as the band's previous album, Teen Dream, and that as a result, "the record tends to fade into the background and become something so indistinct that it's forgettable, even after multiple listens."[28] Maddy Costa of The Guardian criticized the album's lack of surprises, writing that "nothing happens to shatter the perfect surface, either within individual songs or across the album as a whole, and that might be Bloom's problem. It's beautiful, spectral, dreamy, but never makes your pulse quicken."[16]

Accolades

The album was listed 27th on Stereogum's list of top 50 albums of 2012.[29] Pitchfork Media ranked Bloom #7 on its list of the top 50 albums of 2012, writing: "since 2006's self-titled debut, Beach House have been patiently refining-- and expanding-- a singular, easily recognizable sound."[30] The album was listed at #28 on Rolling Stone's list of the top 50 albums of 2012, saying "Languid lead singer Victoria Legrand has some dark stuff on her mind – mortality and ruin keep bubbling to the surface of the Baltimore act's fourth LP...But you'd hardly know it from the blissful way she lets her voice blend with the softly bobbing organ chords and arpeggiated guitars."[31] Rolling Stone also named the song "Other People" the 19th best song of 2012.[32]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Victoria Legrand; all music composed by Legrand and Alex Scally.

No. Title Length
1. "Myth"   4:20
2. "Wild"   4:58
3. "Lazuli"   5:02
4. "Other People"   4:25
5. "The Hours"   4:07
6. "Troublemaker"   4:55
7. "New Year"   5:23
8. "Wishes"   4:40
9. "On the Sea"   5:32
10. "Irene" (ends at 6:44; hidden track "Wherever You Go" starts at 13:16) 16:57
Total length:
 60:28

Personnel

Credits adapted from Bloom album liner notes.[33]

Beach House
Additional

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[34] 40
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[35] 10
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[36] 55
Canadian Albums Chart[37] 16
Danish Albums Chart[38] 8
Dutch Albums Chart[39] 54
French Albums Chart[40] 59
German Albums Chart[41] 73
Irish Albums Chart[42] 10
Norwegian Albums Chart[43] 5
Portuguese Albums Chart[44] 10
Scottish Albums Chart[45] 23
Spanish Albums Chart[46] 22
Swedish Albums Chart[47] 34
Swiss Albums Chart[48] 33
UK Albums Chart[49] 15
UK Indie Albums Chart[50] 2
US Billboard 200[37] 7
US Alternative Albums[37] 1
US Independent Albums[37] 1
US Rock Albums[37] 3

Release history

Country Date Label
United States May 15, 2012 Sub Pop
United Kingdom Bella Union
Mexico Arts & Crafts México
Australia Mistletone

References

  1. ↑ Freeman, John (May 15, 2012). "Beach House - The Quietus". The Quietus. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  2. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (May 23, 2012). "Adam Lambert Snags First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ Powell, Mike (August 2014). "The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far (2010–2014)". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Pelly, Jenn (March 8, 2012). "Beach House Confirm New Album, Tour". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  5. 1 2 Colletti, Justin (May 17, 2012). "Behind The Release: Beach House Bloom". SonicScoop. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  6. ↑ Lewis, John (May 14, 2012). "Beach House Interview: Black Widows, Motel 6, and Mysticism". Baltimore. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  7. 1 2 Paez-Pumar, Luis (May 14, 2012). "Q&A: Beach House's Victoria Legrand On Singles, The South, And Controlling Your Music". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  8. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (March 7, 2012). "Listen: Beach House: "Myth"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  9. ↑ Battan, Carrie (April 13, 2012). "Listen: Beach House: "Lazuli"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  10. ↑ Katzif, Michael (May 6, 2012). "First Listen: Beach House, 'Bloom'". NPR Music. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  11. ↑ Bort, Ryan (June 7, 2012). "Watch Beach House's Video for "Lazuli"". Paste. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  12. ↑ "March 19, 2013". March 19, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Reviews for Bloom by Beach House". Metacritic. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  14. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Bloom – Beach House". AllMusic. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  15. 1 2 Kotzer, Zack; Greenwald, David (May 15, 2012). "Beach House: Bloom". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  16. 1 2 Costa, Maddy (May 10, 2012). "Beach House: Bloom – review". The Guardian. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  17. ↑ Martens, Todd (May 14, 2012). "Album review: Beach House's 'Bloom'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  18. ↑ Christgau, Robert (May 18, 2012). "Beach House/Best Coast". MSN Music. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  19. ↑ Denney, Alex (May 15, 2012). "Beach House – 'Bloom'". NME. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  20. 1 2 Zoladz, Lindsay (May 14, 2012). "Beach House: Bloom". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Beach House: Bloom". Q (311): 98. June 2012.
  22. 1 2 Hermes, Will (May 15, 2012). "Bloom". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  23. ↑ Powell, Mike (May 9, 2012). "Beach House, 'Bloom' (Sub Pop)". Spin. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  24. ↑ Houle, Zachary (May 14, 2012). "Beach House: Bloom". PopMatters. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  25. ↑ Pace, J. (May 10, 2012). "Beach House Bloom (Sub Pop)". Under the Radar. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  26. ↑ Brown, Harley (May 15, 2012). "Beach House – Bloom". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  27. ↑ Ashurst, Hari (May 14, 2012). "Beach House Bloom Review". BBC Music. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  28. ↑ Zaleski, Annie (May 15, 2012). "Beach House – Bloom". Alternative Press. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  29. ↑ http://stereogum.com/1210661/stereogums-top-50-albums-of-2012/franchises/listomania/
  30. ↑ The Top 50 Albums of 2012. Pitchfork Media. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  31. ↑ 50 Best Albums of 2012. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  32. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-songs-of-2012-20121205/beach-house-other-people-19691231
  33. ↑ Bloom (CD liner notes). Beach House. Sub Pop. 2012. SP 965.
  34. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  35. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  36. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bloom – Beach House". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  38. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom". danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  39. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  40. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  41. ↑ "Beach House, Bloom" (in German). charts.de. Media Control. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  42. ↑ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 17 May 2012". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  43. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  44. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom". portuguesecharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  45. ↑ "2012 Top 40 Scottish Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. May 26, 2012. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  46. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom". spanishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  47. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  48. ↑ "Beach House – Bloom". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  49. ↑ "2012 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. May 26, 2012. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  50. ↑ "2012 Top 40 Independent Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. May 26, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.

External links

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