Beach House

Beach House
More Colors in the Emotional Rainbow
By Andrew Clayman
Published in Chicago Innerview, September 2009



As evidenced by the font-size discrepancy on the marquee, Beach House is merely opening for Grizzly Bear during the bands’ two-night stint at the Metro this month. Fans of the fast-rising Grizz should be warned, however—when Victoria Legrand starts singing, it’s easy to forget that anyone else is on the bill, or on the planet for that matter.

Legrand (vocals, organ) and Alex Scally (guitar) started Beach House back in 2004, and have since risen to the forefront of a thriving Baltimore indie scene. Both their self-titled 2006 debut and 2008 follow-up Devotion were hailed as dream-pop classics, with most of the emphasis falling on the duo’s classical training and ethereal, almost trance-inducing combination of organ and slide guitar. Chicago Innerview caught up with Legrand and Scally-- on tour in Europe-- at a lovely hotel in Amsterdam. . . eh hem, via email.

Andrew Clayman: Back in December, in this very publication, I proudly ranked Devotion the top album of 2008. Was I correct, or did I totally miss the boat on something far superior?

Alex Scally: Well shucks, thank you very much. There were so many records released that were really unique and great in different ways—there’s no way that I could get my brain to decide which was #1. That would just be silly.

Victoria Legrand: Thanks, Andrew! I heard you ranked on 2008's Hottest Men of the Year! (writer’s note: Victoria’s sources are not to be trusted)

AC: Based on the rare updates to your website and Myspace pages, I’m assuming Beach House is a bit more old school in its sensibilities. Do you pay much attention to reviews or online buzz about the band, or is that generally avoided?

Alex: We notice it sometimes. I am just not online very often without a specific task....i think the online music world has been great for spreading music with less "commercial appeal." I just hope that people are taking time to really listen.

Victoria: I don't like to look for internet spluge. I like to keep internet at a safe distance.

AC: A lot of critics tend to fixate on Beach House’s “dreamy” sound and classical background, but your skills as pop songwriters tend to get overlooked, I think. Do you see Beach House as a “pop” band?

Alex: Yes, we do. I am so glad that you say that because we do fancy ourselves to be pop writers. I think that every song that we’ve made has had that energy-- it's been there all along.

Victoria: Pop is music that makes you feel, and we have always responded to sounds and melodies that made us instantly feel something right inside of our chests. The classical knowledge is a great tool. But your natural instincts take over when you hear something right.

AC: Do you think it’s fair that you tend to get labeled as a “melancholy” band, or is that a mischaracterization?

Victoria: The melancholy thing is okay, but I think many other colors in the emotional rainbow are coming. I hope to start hearing new words other than "languid" and "sleepy.”

AC: After you get back from Europe you’ll be touring as the opener for Grizzly Bear. How close are you with those guys and what are you looking forward to about that experience?

Alex: They’ve been kind of like an older brother to us— we’ve learned a lot from them. I suppose I’m just excited to play in larger rooms and try to make it feel intense for ourselves, even with the loss of personal communication.

Victoria: Killer bros, those guys. We are looking forward to driving thousands of miles while they soar by in the big old bus. All joking aside... they have been nothing but natural from the start-- kind and thoughtful. Ed (Droste) is always blowing my mind.

AC: How’s the next Beach House record coming together?

Victoria: It’s cocooning splendidly!

Alex: We’ve finished recording and are hoping to release it in Jan or Feb.

AC: Considering Victoria’s pedigree (she is the niece of French film composer Michel Legrand) and Beach House’s sort of David Lynchian mood, it seems like you’d be perfectly suited to working on some film scores? Any discussions of something like that?

Alex: Yes, in our dreams....hopefully soon!

Victoria: I would love to work on a film. It's always been a dream of mine.

AC: Finally, as one of those much-ballyhooed “Baltimore bands,” are you generally proud ambassadors for the city, or does the association start to become a bit limiting?

Alex: I’m fine with it. We really love the community we’ve found in Baltimore—everyone is making such drastically different stuff, really.

Victoria: Yeah, Baltimore is just fine. I live there, my stuff is there-- so is my cat. I come and go. Great friends. It's never limiting-- just every couple of months I want to run screaming into the desert.