Music Review: Beach House - Devotion (2008)

To be honest, the record sounded a tad boring upon first listen. Then, a reverse of events after a few listens occurred, proving once again that good music sometimes need extra observation and time investment to be appreciated.

An essential component of this record is a special moment of every song, which can transform seemingly ordinary songs into good ones. "All the Years" has Victoria Legrand's heartfelt vocals resonating 'of all the years to come...' with 'All my devotion/Compelled by an ocean (emotion)' further proclaiming her undying love for something or someone, continuing from where she left off in Beach House's "Saltwater".

Hawaiian guitar riffs and licks often soak Devotion, giving it a sunnier overall mood than in their previous record. Legrand's vocals usually pull back the songs into sombre mode. However, her voice sounds more convincing this time around, albeit still achingly heartbreaking in even her happier tunes.

The delicate and Asian-sounding guitar riff in "Some Things Last a Long Time" backed by effective gong beats is rather addictive. And please do check out the effect of backward-like guitar towards the end of "Wedding Bell". The songstress also dishes out 'Oh, is your heart still mine to sail?' in that track.

"Gila" (pronounced as 'hila') is Devotion's answer to "Master of None". The other half of Beach House, Alex Scally, also contributed many amazing yet simple guitar leads for Devotion. Both he and Legrand still have twin haunting effects on listeners.

Suffice to say, this record's hidden melodies, sweet guitar, organ and slightly upbeat sounding vocals add new dimension to their transalvanian sound. Keep those haunting and seemingly heavy tambourines rattling for a dark Christmas, BH.

80%

Fleet Foxes (2008)

The fleet foxes might look like hippies but make no mistake about it, they are quite the opposite. Fleet Foxes's self titled debut is a journey into bewilderment filled with lush instruments and strong vocal harmonization that makes it sounds earthy yet like nothing you have heard before. The album start with "Red Squirrel" a late night bonfire singalong type tune with leads into the gorgeous "Sun it Rises" a track that pretty much kicks off the album much like the rising of the sun replacing the pale moon light. The album then flows smoothly onto the catchy "White Winter Hymnal". The momentum of the album stays constantly strong throughout with beach boys inspired accapella's to the huge megaton choruses of "Your Protector", but there are still surprises for the second last track of the album is what makes the foxes a band to watch. "Blue Ridge Mountain" is a like a trip back home, when you've been away far too long and all kinds of emotions hit you all at once. The album ends with a somber "Oliver James" which actually sounds more desolate that it actually is partly because of "Blue Ridge Mountains". Proving that sometimes the journey is much more precious than the destination itself.

Fleet foxes is an instant american classic, which reminds us that inspiring music can come from anywhere and sometimes its closer to our earthlier roots than you will ever imagine. This year with the bear and the monkeys in hiatus, this surely must be the year of the fox.