Dreamy duo to grace Bloomington stage

Attendees of last year’s Culture Shock might recognize the dream pop duo Beach House when they grace the stage at the John Waldron Arts Center on Wednesday.

Comprised of Victoria Legrand (vocals, organ) and Alex Scally (guitar), Beach House formed in 2005 in Baltimore. The band is known for its proclivity for creating ethereal music and has been compared to bands such as Slowdive and Galaxie 500.

“Beach House’s music is gentle and serene, beautifully moody, dreamy and romantic,” freshman Janelle Lim said. “It’s best listened to with the lights turned low. It has a hypnotic and transcendental effect.”

Besides producing music that is opiate and seductive, the duo has released two albums, which have been heralded by publications such as Pop Matters and Filter magazine.

A Pop Matters review said the group brought to mind images of different seasons.
“Beach House’s eponymous debut’s titular waterfront property sounds like it is situated in New England, where locals associate the beach with dreary cold as much as summer sun,” said the February 2008 review. “Listening to the album sounds more like a trip to the family beach house in late fall, maybe to winterize the old place.”

When Beach House isn’t busy making music, they are still working day jobs to pay the bills. Legrand works as a waitress and a bartender, and Scally works as a carpenter.

The group has toured all over the world alongside well-known indie acts such as Grizzly Bear, who will come to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater this June, and The Clientele.

In 2006, they played Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival.

The band is currently playing a fairly small stint of shows, which started in their hometown of Baltimore and will culminate at the Green Man Festival in the United Kingdom.