DELTRON 3030 RECOMMENDED: Beach House – Teen Dream
“Dru Hill, Jimmy’s Chicken Shack, Dan Deacon, Animal Collective”
Those were my answers when someone last week asked me to name famous bands to have come from Baltimore. A pretty sad sampling that got even worse after I referenced Wikipedia and learned that everyone’s least favorite pop punk twins, The Madden Brothers of Good Charlotte, are Baltimorons too. An odd topic of conversation but I felt the need to share because I was surprised by the dearth of music that the city has produced. Murders, yes. Kick ass bands, not so much. Honestly if not for Dan Deacon and Animal Collective we’d be looking at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack as the city’s musical treasure. The question they raised on their brain rotting one hit wonder is a good one for Baltimore:
Clearly the answer isn’t “Churn out tons of respectable bands”
Baltimore your music scene* is for shit….and Cal Ripken was a selfish bastard, but at least you gave us the gritty streets of “The Wire”…and the woozy dream pop of “Beach House”. Yep, they’re from Baltimore too. Who knew!?
Beach House is the perfect name for this band as it accurately conveys the sound that they present. A cozy warmth washes over their music like a lazy weekend @ Long Beach Island….far far far away from the mooks of the real Jersey Shore. Beach House is a welcome addition to the softer side of the itunes library. ….I just wish they chose a different title for the album. Typing “Teen Dream” just feels immensely wrong…but not as wrong as when I did a Google image search for the “Teen Dream” album cover.
People, think before you search…or make sure you have the safe search toggled on.
Highlights: “Norway,” “Walk In The Park,”
*As it turns out Frank Zappa was also from Baltimore, but screw it I’m sticking to my guns . As great as “Joe’s Garage” is Frank Zappa gets canceled out for bringing Dweezil and Ahmed Zappa into the world.