Disappointed Glances + the Surprise Beach House Album

by Joshua B. Hoe I have probably listened to Depression Cherry 100 times already...I really love it...Who knew I would ever love an album with an organ at the center of the music.

Depression Cherry was only released like two months ago.

But last week, Beach House notified the world that an entirely new album (Thank Your Lucky Stars - I assume it will be on Sub Pop too), and not an album of Depression Cherry outtakes, would be released October 16th.

What?

Christmas comes early.

If it turns out to be 2/3ds the album of Depression Cherry, I might just doff my cap and just surrender to Beach House….Officially declare 2015 the Beach House Annus Mirabilis.

The Look of Shame

Not too long ago, I went to a local noodle house called "The Slurping Turtle"…

I had a duck ramen bowl.

I thought it was delicious...I commented on it to several of my Asian friends who all looked at me with caring embarrassment (or outright disdain)...Well, you could also see a bit of shame (as in, why did we pick this white friend out of all the white friends in the world).

Even though I had this discussion with several different Asian friends (from different Asian ethnicities and cultures) this look they gave me was universal….

I guess I just have to admit I know nothing about good Ramen…

Or maybe, that even if the Slurping Turtle’s ramen was dumbed-down for white palettes (which is the vibe I got from my friends) it was still pretty darn yummy.

I kind of used to treat my friends who liked Beach House a bit like my Asian friends treated me about Ramen.

I had always looked at them as kind of derivative...and I never thought Victoria Legrand’s (Beach House) voice was as good as say Elizabeth Fraser’s (Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil)...

But lately, I am starting to realize they are much more than the Slurping Turtle of chillwave (or whatever official genre label attaches to these things now).

If you have not listened to them, I would highly recommend Beach House.

The Irrational Harry Potter Hater

Many, many, years ago, my Sister gave me the first Harry Potter book as a Christmas gift.

I actually gave her shit about it...I asked why she thought I would like “a kid’s book.”

For at least two years, I never touched it.

Then one day, when I was out of things to read..and knowing nobody would see that I had read it...I cracked it open.

Let’s just say that I became one of the idiots that would pre-order the new Harry Potter books in advance (from Goblet of Fire on), so I would get them on the very first day of release.

Sorry Sis! (and Happy Birthday)

That was also how I was about Beach House, no matter how many people told me they were great...I would always give them the same “you have got to be kidding me” look and just shake my head...Just like giving my sister shit for sharing the world of Harry Potter with me.

Arghhhh…..Pride goeth before my Fall…

I might really just be admitting that I am an idiot (no surprise).

I am actually trying to address my inner-snob...my perpetual cynic...my ever present critic…

I had to force myself to listen to Depression Cherry, and fell in love with it...and went back and listened to the earlier albums...and realized I had been wrong. Sometimes, there just has to be one crack in the facade.

Consider this an apology to all my friends that I gave the Gas Face when they talked about Beach House in the past.

To be a bit less judgemental (and I will freely admit that I tend to listen to every new album for a few minutes and make a snap-judgement before really listening to any of them deeply...there are just too many albums released in a day, week, or month to not curate them down).

Anyway, I am going back through my entire list of albums I thought were interesting this year one-by-one (and the list is already like five pages single spaced) to give them a fairer listening.

Ahhh the wonders of discovery (yes I know discovery is violent Jeff Goldblum).

And, of course, I am looking forward to what I hope will be a great second Beach House album of 2015.

Oh, one other thing...on the subject of new stuff...In case people missed it, the prequels (The Adventures of Dunk and Egg) to the Song of Fire and Ice books (Game of Thrones) were released last week in one volume for the first time (A Knight of the Realm)...If you are a GOT person, and did not have the prequels, check your bookstore.

Are you surprised about the new Beach House album? Have you shunned music or books you later found enjoyable? Let me know, leave a comment!