Beach House Live at Kings Theatre, 2018. Credit @Pitchfork.
I’ve been on a quest to explore different shoegaze bands, and recently Beach House caught my attention. Intrigued, I decided to delve into their 2012 album, Bloom, and the opening track ‘Myth’ hit me like a sonic explosion! It has become one of my favorite songs in 2023, captivating me with its sheer brilliance. The way Beach House constructs mesmerizing soundscapes with their walls of noise is truly extraordinary.
Bloom, 2012. Credit @Wikipedia
The Dream Wall
The guitar intro instantly transports us into a captivating dreamscape. (While there are keyboards in the mix, they seamlessly intertwine with the guitar notes, almost imperceptible at first.) The quality and texture of the guitar are astonishingly brilliant, and the distortions they’ve created remain a mystery to me. The simplicity of the picking and strumming patterns, combined with subtle yet progressive note changes, gradually plunge us into an emotional canyon. While it exudes a strong post-rock vibe, it retains an ethereal and drifting quality.
The guitar’s sonic landscape effectively constructs a formidable wall, shielding us from reality and unveiling the profound inner world of our emotions—a technique reminiscent of JAMC, My Bloody Valentine, and other shoegaze bands’ noise walls. During some live performances, I noticed the guitarist employing a slide after the final verse, providing some even smoother and more enigmatic note transitions, which makes the feelings more ambiguous and breathtakingly beautiful!
Now, let’s delve into Victoria Legrand’s vocals! Her performance is no easy feat. The pitch reaches impressive heights, but she flawlessly captures the song’s drifting and uncertain essence. Even in the demanding high-pitched sections, particularly in the studio version, she delivers with remarkable finesse. During live shows, while replicating the perfect high pitch may prove challenging, she still delivers an overall captivating performance, especially considering her simultaneous keyboard duties.
Myth
The title itself is intriguing. “Myth” goes beyond conventional terms like “wall,” “dream,” or “narrative” to encapsulate the concept of the stories we construct during challenging times and relationships.
The lyrics, though heavily coded, offer glimpses into this idea. Deciphering a song that delves into our inner world of emotions with words alone is impossible, so this interpretation is purely my own.
Consider these lines:
“It came rolling down your cheek,
you say just what you mean,
and in between,
it’s never quite as it seems.
Help me to name it, help me to name it.”
They could represent the gap between our emotions (symbolized by tears rolling down) and the words we express. The relationship between the two is never as straightforward as it appears. At times, we yearn for answers and seek to give a name to our experiences.
The most intriguing snippet, in my opinion, is:
“Found yourself in a new direction,
arrows falling from the sun,
canyon calling,
would they come to greet you,
let you know you’re not the only one.”
This serves as a bridge between two parts: the anguish of past emotional hardships, where we construct our own myth, and the subsequent attempt to move on from what’s dead and gone. Here, we encounter references to actual mythological symbols: arrows falling from the sun and canyon calling.
Regarding “arrows falling from the sun,” I discovered some interesting possibilities. According to my research, Sagittarius, a zodiac sign, features a symbol of a sun with three upward-pointing arrows, representing the pursuit of knowledge. The association with discovery, adventure, and expansion aligns with the lyrics.
Previously, we were adrift and uncertain:
“Drifting in and out,
you see the road you’re on.”
Now, we embark on a new path, pursuing knowledge and seeking answers—whether about the universe’s ultimate truth or our own identities. Our journey is an unending quest, chasing the sun, the epitome of reality.
As for “canyon calling,” the canyon represents mysticism and spirituality, contrasting the sun’s realm. Our emotions beckon and draw near, but we are not alone. Within the deep and awe-inspiring canyon lie countless unique forms of melancholy.
It’s worth noting that during this bridge section, the guitar adopts clear picking notes, and the vocal tone becomes lighter, signifying hope and possibilities.
In essence, “myth” encompasses not just tales and symbols, but also the profound emotions that connect humanity across generations. Mythology reflects stories of gods, nature, stars, and, most importantly, ourselves. It’s the intertwining of narratives and emotions that binds us throughout history, transcending time and making each of us uniquely beautiful.
Closure
“Can’t keep hangin’ on,
to what is dead and gone.
If you built yourself a myth,
you’d know just what to give.
Materialize,
or let the ashes fly.”
The concluding lines shed light on the source of sadness, which stems from something that has already passed. We have the power to construct a persona and live a life shaped by that narrative. However, the choice lies with us: do we bring this persona to life, or do we release the remnants of emotions and embrace the future?
In all, this song may seem confined within its atmospheric realm, but it possesses tremendous depth and complexity. It is truly a masterpiece! Additionally, I saw on Youtube their live performance at Kings Theatre in 2018, and it stands as one of the most awe-inspiring shows I have ever seen.