Beach House, TV On The Radio, and Fcukers

French-born vocalist and organist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally met amidst the buzz of Baltimore’s indie rock community in 2004. The pair soon formed Beach House and began crafting their combinations of drone-like organ sounds, electronic drums, tremolo-induced guitar, and soaring, dreamy vocals. Beach House issued their debut single “Apple Orchard” in August 2006, earning a feature from reputable music critic Pitchfork. The band’s self-titled full-length arrived in October that year, receiving critical acclaim from a host of sources and making a number of year-end best-of lists.

The duo’s sophomore album “Devotion”, issued by Carpark Records, was released in February 2008. Led by the single “Gila”, the album once again generated a stream of positive reviews, and charted at No. 195 on the Billboard 200. Following the release and subsequent worldwide tour, Beach House recorded a version of Queen’s “Play the Game” in aid of the Red Hot Organisation’s “Dark Was The Night” compilation. Legrand went on to provide backing vocals on fellow indie-rockers Grizzly Bear’s hit single “Two Weeks”, before contributing the song “Slow Life” to the “Twilight: New Moon” soundtrack.

Often dubbed as their breakthrough album, the band’s third full-length “Teen Dream” took the indie blogosphere by storm upon release. The record represents a sound honed in on, crafted, and long considered, melancholic melodies floating alongside half-speed percussion and clean guitars notes. Produced by the esteemed Chris Coady, the album exposed Beach House to a huge audience, aided by the singles “Zebra”, “Used to Be” and “Take Care”.

Ahead of their fourth studio album the duo released the single “Myth” on their new label Sub Pop Records in March 2012. A second single “Lazuli” followed in April, before the full-length “Bloom” was issued in May. The album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, a remarkable feat for an independent band, and was greeted with critical acclaim. Without divagating too far away from their ethereal sway, the record builds upon their earlier releases, adding weight and an experimental edge to their distinguished and polished sound.

The band can be quite easily considered to be a modern day “bands band”. They stand apart from many other artists deserving of that curious accolade like Big Star, The Replacements and The Velvet Underground however. This is because TV On The Radio have always managed to balance their respect from critics and peers alike with consistent commercial success. With music as thrillingly weird and defiantly unique as theirs, that’s something to be very, very proud of indeed.

Since “OK Calculator”, the 2002 demo release from Sitek and Adebimpe, the band has recorded and performed with other artists who’ve conquered the music world on their own terms just as much as they have. Fellow mavericks like Trent Reznor, Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame, Bauhaus singer Peter Murphy and David chuffing Bowie have all worked with the NYC art rockers and their stock is only getting bigger with time.

Albums like September 2008’s “Dear Science” and its follow up, April 2011’s “Nine Types of Light” have seen them go from strength to strength commercially but that’s not to say it’s been plain sailing for them. Their bass player Gerard Smith tragically past away the same month that “Nine Types of Light” was released, and any lesser band would have folded as a result, but TV On The Radio are no lesser band.

November 2014 sees the release of their new album “Seeds” and it promises to be an expression of everything this band has been through in the last three years and more. They’re influential, in their prime and not going away any time soon. They’re TV On The Radio, and they’re one of the most important bands of this generation.