Devotion

Devotion is the second studio album by American dream pop duo Beach House. It was released on February 26, 2008, by Carpark Records in North America, Bella Union in Europe, and Mistletone Records in Australia. Written in the early months of 2007, it was recorded at Lord Baltimore Recording Studio within two months. The album was released to mostly positive reviews from music critics and is their first album to enter the Billboard 200 chart, debuting at number 195, selling roughly 3,000 copies upon its release. As of April 2012 Devotion has sold 49,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen Soundscan. Regarding the album's title, lead vocalist and keyboardist Victoria Legrand reflected ten years after the album's release: "We called it Devotion for a reason. That was part of the story, and it’s part of our union. It felt like we were chasing something together. Two dreamers, together in a dreamworld." Composition Drowned in Sound said the album has "the sound of atrophied romance, obscure regrets and flickering confetti set to a shoegaze siren call that brought to mind the likes of Mazzy Star and Slowdive whilst gently asserting a hushed authority all of its own," further stating that the "funereal organ and sparse, chintzy beats remain, but the sound is more fleshed-out and vivid with harpsichord and lushly textured keys, Alex Scally's slide guitar in particular more languidly expressive than ever." Slant Magazine stated the duo are "the Gillian Welch and David Rawlings of folktronica, dream pop, or whatever", adding that the album is "mostly quiet strumming, jangling percussion, and busy, elegiac keyboards." According to AllMusic, "You Came to Me" is a "stunner, melding dark chamber pop ambience with lyrics that feel like they came from a surreal '70s AM radio hit." "Heart of Chambers" is "downright soulful, with Legrand's keening voice and swelling organs giving it a truly devotional cast". "Some Things Last a Long Time" is an "aptly torchy, country-tinged ballad about carrying a torch for someone". It is a cover of the Daniel Johnston song from his eleventh studio album, 1990. "Astronaut" "pines for a crush to be requited, filtering the innocence and drama of girl group pop through the band's gauzy approach."