maybe i'm missing something because while they didn't reinvent their sound, they've managed to combine everything they had accomplished on their debut album with a heavier emphases on more beat/club orientated vibes and progression. there are easily at least two club bangars on this album, which is a lot considering the last one had none outside of a plethora of remixes. while it's not a huge departure (though who really wanted one?), it is a natural progression for a band with such a singular sound which was fully realized in a fucking debut album made by a bunch of kids who were barely 18. Beach House on the other hand literally created the same album as they previously did with Bloom, with even its closing track being nearly identical in structure to the one used in Teen Dream. but both artist do what they do exceptionally well, so who the fuck cares? if every band could redefine themselves, then we'd have more Kid A's.
with all that said, i do find that the album runs out of steam near the last three to four songs. it's just not as nicely packaged as their s/t, which was killer from the beginning to the very end. it does have a couple of absolutely amazing cuts which are better than anything they had previously released.
