Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
Kitsune
August 31, 2012

First off, don’t you dare listen to this record until you’ve heard their excellent debut, Tourist History, which was my favorite record of 2010.  It’s indie, it’s kind of dancy, the guitars shimmer and jitter all the way though….and you won’t find a more fantastic set of songs.  It’s one of my favorite records to go on a run to.  I lose myself it in.  You will too, and you can thank me later.  But, back to the current topic:  Beacon.

We have a few misses here and there, and it’s certainly a more polished sound with all those added synthesizers, which means only one thing:  a bigger studio budget, and pressure from a record company to make the thing as commercial as possible.  “Keep the beat steady and learn hard on the hi-hat so we can be sure to have a Diplo remix of your most popular song!”  It makes me nervous for their third output and whatever it may bring, but their second outing still packs some winners.  Second single Sun carries the album’s best dirty riff, and boasts a chorus with a horn section that screams to be on the radio.  The World Is Watching brings in a female vocal that makes me yearn for this girl, even thought I have no clue who she is.  It has a beautiful, alluring, haunting tone.

Overall, the record is simple:  it’s indie rock with some electronic elements that get the body moving.  You certainly couldn’t stand still at one of their shows.

6/10

If you had to listen to two tracks:  Sun / The World Is Watching