Baltimore-based Beach House is about to embark on its first-ever headlining tour of Canada, venturing to places like Nelson, British Columbia, and Fredericton, New Brunswick -- places that don't see a lot of high-profile indie-rock tours. But before going into Canuck country, the whole thing kicks off in Anchorage, with the duo launching its Northern Exposure tour at the Bear Tooth on Thursday.
The band got its start 10 years ago, weaving moody, folk-inspired dream-pop that's powered by Victoria Legrand's smoky alto vocals. Across four albums, the pair have mined minimalist arrangements that place a high premium on atmosphere and tone -- guitars plucked through a wash of reverb, bathed in organ swells and dressed with synth-y flourishes, sometimes with a sparsely programmed drum machine keeping time (the duo tours with a drummer, though).
Aside from that last ingredient, it's a recipe mostly lifted from Mazzy Star (remember "Fade Into You"?), and it's one that helped make 2010's "Teen Dream," the band's first for the iconic Sub Pop record label, something of a 21st century indie-rock touchstone.
The band's most recent album, 2012's "Bloom," doubles down on that gauzy, quasi-ambient approach, with even greater attention paid to subtlety and nuance. Rather than focus on immediate hooks, Beach House lets the textures and layers slowly fill the room like a fog machine.
That's not to say that melodies and choruses are in short supply, but this is not a sound that necessarily commands attention. It's one that demands a fair bit of engagement on the part of the listener, but it's a pretty good return on investment.
Beach House
When: Doors at 7 p.m., opener at 8 p.m., Beach House at 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18
Where: Bear Tooth Theatrepub
How much: $28 general admission at beartooththeatre.net
21 and over