Depression Cherry
{{use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Depression Cherry
| type = studio
| artist = Beach House
| cover = Beach House - Depression Cherry.png
| released = {{Start date|2015|8|28}}
| recorded = November 2014 – January 2015
| studio = Studio in the Country
(Bogalusa, Louisiana)
| genre = Dream pop
| length = 44:45
| label = Sub Pop
| producer = {{hlist|Beach House|Chris Coady}}
| prev_title = Bloom
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = Thank Your Lucky Stars
| next_year = 2015
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Depression Cherry
| type = studio
| single1 = Sparks
| single1date = July 1, 2015
| single2 = PPP
| single2date = August 6, 2015
| single3 = Beyond Love
| single3date = August 6, 2015
}}
}}
Depression Cherry is the fifth studio album by the American dream pop duo Beach House. It was released on August 28, 2015, through Sub Pop in the United States, Bella Union in Europe, Mistletone Records in Australia, Hostess Entertainment in Japan and Arts & Crafts in Mexico. The album was arranged entirely by the duo, while also co-producing the album alongside Chris Coady.
Reacting to their dissatisfaction with using live drums on tour to play songs from their previous album, Bloom (2012), Beach House returned to a simpler style of dream pop arrangements for Depression Cherry, relying on less usage of live drums and instead constructing around drum machine rhythms, similar to the musical styles of their first two studio albums. The duo began thinking of musical ideas in 2012 and began writing songs from the album between autumn of 2013 and 2014. The entire album was recorded at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana, from November 2014 to January 2015.
To promote Depression Cherry, "Sparks" was released as the album's lead single on July 1, 2015, with "PPP" and "Beyond Love" being released as the second and third singles on August 6, 2015. It was further supported with a concert tour from August to December 2015. Upon release, the album received mostly positive reviews from critics, who likened the musical approach to the band's first two studio albums. It debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, with 27,000 copies sold. Less than two months after releasing Depression Cherry, Beach House followed it up with their sixth album, Thank Your Lucky Stars.
Background
On May 15, 2012, Beach House released their fourth studio album Bloom, which was supported by its successful lead single "Myth".{{cite web |last=Pelly |first=Jenn |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/45684-beach-house-confirm-new-album-tour/ |title=Beach House Confirm New Album, Tour |website=Pitchfork |date=March 8, 2012 |access-date=March 20, 2025 |archive-date=July 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722041204/https://pitchfork.com/news/45684-beach-house-confirm-new-album-tour/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Colletti |first=Justin |url=http://www.sonicscoop.com/2012/05/17/behind-the-release-beach-house-bloom/ |title=Behind The Release: Beach House Bloom |date=May 17, 2012 |access-date=May 17, 2012 |publisher=SonicScoop |archive-date=May 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523172059/http://www.sonicscoop.com/2012/05/17/behind-the-release-beach-house-bloom/ |url-status=live }} The album attained critical praise from several publications,{{cite magazine|last=Souza|first=Gabriella|url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/new-album-tour-in-store-for-beach-house/|title=New Album, Tour In Store For Beach House|quote=This is Beach House’s fifth album and their previous release Bloom received plenty of praise when it debuted in 2012.|date=May 29, 2015|accessdate=March 20, 2025|magazine=Baltimore}} additionally being named one of the best albums of 2012, and commercial success, debuting at number seven on the US Billboard 200 with 41,000 copies sold.{{cite magazine |last=Caulfield |first=Keith |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/487010/adam-lambert-snags-first-no-1-album-on-billboard-200-chart |title=Adam Lambert Snags First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart |date=May 23, 2012 |access-date=May 24, 2012 |magazine=Billboard}} After releasing the album and completing touring for Bloom, the group took a six-month break.{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/2015/08/24/perfect-moments-beach-house-1|title=Perfect Moments: Beach House|work=DIY|first=Danny|last=Wright|date=August 24, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825130653/http://diymag.com/2015/08/24/perfect-moments-beach-house-1|url-status=live}} Uncertain about their future, singer/keyboardist Victoria Legrand said, "I didn't feel creative at all... I just thought well, maybe I'll never have another musical idea."{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/08/beach-houses-victoria-legrand-on-minimalism-commer-1.html|title=Beach House's Victoria Legrand on Minimalism, Commercialism and Depression Cherry|work=Paste|first=Jonathan|last=Dick|date=August 25, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829182832/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/08/beach-houses-victoria-legrand-on-minimalism-commer-1.html|url-status=live}}
She added, "I just personally felt I needed a couple of months of just not doing anything, I didn't have thoughts." Legrand found herself frustrated and limited creatively by the presence of a live drum set on tour to play Bloom{{'}}s songs because of "the noise it creates and how much space it fills". Guitarist Alex Scally concurred, saying, "There was a transparent feeling, [the songs] didn't feel as nuanced." On May 26, 2015, the band announced their fifth studio album, Depression Cherry, additionally revealing its tracklist and album artwork.{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/05/beach-house-depression-cherry-tour-dates/|title=Beach House Announce New Album, 'Depression Cherry'|work=Spin|first=Rachel|last=Brodsky|date=May 26, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=November 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123160643/http://www.spin.com/2015/05/beach-house-depression-cherry-tour-dates/|url-status=live}}
Recording and production
File:Studio in the Country outside.jpg. (pictured)]]
Though some of Depression Cherry{{'}}s musical ideas originated in 2012, Beach House wrote the majority of the record between the autumn of 2013 and 2014; "10:37" was one of the first songs to be written during this period.{{cite web|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/hear_the_universe/|title=Beach House: Hear the Universe Interview|work=Under the Radar|first=Matt|last=Fink|date=August 28, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830080634/http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/hear_the_universe|url-status=live}} The album was recorded at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana over two months,{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/profiles/9694-all-the-feels-beach-houses-intangible-truth/|title=All the Feels: Beach House's Intangible Truth|work=Pitchfork Media|first=Julian|last=Mapes|date=July 30, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824194823/http://pitchfork.com/features/profiles/9694-all-the-feels-beach-houses-intangible-truth/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/deeper-connection-beach-house|title=Deeper Connection: Beach House|work=Clash|first=Gemma|last=Hampson|date=August 25, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826232748/http://www.clashmusic.com/features/deeper-connection-beach-house|url-status=live}} from November 2014 to January 2015.{{cite web|last=Case|first=Wesley|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/midnight-sun-blog/bal-beach-house-to-release-new-album-depression-cherry-august-story.html|title=Beach House to release new album, 'Depression Cherry,' in August|work=The Baltimore Sun|publisher=Tribune Publishing|date=May 26, 2015|accessdate=May 28, 2015|archive-date=May 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528220621/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/midnight-sun-blog/bal-beach-house-to-release-new-album-depression-cherry-august-story.html|url-status=live}} It was co-produced by Chris Coady, who worked on the band's previous two records, Teen Dream (2010) and Bloom.{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/08/22/beach-house-stays-true-its-vision/o0NQ7Lv2pqlkhaxrsg7mEM/story.html|title=Beach House stays true to its vision|work=The Boston Globe|first=James|last=Reed|date=August 22, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=August 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826210642/http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/08/22/beach-house-stays-true-its-vision/o0NQ7Lv2pqlkhaxrsg7mEM/story.html|url-status=live}} Prior to joining the band in the studio, they sent him phone recordings of some of their in-progress songs.
For the recording of "Sparks", the band used a keyboard that they bought in Texas during the recording sessions for Bloom.{{Cite web|last=Vain|first=Madison|title=Beach House new single 'Sparks'|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/07/02/beach-house-new-single-sparks/|date=July 2, 2015|access-date=March 20, 2025|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}} Additionally, the song contains a running vocal loop that was "accidentally" captured at a soundcheck in Bristol, England.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2015/07/01/418896007/hear-sparks-a-new-song-by-beach-house |title=Hear 'Sparks,' A New Song By Beach House : All Songs Considered|date=July 1, 2015 |access-date=November 5, 2023
|last=Boilen|first=Bob|magazine=NPR}} For the song "Days of Candy", they hired eight singers from Pearl River Community College to create a 24-part choir. After completing that song and "Levitation", the band knew they had the album's closing and opening tracks, respectively, and considered the record completed. The album was mixed at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, except "Beyond Love", which was mixed at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas.
Musical style
According to the band, Depression Cherry is a return to the simpler style of dream pop from their first two albums, stating in a press release on the Sub Pop website, that "live drums play [...] a far lesser role" and that within the album, they "continue to let ourselves evolve while fully ignoring the commercial context in which we exist".{{cite web|url=https://www.subpop.com/releases/beach_house/depression_cherry|title=Depression Cherry by Beach House on Sub Pop Records|publisher=Sub Pop|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905080039/https://www.subpop.com/releases/beach_house/depression_cherry|url-status=live}} Kevin Warwick of The A.V. Club commented that several tracks from the album are "constructed on rudimentary programmed rhythms as opposed to live studio drumming". Tim Jonze of The Guardian also stated that the album "lacks the bigger pop moments of their last two albums, Bloom and Teen Dream", due to a lack of live drums, though he considered that the band "increase their impressive ability" with this musical approach. The album also relies on organ chords and slide guitar licks.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/the-shortlist-album-reviews-august-28-20150826-gj4o4w.html|title=The Shortlist album reviews, August 28|date=August 28, 2015|access-date=May 7, 2025|last=Carew|first=Anthony|magazine=The Sydney Morning Herald}}
The album's opener, "Levitation", begins with a "high-F♯ drone" which crossfades into a "lovely saturated D chord", as well as a "tap-tapping electronic rhythm", with the song itself being said to succeed the 2012 track "Irene", featured on the band's previous album Bloom.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/beach-house/beach-house-depression-cherry-review|title=Beach House: Depression Cherry|first=Eric|last=R. Danton|date=August 26, 2015|access-date=May 7, 2025|magazine=Paste}} It then progresses onto the following track, "Sparks", which begins with a vocal loop played at the start.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/17554-beach-house-sparks/|title=Beach House: "Sparks" Track Review|date=July 2, 2015|access-date=November 5, 2023|last=Torres|first=Eric|website=Pitchfork}} The loop is then interrupted by a distorted guitar, thus being described as a shoegaze track.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.factmag.com/2015/07/16/beach-house-interview-depression-cherry/|title=In Bloom: Beach House on familiarity, fate and Depression Cherry|date=July 16, 2015|access-date=September 27, 2024|last=Ravens|first=Chal|magazine=Fact}} Throughout the entire song, a distorted organ and percussion are also used.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/beach-house-sparks-depression-cherry-new-song-album-victoria-legrand-6619968/|title=Beach House Shares 'Sparks', First Single From 'Depression Cherry' Album|date=July 2, 2015|access-date=September 27, 2024|last=Payne|first=Chris|magazine=Billboard}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://diymag.com/feature/tracks-beach-house-crystal-castles-more|title=In Bloom: Beach House on familiarity, fate and Depression Cherry|date=July 3, 2015|access-date=September 27, 2024|last=Hunt|first=El|magazine=DIY}} Transitioning onto the third track, "Space Song", it opens with an organ sound and leaps into a sliding guitar and an "8-bit keyboard" arpeggio which run throughout the entire track.{{cite web|url=https://drownedinsound.com/releases/18974/reviews/4149315|title=Album Review: Beach House - Depression Cherry|first=Derek|last=Robertson|date=August 28, 2015|access-date=May 7, 2025|work=Drowned in Sound}} "Beyond Love", its fourth track, features a slide guitar and accompanying drum machine rhythms.{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2015/08/album-review-beach-house-depression-cherry/|title=Album Review: Beach House - Depression Cherry|first=Philip|last=Cosores|date=August 19, 2015|access-date=May 7, 2025|work=Consequence}}
Promotion and release
File:Beach House Pabst Theatre Milwaukee, WI (21441826968).jpg in September 2015.]]
On May 26, 2015, Beach House announced Depression Cherry along with tour dates supporting the album. Vinyl and compact disc copies of the album feature a cover lined with red velvet. A limited edition "Loser Edition" of the album was released on clear vinyl record.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/57120-beach-house-announce-new-album-depression-cherry-and-world-tour/|title=Beach House Announce New Album Depression Cherry and World Tour|work=Pitchfork Media|first=Amy|last=Phillips|date=May 26, 2015|accessdate=August 29, 2015|archive-date=August 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831175028/http://pitchfork.com/news/57120-beach-house-announce-new-album-depression-cherry-and-world-tour/|url-status=live}} On July 1, 2015, Beach House released the album's lead single, "Sparks", along with its supporting visualizer. On the same day, the band performed the song on SiriusXMU.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1812439/beach-house-sparks/mp3s/|title=Beach House – 'Sparks'|work=Stereogum|publisher=SpinMedia|first=Gabriela Tully|last=Claymore|date=July 1, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905192536/http://www.stereogum.com/1812439/beach-house-sparks/mp3s/|url-status=live}} On August 6 of the same year, "PPP" and "Beyond Love" were released as the album's second and third singles.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/60710-beach-house-preview-depression-cherry-tracks-ppp-and-beyond-love/|title=Beach House Preview Depression Cherry Tracks "PPP" and "Beyond Love"|first=Jeremy|last=Gordon|date=August 6, 2015|access-date=April 30, 2023|website=Pitchfork}} The album's three supporting singles were later published through the band's website and could be accessed through the "Single Finder" feature, which allows one to choose three of their favorite songs from the band's past catalog and depending on their choices, it determines which single would likely be their favorite.{{Cite web|title=Beach House Share 'Beyond Love,' 'PPP' via Website Questionnaire|url=https://www.spin.com/2015/08/beach-house-ppp-sparks-listen/|date=August 10, 2015|access-date=April 30, 2024|last=Brown|first=Harley|magazine=Spin}}{{Cite web|title=Beach House share new songs off 'Depression Cherry' -- if you'll play a game with them|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/08/10/beach-house-share-new-songs-depression-cherry-if-youll-play-game-them/|date=August 10, 2015|access-date=April 30, 2024|last=Vain|first=Madison|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}} On August 19, nine days before the release of Depression Cherry, NPR Music made a stream of the album available online.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/08/19/432022528/first-listen-beach-house-depression-cherry|title=First Listen: Beach House, Depression Cherry|work=NPR Music|publisher=NPR|first=Stephen|last=Thompson|date=August 19, 2015|accessdate=August 20, 2015|archive-date=August 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820035832/http://www.npr.org/2015/08/19/432022528/first-listen-beach-house-depression-cherry|url-status=live}}
The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, with 27,000 copies sold in its first week.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6722609/beach-house-new-album-thank-your-lucky-stars-2015|magazine=Billboard|title=Surprise! Beach House Is Dropping a New Album Next Week|first=Chris|last=Payne|date=October 8, 2015|accessdate=August 10, 2018|archive-date=August 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811002433/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6722609/beach-house-new-album-thank-your-lucky-stars-2015|url-status=live}} It also debuted within the top 20 in eight other countries, which are Belgium's Flanders region (13), Canada (16), Denmark (20), Netherlands (16), Portugal (12), Scotland (18), and the United Kingdom (17). About two months later, on October 7 of the same year, Beach House announced their sixth studio album Thank Your Lucky Stars, which was stated to be a follow-up, but not a companion, to Depression Cherry or a "surprise or B-sides".{{cite web|last=Rettig|first=James|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1835960/do-beach-house-have-a-depression-cherry-companion-album-coming-soon/news/|title=New Beach House Album Thank Your Lucky Stars Out Next Week|date=October 7, 2015|access-date=March 23, 2025|website=Stereogum}}{{cite web|last=Brodsky|first=Rachel|url=https://www.spin.com/2015/10/beach-house-thank-your-lucky-stars-announcement/|title=Beach House Are Already Releasing Another Album, Thank Your Lucky Stars|date=October 7, 2015|access-date=March 23, 2025|magazine=Spin}} The follow-up album was additionally written from July to November 2014 and recorded at the same time as Depression Cherry.{{cite web|last=Gordon|first=Jeremy|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/61531-beach-house-releasing-new-album-thank-your-lucky-stars-next-week/|title=Beach House Releasing New Album Thank Your Lucky Stars Next Week|date=October 7, 2015|access-date=March 23, 2025|website=Pitchfork}} Beginning around 2020, "Space Song", the album's third track, attained virality on TikTok and was later featured in the 2022 Netflix-original television series Wednesday.{{cite web|last=Enis|first=Eli|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2245469/tiktok-has-made-shoegaze-bigger-than-ever/columns/sounding-board/|title=TikTok Has Made Shoegaze Bigger Than Ever|date=December 18, 2023|access-date=March 23, 2025|website=Stereogum}}{{Cite web|last=Gomez|first=Dessi|title=Here Are All the Songs in Netflix's {{'}}Wednesday{{'}}|url=https://www.thewrap.com/here-are-all-the-songs-in-wednesday-netflix-series/|date=November 23, 2022|access-date=March 23, 2025|website=TheWrap|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129211955/https://www.thewrap.com/here-are-all-the-songs-in-wednesday-netflix-series/|archive-date=November 29, 2022|url-status=live}} After its appearance on the series, the song earned over four million streams in the United States by early December 2022.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/wednesday-synchs-drive-streams-sales-cramps-beach-house-more/|title=Wednesday Synchs Drive Streams, Sales for Multiple Songs, Artists|first=Rutherford|last=Kevin|date=December 7, 2022|access-date=March 23, 2025|magazine=Billboard|url-access=subscription}} On April 12, 2023, the song was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for sales of 2,000,000 certified units in the United States, while Depression Cherry was certified gold a month later.
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| MC = 76/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/depression-cherry/beach-house|title=Reviews for Depression Cherry by Beach House|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=October 9, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923165235/http://www.metacritic.com/music/depression-cherry/beach-house|url-status=live}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/depression-cherry-mw0002860587|title=Depression Cherry – Beach House|work=AllMusic|accessdate=August 28, 2015|last=Phares|first=Heather|archive-date=August 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831015938/http://www.allmusic.com/album/depression-cherry-mw0002860587|url-status=live}}
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev2score = A−{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/review/beach-houses-latest-simple-immersive-dream-pop-224115|title=Beach House's latest is simple, immersive dream-pop|work=The A.V. Club|date=August 28, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|last=Warwick|first=Kevin|archive-date=August 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830022507/http://www.avclub.com/review/beach-houses-latest-simple-immersive-dream-pop-224115|url-status=live}}
| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3score = A−{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/28/depression-cherry-by-beach-house-review|title=Depression Cherry by Beach House: EW review|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=August 28, 2015|accessdate=April 29, 2016|last=Brown|first=Eric Renner|archive-date=October 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014095731/http://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/28/depression-cherry-by-beach-house-review|url-status=live}}
| rev4 = The Guardian
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/aug/27/beach-house-depression-cherry-review-the-same-dreampop-but-different|title=Beach House: Depression Cherry review – the same dreampop, but different|work=The Guardian|date=August 27, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|last=Jonze|first=Tim|archive-date=September 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928034506/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/aug/27/beach-house-depression-cherry-review-the-same-dreampop-but-different|url-status=live}}
| rev5 = The Irish Times
| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/beach-house-depression-cherry-album-review-1.2330881|title=Beach House: Depression Cherry {{!}} Album Review|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=August 28, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|last=Clayton-Lea|first=Tony|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042022/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/beach-house-depression-cherry-album-review-1.2330881|url-status=live}}
| rev6 = NME
| rev6score = 5/10{{cite journal|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/beach-house/16219|title=Beach House – 'Depression Cherry'|journal=NME|date=August 19, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|last=Calvert|first=John|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508060002/http://www.nme.com/reviews/beach-house/16219|archivedate=May 8, 2016}}
| rev7 = Pitchfork
| rev7score = 8.4/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20691-depression-cherry/|title=Beach House: Depression Cherry|work=Pitchfork|date=August 18, 2015|accessdate=August 18, 2015|last=Greene|first=Jayson|archive-date=August 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818200528/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20691-depression-cherry/|url-status=live}}
| rev8 = Q
| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite journal|title=Porch Songs|journal=Q|issue=350|date=September 2015|last=Catchpole|first=Chris|page=111}}
| rev9 = Rolling Stone
| rev9score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/beach-house-depression-cherry-20150828|title=Depression Cherry|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=August 28, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|last=Hermes|first=Will|author-link=Will Hermes|archive-date=August 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830010732/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/beach-house-depression-cherry-20150828|url-status=live}}
| rev10 = Spin
| rev10score = 8/10{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/08/review-beach-house-depression-cherry/|title=Review: Beach House Foster Openhearted Ambiguity on 'Depression Cherry'|work=Spin|date=August 25, 2015|accessdate=August 28, 2015|last=Joyce|first=Colin|archive-date=August 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828031625/http://www.spin.com/2015/08/review-beach-house-depression-cherry/|url-status=live}}
}}
Depression Cherry received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 76, based on 34 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.5 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.
Eric Renner Brown of Entertainment Weekly complimented Legrand's vocal structures and the instrumentals within the album, calling them "exquisite". Awarding the album with the "Best New Music" accolade, Jayson Greene of Pitchfork praised the album's instrumentals, classifying them as "ethereal", and concluded that the band had "never sounded exactly this full and soaring before". Tim Jonze of The Guardian stated that the album "lacks the bigger pop moments of their last two albums, Bloom and Teen Dream", although he approves the band's musical approach and stated that the band "increase their impressive ability to sound like they’re whispering each song".
AllMusic's Heather Phares likened the album's musical approach to the band's earlier studio albums and said that it's "a grower that demands and rewards close listening -- especially under headphones". Will Hermes of Rolling Stone called it "A formula that might seem limiting feels instead like it can contain entire worlds". In a mixed review, John Calvert of NME claimed that the album can "becoming increasingly uninteresting", though he further stated that "the duo stick closely to their signature steady pacing and two-piece dynamic, with diminishing returns".
=Accolades=
Depression Cherry was named as one of the best albums of 2015 by several music publications, including Blare Magazine, Diffuser.fm, and Under the Radar, who placed it in their top 10, while other publications such as No Ripcord, Paste, Pretty Much Amazing, and Sputnikmusic have placed it in their top 20.
Track listing
All lyrics written by Victoria Legrand; all music composed and arranged by Beach House.
{{Track listing
| total_length = 44:44
| title1 = Levitation
| length1 = 5:54
| title2 = Sparks
| length2 = 5:20
| title3 = Space Song
| length3 = 5:20
| title4 = Beyond Love
| length4 = 4:24
| title5 = 10:37
| length5 = 3:48
| title6 = PPP
| length6 = 6:08
| title7 = Wildflower
| length7 = 3:38
| title8 = Bluebird
| length8 = 3:56
| title9 = Days of Candy
| length9 = 6:16
}}
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Depression Cherry.{{cite AV media notes |title=Depression Cherry |type=CD liner notes |publisher=Sub Pop |year=2015 |id=SP1122}}
Beach House
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Additional musicians
- Graham Hill – live drums and percussion on all tracks except "Sparks" and "PPP"
- Chris Bear – live drums on "Sparks" and "PPP"
- Voice/choir majors at Pearl River Community College – vocal chorus on "Days of Candy"
- Lane Stewart
- Lydia Howard
- Lindsey Strahan
- Mallory Cumberland
- Ethan Martin
- Jacob Cochran
- LaDona Tyson – organization
- Archie Rawls – organization
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Production
- Beach House – production, mixing
- Chris Coady – production, mixing on all tracks except "Beyond Love"
- David Tolomei – engineering
- Jay Wesley – assistant engineering
- Shane Wesley – "all around dude"
- Morgan Stratton – assistant engineering
- Manuel Calderon – mixing on "Beyond Love"
- Greg Calbi – mastering
Artwork
- Brian Roettinger – design
- Beach House – photography
{{col-end}}
Charts
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=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2015)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Australia|34|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 5, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Flanders|13|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|refname="Flanders"|accessdate=September 4, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Wallonia|35|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|16|artist=Beach House|rowheader=true|refname="Canada"|accessdate=March 23, 2025}} |
| {{album chart|Denmark|20|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|refname="Denmark"|accessdate=September 10, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Netherlands|16|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|refname="Netherlands"|accessdate=September 4, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|France|30|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 7, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|81|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|id=280151|rowheader=true|accessdate=December 10, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Ireland2|27|artist=Beach House|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 26, 2020}} |
| {{album chart|IrelandIndependent|3|year=2015|week=36|accessdate=December 10, 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| {{album chart|Portugal|12|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|refname="Portugal"|accessdate=September 10, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Scotland|18|date=20150904|rowheader=true|refname="Scotland"|access-date=June 20, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Spain|37|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|accessdate=December 10, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Sweden|24|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 4, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|58|artist=Beach House|album=Depression Cherry|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 9, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|17|date=20150904|rowheader=true|refname="UK"|accessdate=September 4, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|UKIndependent|2|date=20150904|rowheader=true|accessdate=December 10, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|8|artist=Beach House|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 9, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|1|artist=Beach House|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 9, 2015}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardAlternative|2|artist=Beach House|rowheader=true|access-date=March 27, 2025}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRock|1|artist=Beach House|rowheader=true|accessdate=September 9, 2015}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2015)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Independent Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/independent-albums |title=Independent Albums: Year End 2015 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |accessdate=December 10, 2015 |archive-date=December 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151215033418/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/independent-albums |url-status=live }}
| 38 |
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Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Beach House|title=Depression Cherry|award=Gold|relyear=2015|certyear=2023|refname="RIAA"|accessdate=May 31, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}