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Beach House (Carly Rae Jepsen song)

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"Beach House"
An overhead photo of a crowd of beachgoers and multicolored umbrellas
Single by Carly Rae Jepsen
from the album The Loneliest Time
ReleasedAugust 5, 2022
GenreDisco-pop
Length2:30
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Alex Hope
  • SameSame[a]
Carly Rae Jepsen singles chronology
"Move Me"
(2022) 		"Beach House"
(2022) 		"Talking to Yourself"
(2022)
Music video
"Beach House" on YouTube

"Beach House" is a song by the Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen. It was released as the second single from her sixth studio album, The Loneliest Time, on August 5, 2022. Jepsen wrote the track with Alex Hope and Nate Cyphert, the former of whom handled the production with SameSame.[a] Inspired by a displeasing experience, the lyrics explore the uncertain and troubling side of finding love in dating apps and Jepsen's frustration with it. Musically, "Beach House" is an incorporation of disco and pop driven by upbeat guitar and synthesizer instrumentation.

"Beach House" received generally positive reviews from critics, many of whom praised it for what they deemed catchy and playful lyrics and an engaging production. The song charted at number 11 on Billboard Japan's Hot Overseas Songs. Taylor Fauntleroy directed the accompanying music video, which features the events depicted on the song set on a seaside.

Background and release[edit]

A blonde woman in a red top and yello bottoms holding a microphone
Carly Rae Jepsen in 2019

In February 2020, Carly Rae Jepsen began collecting ideas for her sixth studio album, The Loneliest Time, while embarking on her Dedicated Tour (2019–2020). Her creativity was stimulated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and she transformed an old office space that was a part of her Los Angeles residence into a home studio.[2] On August 1, 2022, Jepsen announced the album and was preceded by the lead single "Western Wind" earlier in May.[3]

Jepsen was inspired to write "Beach House" by someone who invited her to his Malibu beach house for dinner prior to revealing that he already had a girlfriend. Feeling displeased but also reinvigorated, Jepsen the next day brought the song to a studio session with Alex Hope and Nate Cyphert: "I've got a concept! The hook is going to say, 'I've got a beach house in Malibu, and I'm probably going to hurt your feelings". They were confused before she explained that it was about dating apps.[4] Jepsen co-wrote the song alongside Hope and Cyphert, with Hope handling the production with SameSame, who is credited as an additional producer.[1]

Jepsen teased "Beach House" by sharing its hook on Twitter in January 2022.[5] On August 4, 2022, she posted a 15-second snippet of the song on TikTok.[6] The song was released as the album's second single the next day.[7][8] Its music video, directed by Taylor Fauntleroy, was released on August 12. Filmed in Malibu, the video is set on a seaside and depicts the "nightmare dates" that were presented on the song.[9][10] "Beach House" reached number 11 on Billboard Japan's Hot Overseas Songs issued on August 31, 2022.[11] The song is listed at track number six on The Loneliest Time, which was released on October 21 by Interscope and Schoolboy Records.[12][13]

Music and lyrics[edit]

"Beach House" is two and a half minutes long.[1] Hope and Rob Cohen programmed the song, while Mitch McCarthy recorded and mixed it. Cyphert, Ben Romans, Bobby Wooten, Jared Manierka, Joey Hendricks, and Tony Marino provided background vocals. Chris Allgood and Emily Lazar mastered the track.[1]

The upbeat instrumentation of "Beach House" comprises a synthesizer and a guitar (both played by Hope) with an upbeat disco bassline.[1][8][14] The song includes a group of male backing vocalists to sing "I got a beach house in Malibu and I'm probably gonna hurt your feelings".[15] Peter Piatkowski of PopMatters described the song as a funky tune with a "disco-pop" production,[16] while Hannah Mylrea from NME said that it was "disco-infused".[17] Other critics considered the track pop.[18][2][19]

The lyrics are about the uncertain and troubling side of finding love in dating apps.[10][19] Jepsen in the verses describes going through a cycle of misfortunes she experienced with "Boy No. 1" to "Boy No. I Can't Keep Count Anymore".[20][21] The chorus sees her pleading for a timeline where people are honest when dating: "I want to believe that when you chase a girl, it's not just hunting season".[15][20] Later in the song, Jepsen encounters men who plan to ghost her,[16] borrow money, and harvest her organs.[17][22] The track also addresses her resentment of the numerous dates she had and how all of them did not work: "I've been on this ride / This rollercoaster's a carousel / And I'm getting nowhere".[21][16] Piatkowski likened the lyrics to Carly Simon's song "You're So Vain" (1972).[16] In The A.V. Club, Gabrielle Sanchez wrote that its themes are comparable to her other tracks like "Call Me Maybe" (2011) and "Store" (2016).[23]

Critical reception[edit]

"Beach House" received generally positive reviews—many critics believed that the song was catchy[19] and playful.[24] Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times wrote that it was a "cheeky earworm" that displayed her "deadpan sense of humor".[21] In a year-end list of the 22 best songs of 2022, Time Out placed "Beach House" at number 11 with one of its writers Phil de Semlyen describing the track as a "zippy, witty, stupidly catchy takedown of terrible dates".[25] Piatkowski lauded the "mordant comedy" of "Beach House" but found the song so thoroughly written and produced that it "doesn't feel like a novelty tune".[16] Heather Phares of AllMusic wrote that the track was the most surprising from The Loneliest Time and that it encapsulated "the wasteland of dating in the early 2020s with humor, horror, and just a bit of cynicism".[12] Audra Heinrichs from The Telegraph said that it was a "cynical good time".[26]

The Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield described the song as a "deliciously nasty tour of serial monogamy in the era of dating-app addiction".[27] Entertainment Weekly's journalist Maura Johnston called the track "withering" and selected it as one of the album's tracks that featured "propulsive throwdowns brimming with bite and verve".[28] Sanshez wrote that although Jepsen approached "corniness" on the song, "she's so earnest about it" to the point that it was very engaging.[23] Charles Lyons-Bert from Slant Magazine stated that the track was a "winning confection" that displayed Jepsen's "unique appeal" of being naive while also cunning.[29] A few of them also found emotional nuance within the lyrics: Zoladz thought that "Beach House" effectively showcased themes of yearning for a romantic relationship,[21] while Piatkowski said that the song had a "weariness and stoic familiarity" to it.[16] On the other hand, Pitchfork's Olivia Horn felt that the track was "corny and dated" and too derivative for Jepsen, but she believed that it was an attempt to "diversify her portfolio".[30] Gem Stokes of Clash wrote that the song was witty and a "definitive bop", but found it a "superficial" outlier compared to the rest of the album.[14]

Critics also commended the production. They deemed it anthemic, breezy, and lively.[15][19][20] Mylrea wrote that the song was "phenomenal" and a "fully blown disco-infused banger".[17] Piatkowski thought the track was an "excellent contrast" to the "sun-dappled tenderness" of "Western Wind" and selected it as a highlight from The Loneliest Time.[16] Rhian Daly of UDiscoverMusic described the song as a "dance-ready anthem".[20] Robin Murray from Clash called it a "breezy summer anthem" with an energetic performance from Jepsen.[18] Chris Thiessen from Under the Radar believed that the track was a "summery jam" and that it was the most fun song on the album.[31]

Personnel[edit]

  • Carly Rae Jepsen – lead vocals, songwriter
  • Alex Hope – songwriter, producer, guitar, synthesizer, programming
  • Nate Cyphert – songwriter, backing vocals
  • SameSame – additional producer
  • Ben Romans – backing vocals
  • Bobby Wooten – backing vocals
  • Jared Manierk – backing vocals
  • Joey Hendricks – backing vocals
  • Tony Marino – backing vocals
  • Rob Cohen – programming
  • Mitch McCarthy – recording and mixing engineer
  • Chris Allgood – mastering engineer
  • Emily Lazar – mastering engineer

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "Beach House"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[11] 11

Note[edit]

  1. ^ a b SameSame is credited as an additional producer[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Schoolboy Records, Interscope Records (2022). The Loneliest Time (Media notes). Carly Rae Jepsen.
  2. ^ a b Kaplan, Ilana (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen: More than a Feeling". Crack. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  3. ^ Tenreyro, Tatiana (August 2, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Announces New Album The Loneliest Time". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  4. ^ Kuga, Mitchell (August 8, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Doesn't Want to Stay in Her Lane". Nylon. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  5. ^ Rettig, James (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen – 'Beach House'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  6. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (August 4, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Shares Snippet of New Single 'Beach House'". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  7. ^ Rowley, Glenn (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Beach House' Is a Sunny Delight: Stream". Consequence. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Aubrey, Elizabeth (August 5, 2022). "Listen to Carly Rae Jepsen's Upbeat New Song 'Beach House'". NME. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  9. ^ Daly, Rhian (August 12, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Heads to the Seaside in 'Beach House' Video". UDiscoverMusic. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Chunes, Gracie (August 13, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Debuts Stunning New Music Video for :Beach House'". Mxdwn.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of August 31, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). August 31, 2022. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Phares, Heather (October 21, 2022). "The Loneliest Time – Carly Rae Jepsen". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  13. ^ Jepsen, Carly Rae (October 21, 2022). "The Loneliest Time". Apple Music. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Stokes, Gem (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen – The Loneliest Time". Clash. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Cardenas, Federico (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Shares Anthemic New Single 'Beach House'". Mxdwn.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Piatkowski, Peter (November 11, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen: The Loneliest Time (Review)". PopMatters. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c Mylrea, Hannah (October 20, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen – The Loneliest Time Review: Slick Sounds from a Cult Pop Hero". NME. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Murray, Robin (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Beach House' Shimmers with Summer Energy". Clash. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d Guglielmi, Jodi (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Explores the World of Dating Apps in New Single 'Beach House'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d Daly, Rhian (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Swipes Right on Bright New Single 'Beach House'". UDiscoverMusic. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  21. ^ a b c d Zoladz, Lindsay; Caramanica, Jon (August 5, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen's Brand-New Boy Problems, and 7 More New Songs". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  22. ^ Sheffield, Rob (October 20, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Dances Her Way Through Heartbreak on The Loneliest Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  23. ^ a b Sanchez, Gabrielle (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Finds Bliss in Solitude on The Loneliest Time". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  24. ^ Franzini, Sam (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen: The Loneliest Time Review - Strength and Serenity Found in Stillness". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  25. ^ "The 22 Best Songs of 2022". Time Out. December 6, 2022. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  26. ^ Perry, Andrew; Hall, James; Wilkinson, Chiara; Heinrichs, Audra; Kambasha, Michelle; Woods, Cat (October 21, 2022). "Arctic Monkeys Get Soulful, Loyle Carner Gets Angry – the Week's Best Albums". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  27. ^ Sheffield, Rob (October 20, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen Dances Her Way Through Heartbreak on The Loneliest Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  28. ^ Johnston, Maura (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen's The Loneliest Time Is a Lovesick Study of What Makes Humans Tick". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 22, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  29. ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen The Loneliest Time Review: A Delicate Balance". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  30. ^ Horn, Olivia (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen: The Loneliest Time". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  31. ^ Thiessen, Chris (October 26, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen – The Loneliest Time". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
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