(Shout Factory)

www.shoutfactory.com

Beulah was one of those unheralded indie bands that spawned critical acclaim in the late ‘90s and early oughts, but never seemed to advance beyond their relatively modest cult following.  Despite a succession of minor chord classics - the Handsome Western States EP, the swelling When Your Heartstrings Break and the dark, despondent Yoko, the band was plagued by the public's failure to grasp their airy melodies and somewhat amorphous execution.  Likewise, founder and front man Miles Kurosky had his own set of issues, brought on by medical setbacks that limited both his physical agility and ability to make music. 

Consequently, it's a special delight that Kurosky has emerged from this morass with a solo set that fulfills the promise Beulah was never quite able to manage.  With songs wrapped in an ethereal sheen and a lush juxtaposition of multi-textured strings, horns and keyboards, he's created an aural masterpiece with ambitious designs.  That's not to say he's bested Beulah, but given the care and precision he's invested in this effort, he's finally able to offer their faithful a vibrant expression of unrepressed emotions that flaunts some broad, Beatlesque intents.  Even so, it regales with more intimate touches - the wayward strum and finger snapping rhythms of "Notes from the Polish Underground," the animated, high-pitched singing in the breathless "Dog in the Burning Building," the oddly catchy chorus of "Bring Out Your Dead" gracing the weirdly amusing "An Apple for an Apple," Kurosky shifts the tone effortlessly and effectively, veering from the agitated raving of "I Can't Swim" and the aforementioned "An Apple for an Apple" to the mellow drift of "She Was My Dresden" and "Housewives and their Knives." 

Admittedly then, it can be a kinetic mix and occasionally unsettling, quite a bit to absorb in a single sitting.  The hooks can prove elusive and Kurosky's unlikely themes don't exactly assure instant accessibility.  Nevertheless, it's worth absorbing every detail.  Ultimately, it may come to be considered one of the first real triumphs of a still young year.

Standout Tracks: "An Apple for an Apple," "Dog in the Burning Building," "Notes from the Polish Underground" LEE ZIMMERMAN