Beulah - The Coast Is Never Clear

On The Coast Is Never Clear, the difficult third-album syndrome only affected San Franciscan pop dreamers Beulah in the studio, where the band came to blows over, say, the importance of a diminished seventh on a trumpet solo. From such a roughneck recording environment, however, comes perfection on their third album, where expansive, multi-instrumental, orchestral pop is underpinned by the sweetest tunes. This album could be precious--and in lesser hands it surely would be--but at the core of Beulah's ambitious vision a pure pop heart beats. Special mention must be made of "Silver Lining," a paean to songwriter Miles Kurosky's first love, punk rock. Introduced by a fanfare of horns, the track races along propelled by a fiery guitar riff and the beaten-up joy of being scarred by punk. A bittersweet, sumptuous, and utterly compulsive collection, all told.
-Ben Clancy

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Beulah - When Your Heartstrings Break

Standouts include "Emma Blowgun's Last Stand," which has an extended intro that would be at home on a Tortoise album, breaks into a compellingly catchy melody built around a brass fanfare. Most tracks employ several levels of sound, giving what could have easily been merely "another indie pop record" astonishing depth and texture. The tone could best be called "tempered bouncy," never getting to an annoying level of repetition or predictability, but also nearly impossible to drive out of one's head after several listens. Oh, another good one just kicked in; "Ballad of the Lonely Argonaut," it's taking me on a trip into sleepiness...

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