Miles Kurosky

Beulah were always the little band that could. They made lovely albums and had a devoted following, suggesting it was just a matter of time before all the planets aligned and things fell into place. Instead, they called it a day back in 2004 when it appeared it was never going to happen for them. They admitted defeat and songwriter Miles Kurosky disappeared from the face of the planet. Turns out he spent the intervening years getting married, dealing with a shoulder injury and recording his solo debut. In many ways, The Desert Of Shallow Effects is the album that most people would have expected Kurosky to record. He's had enough time away from the messiness of the final days of Beulah and has returned to the more ornate, finely honed pop songs that the band used to make in their early days. That also makes sense considering some of his former band-mates play on the album, suggesting that things might be more amicable than they once were. While the lyrics still reflect some of the disorder in his life, the delivery is almost relentlessly upbeat and the intricate arrangements, thanks to the 30 or so musicians playing on the record, help to conceal any darkness. There's normally a lot going on, yet it doesn't feel clunky or forced. The Desert Of Shallow Effects is a very good album that isn't quite Beulah 2.0, but is close enough to ensure that old fans and those new to the show will be satisfied.