Miles Kurosky
The Desert of Shallow Effects
Major Domo Records
When I received the debut solo album of longtime Beulah frontman Miles Kurosky, I wasn’t real excited. I had heard one song by Beulah once. I don’t even remember what it was called, but I hated it. I don’t know if I was just in a mood when I heard it or not, but once I put in The Desert of Shallow Effects, I was reminded of that very moment when I was bashing Beulah for being some crappy indie-pop group that (I thought) only a few dozen people knew about. I was also trying to figure out why I hated it so much.
Kurosky’s lyrics, subtle humor, and instant catchiness make for a solid album that will make Beulah fans cheer and idiots like me realize just how talented Kurosky is.
The pop gem “Notes from the Polish Underground” starts off the album with the line “My limbs have failed me again/ They see no sense in trying.” “An Apple for an Apple” starts off a little slow and kicks in with this Kinks-esque fast guitar riff that grabs your attention and strangles it until the beginning of “Dead Language Blues” and its Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys sound.
“Dog in the Burning Building” is a fleet-footed musically upbeat track with completely contradictory lyrics like, “There’s a dog in the burning building/ Slowly flames are forming ‘round his head/… /But he was told to stay and guard the door and more/ Loyalty’s his fate.”
It is these contradictions that are not so readily noticeable and what keep me coming back for more. Yes, The Desert of Shallow Effects is pop music at its finest and yes, it is a catchy as it comes. I can’t believe that I hated Miles Kurosky and Beulah when I first heard them. He is immensely talented and on this, his solo debut, he proves that despite the end of Beulah, he has not lost a step.
Miles Kurosky: http://www.mileskurosky.com
