Beulah made its original reputation with the Athens, Ga.-based Elephant 6 collective, a group of about 10 bands that specialize in mixing present-day rock with 1960s pop music and psychedelia. And like their labelmates the Apples in Stereo and Of Montreal, Beulah’s reputation was built upon an attachment to the soft, melodic pop songs of bands like the Turtles and the Beach Boys.
Yet Beulah always managed to separate itself musically from Elephant 6. Unlike the other bands of the collective, the band possesses a unique sense of musical geography. Beulah is based in San Francisco, rather than in the college-rock capital that is Athens. Their music is influenced heavily by West Coast pop, and in this context they are much less a band that seeks to relive the 1960s than one that wishes to write and hear good, universally likeable pop songs. After all, this is a band that on its website proudly, and quite rightly, advocated that George W. Bush declare war on Australia for introducing the world to bands like the Vines.
In this vein comes Yoko (out on Velocette), the band’s fourth long-play release. And perhaps the name is a bit of a misnomer: The record itself doesn’t sound a whole lot like the Beatles, and it won’t resurrect images of Yoko Ono. Instead, Yoko demonstrates Beulah’s variegated musical influences. It showcases not only their potential as a rock band, but also their strength as musicians.
For instance, the opening track of Yoko, “A Man Like Me,” begins with a muffled snare drum and subtle piano and vocals before breaking out into a twangy guitar riff as lead singer Miles Kurosky belts the chorus. In some ways, it’s not original: The piano sounds as though it was inspired by John Lennon’s solo career and the soft-loud-soft dynamics seem a clear reference to the Pixies. But at the same time, “A Man Like Me” sounds unlike either of those artists. When Kurosky quietly opens the song with the lyric, “I’ve been waiting all night long / I’ve been waiting to sing your song tonight,” he’s clearly singing a Beulah song.
Indeed, the song demonstrates that Beulah has outgrown its past as Elephant 6 revivalists and has discovered a sound of its own, one that is more aggressive. On “My Side of the City,” Beulah branches out from its retro influences, beginning with a heavy power-riff, then merging a western-tinged guitar line with a series of powerchords. The band doesn’t forget its past, however, and Beulah’s California roots shine as Kurosky tells listeners to “make your way to the ocean.”
Beulah’s aggression continues throughout the record, culminating with what is arguably Yoko‘s best track, “Your Mother Loves You Son.” Beginning with an angular guitar riff, the song suddenly becomes an upbeat rocker, then breaks into a 40-second jam replete with distorted guitars and an instantly catchy bass riff. During the chorus, Kurosky wittily sings, “Last night’s a loaded gun / You better hope that the world won’t end tonight / Your mother loves you, son.”
Kurosky has stated that Yoko ultimately constitutes an attempt to “assassinate the old Beulah,” to rebuild its sound into something new. Clearly, the band’s desire to reconstruct its sound has paid off. Indeed, Yoko might be one of the year’s best records, and prognosticates the band’s bright musical future.
