Beulah

Beulah

When Your Heartstrings Break

Sugar Free; 1999

By

James P. Wisdom

; April 6, 1999

 

Maybe it was the bitter cold, maybe it was the fleeting odor of burning wood or the miles of forest, but we found ourselves in a familiar position: debating relationships. Being of the optimist persuasion, I argued the benefits of looking forward, not letting the past ruin the future, and motorized sex toys. She, a mildly embittered and cynical gal, seemed determined to cling to her failures and drive hope out of her perspective. Heartbreaking, especially since my dream is to hold her in my arms for a long, soulful kiss...

 

아마도 그건 씁쓸한 추위, 타는 장작 또는 수마일의 숲에서의 순간의 냄새였을 거다. 하지만 우린 제법 익숙한 위치에 있었는데 바로 관계를 논하는 것이었다. 낙관론자로 설득하자면, 난 과거가 미래를 망치지 않게 하면서 후일의 이익과 자동 섹스 토이를 주장했다. 온순하게 기분 나쁘고 냉소적인 여자였던 그녀는 그녀의 실패

에 집착하고 그런 관점에서 희망을 이끌어내기로 결심한 것으로 보였다. 가슴이 찢어지는 것 같았다. 특히 언젠가부터 내 꿈이 그녀를 내 품에 안고 긴긴 열정의 키스를 하는 것이었기 때문에 말이다.

 

...And into my hands falls Beulah. It was on my kitchen counter, quietly begging my attention away from her. I put it into the player, upstairs on a purple Sunday, my thoughts still running circles around her orbit. Imagine my wry amusement to stumble upon this acrylic gem of poppiness-- shiny, clean and vulnerable, not unlike the lust that has evolved into something better in the past months.

 

...그리고 내 손에 뷸라가 떨어졌다. 이건 내 부엌 조리대에 있었고, 나에게 조용히 그녀로부터 관심을 끌 것을 빌었다. 자줏빛의 일요일 위층에서, 난 이것을 플레이어에 집어넣었고, 내 생각은 여전히 그녀의 궤도 주위를 선회하고 있었다. 이 아크릴로 만들어진 중독적인 보석에 걸려 넘어지는 내 비틀린 즐거움을 상상해보라-- 반짝이고 깨끗하며 연약한, 지난 몇 달간 무언가 더 근사한 것으로 변화한 욕망과 크게 다를 것 없는 이것을 말이다.  

    

Kicked back and chillin', I let Beulah wash into my brain and it was nice. It turned out to be far more advanced than its predecessor. Beulah's 1997 release, Handsome Western States was a better- than- average pop record, seemingly recorded at home on a relatively low budget. But this new record... what was different about it? The liner notes supported what I heard: a whole mess of horns and strings, integrated into the tightly played, laid-back melodies that made Handsome Western States so awesome. Tremendously clean production further enhances this album, which leaves me wanting more after its painfully brief 34:00 running time.

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...

...And in the dream Beulah is soundtracking the awkward moment of the hug gone to kiss, her small hands on my back, her hair falling upon her jacket, and the smell of sandalwood. The sky is amber, the Beulah boys are wrapping their tapestry of hopeful sound around us and, looking into her eyes, our lips touch...