Beulah

The concept of lo-fi is a curious one. How can something sound too good? Indie groups currently attempting to emulate the sound of '60s garage bands overlook the fact that those older bands were striving for the highest-fidelity standards possible. The vinyl snap, crackle and pop and piss-poor production weren't...

By Patrick Casey

June 10, 2004

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The concept of lo-fi is a curious one. How can something sound too good? Indie groups currently attempting to emulate the sound of '60s garage bands overlook the fact that those older bands were striving for the highest-fidelity standards possible. The vinyl snap, crackle and pop and piss-poor production weren't the calculated cool of the day; they were cutting-edge. But with the sterility brought on by the overuse of Pro Tools, Cakewalk and their ilk threatening to suck even more life out of music these days, the lo-fi movement has merit. While not approaching the sonic fuzz storm of trash pop, the Elephant 6 Collective still has a stable of bands that like to keep it dirty. Beulah, however, has always favored crisper tones. And although the group's sun-soaked, horn-packed pop still strives for an unmistakable, staticky AM-dial flavor, its most recent effort, Yoko, suggests that the sun could be setting on that happy-go-lucky style. Horns are now hazy, hooks are hidden, and the tone is decidedly more dark. From lo-fi to mid-fi, Beulah has swept some of the cobwebs from its sound. Let the evolution begin.

Patrick Casey

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