Description
Colouratura are an art rock trio from the Ohio Valley.
Nathan James and Ian Beabout met while music students at West Liberty University and produced their experimental first album Colouratura in 2017 during the off hours and as a means to blow off steam from the stressors of college life. The album covered everything from prog rock sea shanties and ambient Lo fi experiments to Gregorian chants and punk.
Little did they know the project would have any longevity, but the following year they liked the results of working together enough to produce a second album Unfamiliar Skies in 2018. This album also was the first time the two collaborated with guitarist Derek Pavlic, who by the third album would become a full-time member. It could be described as decidedly more 'prog rock,' and featured a more band centered approach aided by guest musicians.
Following Unfamiliar Skies, the band temporarily decided to call it quits but reformed as a three piece during the pandemic in 2020. Utilizing a combination of file sharing and in-person sessions to realize unfinished recordings and create new ones, Colouratura emerged again in 2021 with their third recording Black Steeple Church, which would be self released. This album saw the band strip down to their essence and feature newest member Derek Pavlic in a 'power trio' format, more metal and heavy psych than prog, but still a diverse unfolding listen.
The album was a slow-burn success in independent terms but enough that Beabout, James and Pavlic agreed to continue making music, so in early 2022 they began working on new material. At first it was not going to be a new album, but rather a collection of singles to feed streaming's algorithmic hunger, but partway through Nathan announced his engagement. This meant that the time was right to finish the album proper so Nathan could devote time to married life. So for the first part of 2023, for the first time, the band had a list of songs to complete and they worked hard, focusing on each part. What resulted was "WTF Was That?!"...
Unfamiliar Skys Tracks
1. Corner Store 00:43
2. Parallels 10:09
3. Photograph 06:23
4. Nautilus 04:30
5. Unfamiliar Skies 05:55
6. Kerouac 05:02
7. Vesuvian Tidepools 04:31
8. Faith 04:46
"This is a delight, and the fractured beauty of 'Photograph' is required listening for anyone who is fed up with created pop stars. In some alternate universe, it is #1 on the charts." -Kev Rowland