...From the Beginning

Album Review

In some cases, intriguing albums are also erratic albums; the artist has a lot of interesting ideas but doesn't always know to make them work. While the artist deserves credit for originality and for taking chances, something is missing — and the result is an album that shows some promise but is uneven. Lythion, thankfully, doesn't have that problem on their debut album, ...From the Beginning, which takes a lot of risks but is enjoyably consistent. Comprised of lead singer Ilyana Kadushkin and guitarist/keyboardist James Harrell, this New York City-based duo has a wide variety of influences and is not easy to categorize; perhaps ...From the Beginning is best described as alternative pop/rock or art rock with elements of soul and funk as well as cabaret and jazz. A variety of adjectives come to mind when this 2004 release is playing; Lythion's songs are theatrical, artsy, moody and mildly eccentric, but they are also soulful and bluesy. The expressive Kadushkin has a background in performance art, and it shows — she can be a bit self-indulgent at times, although not to the point of becoming problematic. And the interesting thing about Kadushkin is her ability to be somewhat abstract without ever losing her gritty sense of the blues; if anyone is capable of bridging the gap between the artsy experimentation of Brian Eno, Tori Amos and Kate Bush and the neo-soul grit of Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige, it may very well be Kadushkin. That isn't to say that ...From the Beginning will ever be played on commercial R&B stations; this is a rock album first and foremost, but the soul influence is certainly present on this adventurous, impressively original debut.