The Midwest Beat are a peculiarly elusive beast. Upon listening to their new LP 'Free of Being' (Dusty Medical Records) one gets the sense of history, but not in a specific sense rather, in the sense that these four musicians have absorbed several generations worth of music, and are determinedly reconfiguring it to their own ends. Hints of classic country & western, early '60's beat-pop, straight-up '70's rock, power-pop, and modern Americana all find their way into the mix: Listeners will find different touchstones, sometimes in the space of a single song. However, these touchstones will no doubt be different for each person, given the fact that they are far from obvious, depending more on feeling and emotion that outright thievery. The Midwest Beat have come a long way in their ten-year history which is to be expected from a band who have released three previous LP's, along with a half-dozen EP's and singles on no less than 8 different labels. Originally formed in 2005 by singer/guitarist Matt Joyce and drummer Christopher Capelle, the band have solidified with the addition of bassist Tim Schweiger however, 'Free of Being' was recoded on all-analog 8 track equipment by producer Kyle 'Motor' Urban, in common with all of their previous recordings. One way that 'Free of Being' both surprises and challenges is in the brevity of its songs. Many bands would take the opportunity to turn a song like the gorgeous 'Panther in the Sky' into a 7-minute epic, but the Midwest Beat's under-three-minute take perfectly captures the song's essence without beating it into the ground. Only two of the LP's songs break the 5-minute mark, and those both smack of 'live in the studio' joyousness. The inclusion of three instrumental interludes titled 'UFO's Appear' helps to buoy the album.