SITTING IN THE PAST. Jim Ulwelling, the creative force behind Biesterveld sits at a gas station in Durand that his family owned once upon a time.

When Jim Ulwelling started his solo project, Biesterveld, and recorded his first album, he thought one would be enough. Now Ulwelling is releasing a second album, Somewhere in Durand, and the reason is simple: The first time around was so much fun that he couldn’t resist the idea. His new album is a mix of songs that include tracks Ulwelling wrote while he was growing up in Durand or have something to do with Durand, hence the album’s title. Natives of the small Wisconsin town will feel a bit of nostalgia looking at the cover of the album alone: It features a photo of kids up to no good that was taken in front of the Durand movie theater.  

The album is full of emotions that anyone who grew up in a small town can relate to. The opening track, “Living in a Big Town,” is all about growing up in a small town and wanting to escape to someplace bigger and better. As the song progresses, the narrator does get to the big town, but the qualities he misses from the little town become painfully apparent. This tribute to a small-town mindset is how Somewhere in Durand starts out, and from there it expands to include a wide range of feelings and experiences.

From tracks about the woman in his life and how much he loves her (“My Woman”) to a funky tune about a woman not wanting to be with him anymore (“You Do Without Me”), this album has it all. Somber tunes such as “Final Flight” – a song about Ulwelling’s father, who died in a plane crash, and his mother, who passed away last year – not only bring the album some weight but give it personal significance to Ulwelling. Tunes such as “Seeing is Believing” provide an upbeat, feel-good quality, so expect to feel plenty of emotions when you listen to Biesterverld’s latest album.

Somewhere in Durand also features a very wide range of styles. Ulwelling considers this a pop-rock album, but he covers much more terrain than that. “Say, Say” is full of smooth saxophone solos from Sue Orfield and gives the album a jazzy feel. “October Nights,” on the other hand, is very relaxing and melodic: a romantic tune that slows everything down and changes things up.

Ulwelling told me he wasn’t trying to be really deep or complex with his album. Rather, he made it because he enjoyed doing it so much. What really matters to him is that people give it a listen and be honest about how they feel. “I just think that if you like simple stories, maybe small-town rooted, and like a little pop infused into it; listen to it,” he said, “and if you don’t like it, you don’t like it.”

Many of the collaborators Ulwelling worked with on the first album came back to help with Somewhere in Durand. John Richardson returned to play drums and did all of the production through his recording studio, Drum Farm. Adam Ollendorff, Phil Solem, B Squat Woody, and Adam Beard all return to contribute in one way or another. Jennifer Grimm was a new contributor and provided some knock-out vocals for the track “Jesus Chair.” Jesse Isley was also new and helped make the track “Say, Say” possible with some impressive guitar skills.

Somewhere in Durand is unlikely to be Ulwelling’s last Biesterveld effort. A new song about the Milwaukee Brewers has already been recorded, and Ulwelling intends to release it on a limited edition vinyl 45 before the next baseball season starts. There will also be some live shows after the first of the year, so be on the lookout. In the meantime, check out Somewhere in Durand for some fresh music with a little bit of pop.

Somewhere in Durand is available at The Local Store, 205 N. Dewey St., Eau Claire. Learn more about Biesterveld at www.biesterveldmusic.com.