Identity crisis

Finding and maintaining a sense of identity has long eluded the Blue Hour's frontman Keith Vogelsong. What started as a low-key, solo acoustic project in his hometown of Newark, Del., in 1999 has evolved into a lush and emotionally rapt pop outfit where Vogelsong serves as the principal writer, producer and performer. His total involvement with the music paints a picture of a musician on a quest to better his abilities, but his dedication has also been a drawback.

His first full-length recording, I've Filled These Pages (Alone Records), is a swelling and turbulent pop affair that's rife with muddy, bedroom production qualities. "That recording would sound a lot better if I had a band together when I made it," says Vogelsong. "I've toyed with the idea of re-recording it but I want it to be played by musicians who are as dedicated to the music as I am."

Since relocating to Atlanta in 2002, the group's lineup has ebbed and flowed, siphoning through personnel and undergoing cosmetic changes every step of the way. With his most consistent cohorts in tow (keyboardist Grey Fairchild and bassist Jeremy Chance), a solid lineup is taking shape, pushing the group into a much faster and louder direction. But on the heels of a full U.S. tour where the band started out as a five-piece and finished as a three-piece, the Blue Hour still has a long way to go. Vogelsong adds, "I like to have a lot of control over the songwriting, but at this point I'd be willing to give some of that up for a more permanent lineup."

The Blue Hour plays the Drunken Unicorn Sat., Sept. 18, 9 p.m. $5.