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Beirut
What else can I say about Beirut that hasn't already been said by countless others, from indie music powerhouse Pitchfork to scores of ravenous hypemongers, all hypnotized by the precocious Zach Condon's love letters to another time, another country?
Beirut pushes all of my buttons and suddenly, I'm a believer. These buttons are the ones labeled: bright military-erect drums flashing, bold klezmer interludes at sunset, old fashioned radios turned too loud, bumbling young men smoking in Parisian street cafes, noisy traveling Gypsy festivals, the overacted drama of silent movies, and little girls practicing violins in tiny apartments. Authenticity and cultural appropriation discussions aside, it's like I can't help but be drawn in by the music, like dreams of old Europe or soundscapes to dreams I didn't know I was having.
As a New Yorker, I've had the distinct pleasure of watching Beirut grow as a live act, from a nervous three-piece to the lush mini-orchestra they are today. For a man who created an album without guitars, it sort of makes sense that Condon now leads a mounting assault of mandolins, ukuleles, violins and a brass section. Constant touring and practicing has transformed Beirut from a single man's daydream to a well-oiled, cohesive machine, instrument changes and ukelele tunings be damned. When Beirut is operating at full power, it's all arms and smiles and orchestral swells. The band sounds damn near triumphant and the sound seeps into your pores. Each individual player's personality shines through in the new Lon Gisland EP, and Beirut is now a unified chorus of voices, singing songs as they were meant to be sung, glistening and born anew.
My ancestors aren't even from Eastern Europe but these songs make me miss cities I've never known, never visited. And if Beirut's music is all about escapism, that's fine by me, as I'll be on my way by gondola into the magical world of Gulag Orkestar.
Beirut - Elephant Gun
Beirut - Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)
Official web site. Buy from Amazon or iTunes.
Posted by Queen of the Front Row at 02.26.07 at 6:05 PM
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