Beirut – The Flying Club Cup
I wasn’t looking forward to this as much as I should have been. I’ve become so used to highly anticipated albums being rubbish this year that I kind of ignored the approach of The Flying Club Cup like one of those world-weary naysayers who go around tediously telling everyone that they’ve heard it all before. And then it turns out to be excellent.
Instead of ferreting about the Balkans for inspiration, this time around Mr. Condon has been fishing around France. The dusty cafe orchestra sound is still very much in evidence, but the frenetic energy of Gulag Orkestar is a little mellowed. It doesn’t sound overly French to me, most of the time, but it’s about interpretation not imitation, so that may be a stupid observation to make.
Where the last record rattled and skipped along the crazy klezmer gypsy beats, this one has a gentle lilting rise and fall to it, the accordion and trumpet being roped into more dreamy Sunday afternoon ambiance than before. It’s a different style, but oddly it feels like little has changed here. You could imagine any of these songs on Gulag Orkestar quite easily. So somehow, even though he’s exploring new territory, it doesn’t feel like Condon is breaking new gound, really (do I get extra points for such a splendidly confused mixing of metaphors?).
I don’t get the impression this record will either win him new fans, nor fail to delight old ones. It’s nothing new exactly, despite what you would assume to be the contradictory fact that it is clearly written in a different style. I love it though, and would definitely recommend it to anyone entertaining even the slightest doubt. I just love the sounds that Beirut make.
Beirut – Nantes
Beirut – Forks & Knives (La Fete)
funny, isn’t it?
we had the press copy months before release (but weren’t allowed to play it) & i couldn’t quite work out if I liked it or not; i listened to it endlessly but eventually gave up & forgot about it. then, needing something to fill 4 mins on a playlist a few weeks back, I suddenly remembered it & skipped through looking for a suitable track & was subtly blown away by it. not in a life-changing way (like, say, The Decemberists’ Picaresque – well, for me anyways) but in a lilting, comfortable, cocky-swagger kinda way (a little like Loch Lomond’s new effort; although, that has a disappointing hum-drum feel to it). & that’s what i think the album is: quite cocky (but, crucially, not arrogantly so) & comfortable with the medium. no risks. no messing with the formula.
so, yeh. it’s a ‘like’ not a love, BUT there are some cracking tracks on there that will ensure it’s a shoo-in for a mix-tapes & playlists to come.
as always, good call.
DC
My dad has a weird thing with marching bands, he says they make him cry – I’ve actually seen him start sniffing last time we saw one on Bastille Day. I begin to understand how he feels when I listen to Beirut.
Anyway I was just stopping by to leave a comment for a change and say thanks, it’s always a pleasure reading you and i’ve discovered lots of great music on your blog.
Thanks Petro – I always wonder about the silent masses. I get about a dozen or two regular commenters on the site and I’m always curious if the other hundreds of hits are people scouring for mp3s or people who actually read anything. Nice of you to drop in!
DC – I bought that Loch Lomond album actually, off the back of your last-but-one podcast, and I’m rather looking forward to it.
I rather think I like this album more than you do, but he is definitely not tearing up trees. Mind you, Gulag Orkestar was a bit of a shock, so he’s hardly likely to be able to match that sort of impact again and it may be a little unfair to expect him to.
i suppose i fall into the “regular commenter” camp (ya think?) but i can’t help but mention to petro that i’m just like his father. i almost always cry at marching bands, although for me i think it’s the drums. regardless, it’s very emotional for some reason. taps into something quite deep.
i’m liking this beirut more and more, btw. i sort of by-passed them last year–too much hype and love for my taste. but now each time i hear one of their songs, it charms me.
Fortunately I got into them before I realised how much buzz there was, Marcy, or I’d probably have been the same. Excessive praise doesn’t mean they aren’t good though.
yes, i need to remember that or i’ll end up cheating myself out of a lot of good music.