Comments on: Beirut – March of the Zapotec http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/ Independent music from Edinburgh, Scotland - with added gin and swearing. Thu, 24 May 2012 17:03:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: kris http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-15680 kris Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:15:44 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-15680 Wonderful that you guys hate it that much... just proves that real musical challenges isn't something that mediocre music critics can understand. Just leaves the good stuff to all the rest of us. Jesus! Fair enough if you don't like the new, and appreciate the old stuff. But listen to it at least 10 times before casting your verdict. Condon isn't making music to please the public - unlike most bands who are heard all over the world these days. He actually HAS something to say - and tries to say it in new and innovative ways. Making an album from the context of Mexican Funeral music isn't something you hear everyday- Add to that, he has been going through a period of transition. Re-casting the previous records, and pulling out some of his oldest material from before Beirut is okay, in some sense. I think it's interesting to hear his voice in an electronic setting (and just consider that "Scenic World" and "After the Curtain" from "Gulag Orchestra" are basically as electronic as the new stuff). But do I think that the new stuff is as good as the 3 previous records? Hardly.... Wonderful that you guys hate it that much… just proves that real musical challenges isn’t something that mediocre music critics can understand. Just leaves the good stuff to all the rest of us. Jesus! Fair enough if you don’t like the new, and appreciate the old stuff. But listen to it at least 10 times before casting your verdict.

Condon isn’t making music to please the public – unlike most bands who are heard all over the world these days. He actually HAS something to say – and tries to say it in new and innovative ways. Making an album from the context of Mexican Funeral music isn’t something you hear everyday- Add to that, he has been going through a period of transition. Re-casting the previous records, and pulling out some of his oldest material from before Beirut is okay, in some sense. I think it’s interesting to hear his voice in an electronic setting (and just consider that “Scenic World” and “After the Curtain” from “Gulag Orchestra” are basically as electronic as the new stuff).

But do I think that the new stuff is as good as the 3 previous records? Hardly….

]]> By: Campfires & Battlefields http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14619 Campfires & Battlefields Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:28:01 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14619 Wow. I won't bother piling on. But wow. Wow. I won’t bother piling on. But wow.

]]> By: Dylan http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14300 Dylan Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:21:20 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14300 I hate to say it, but you're probably right. I hate to say it, but you’re probably right.

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14299 Matthew Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:12:37 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14299 It's not about whether they're any good, I'm just saying that they are not exactly widely remembered. Possibly more so than TMTCH, but I'm not sure there's much in it. Quite a vanishing act for a movement which had so much momentum at the time. It’s not about whether they’re any good, I’m just saying that they are not exactly widely remembered. Possibly more so than TMTCH, but I’m not sure there’s much in it. Quite a vanishing act for a movement which had so much momentum at the time.

]]> By: Dylan http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14297 Dylan Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:59:31 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14297 I love The Oysterband! <i>Holy Bandits</i> had some great moments, as did <i>The Shouting End Of Life</i>. The title track of which, in my opinion, features one of the most heartfelt "Go fuck yourself"s ever commited to record. TMTCH were as political as anyone else in the bunch - rivalling the l;ikes of Billy Bragg in many ways in that regard. I love The Oysterband! Holy Bandits had some great moments, as did The Shouting End Of Life. The title track of which, in my opinion, features one of the most heartfelt “Go fuck yourself”s ever commited to record.

TMTCH were as political as anyone else in the bunch – rivalling the l;ikes of Billy Bragg in many ways in that regard.

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14283 Matthew Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:00:08 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14283 Oysterband? I don't really think so, do you? And I love TMTCH but they aren't really remembered outside a certain cult following. Irish folk-punk really has dropped off the map in a big way. Not that TMTCH were Irish at all, but then again, the Pogues weren't all that Irish either, except in style. Oysterband? I don’t really think so, do you? And I love TMTCH but they aren’t really remembered outside a certain cult following. Irish folk-punk really has dropped off the map in a big way. Not that TMTCH were Irish at all, but then again, the Pogues weren’t all that Irish either, except in style.

]]> By: Dylan http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14282 Dylan Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:57:09 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14282 Oysterband, The Men They Couldn't Hang maybe. Erm.. Levellers? Oysterband, The Men They Couldn’t Hang maybe. Erm.. Levellers?

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14281 Matthew Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:36:30 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14281 That style was a lot more unusual back then, so I can see how it made such an impact. I'm not entirely sure I agree with you, but I definitely do not entirely disagree. I wonder sometimes how well this Eastern European folk fetish will date, and I am reminded of the Pogues. Who else of their ilk do we still remember with any affection? The Waterboys maybe. Anyone else? That style was a lot more unusual back then, so I can see how it made such an impact. I’m not entirely sure I agree with you, but I definitely do not entirely disagree.

I wonder sometimes how well this Eastern European folk fetish will date, and I am reminded of the Pogues. Who else of their ilk do we still remember with any affection? The Waterboys maybe. Anyone else?

]]> By: Euan http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14279 Euan Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:31:11 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14279 I have one album - can't remember which one - and I wouldn't buy another. like you say it's all style no substance for me. I have one album – can’t remember which one – and I wouldn’t buy another. like you say it’s all style no substance for me.

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2009/02/beirut-march-of-the-zapotec/#comment-14277 Matthew Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:47:41 +0000 http://songbytoad.com/?p=5286#comment-14277 I don't know, it's possible we heard more style than substance from their early stuff, but I still enjoy listening back to it. I don’t know, it’s possible we heard more style than substance from their early stuff, but I still enjoy listening back to it.

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