Last year I was introduced to a band called Beirut, a seemingly random collection of experimental instrumentalists from Brooklyn, led by young mastermind Zach Condon, through a song so memorable it lodged itself in my brain and refused to depart. Mount Wroclai (Idle Days), as the song is nonsensically titled, makes just as little sense lyrically. This, however, doesn’t mater at all, as Condon’s voice simply adds another layer — another crooning instrument, if you will — to what starts out as an eastern European / Balkan gypsy-ish accordion piece. Perhaps that is the reason why I find this song, and everything else by Beirut, so appealing. I find myself transported to a different yet familiar and comfortable place. Zach Condon’s music manages to be strangely uplifting while being melancholic — probably a result of mixing loopy accordion riffs, lazy trumpets and chiming glockenspiels with a waltz-like tempo and beat, that makes you want to get up and move to its mesmerizing rhythm.
What brought me out of blog-hiding was another Zach Condon masterpiece upon which I stumbled just a few days ago. Nantes, can be found on the recently released CD, The Flying Club Cup, which is, from what I understand, phenomenal. While I have not had a chance to listen to The Flying Club Cup, I have listened to Nantes over and over again. As one reviewer wrote, “That enigmatic, unclassifiable quality continues on Nantes [...]. The haunted-house organ riff that opens the song sounds like a setup for a variation on modern garage rock. But when the tango beat enters soon after, Nantes transforms into something else altogether: a new genre that could be called poignant ballroom cabaret pop, with Condon’s drowsy voice intoning over it.” Indeed Condon seems to have managed to transcend musical genre’s once again, which is one of those small victories for anyone who doesn’t like neat little well-labeled packages. The only question that remains now, is weather Beirut will be making a stop in St. Louis anytime soon.
Mount Wroclai (Idle Days) on youtube. The video was made by a random fan, there is no official music video for this song.
Nantes on youtube
Nantes performed live in the streets (of New York I think Paris I am told)
Enjoy.
11.12.2007 at 1.15 pm
i love that song (Nantes) :), but i think that show was in Paris, not New York :b
12.15.2007 at 12.40 am
Funny you should mention St. Louis. His mother’s side of the family hail from Crestwood/Kirkwood. He has often made stops there though hasn’t booked shows there yet. He typically plays Chicago. Get his Lon Gisland EP if you haven’t heard it yet.