"Condon coos these heart-broken serenades and intoxicated ballads in a liquid vibrato moan somewhere between Thom Yorke and Antony Hegarty."
Beirut is the band of 22-year-old Santa Fe native Zach Condon. The band's first official release was assisted by Jeremy Barnes (Neutral Milk Hotel, A Hawk and a Hacksaw) and Heather Trost (A Hawk and a Hacksaw); it combines elements of Eastern European and folk sounds. Condon plays the trumpet and the ukulele as his main instruments, having been unable to play guitar because of a wrist injury that prevented his hand from reaching fully around the neck of a guitar.
Though young, Condon has already released a few albums. He recorded under the name The Real People when he was 15, making The Joys of Losing Weight, which is a lo-fi electronic record (ie, generally in the style of 'Scenic World' on Gulag Orkestar) fashioned consciously after The Magnetic Fields. At 16, he recorded an entire doo-wop album that was inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. Zach also released a three-song EP titled "Small Time American Bats" under the name 1971. The album was recorded in 2001-2002 and has never been officially released. Condon attended Santa Fe High School, where he was a student until he dropped out at the age of 16 to travel Europe (with his brother Ryan Condon) where he was first exposed to Balkan gypsy music, notably including the Boban Marković Orchestra and Goran Bregović.
Gulag Orkestar (2006)
EP-Lon Gisland (2007)
Flying Club Cup (2007)
While there's little in the way of pop/rock influence in Beirut's instrumental approach, Condon sings in a low warble that recalls the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt, showcasing his unrestrained flair for drama on tracks such as the tense "Brandenburg" and the swooning "Scenic World." Effectively displaying Condon's considerable abilities, GULAG ORKESTAR is a fully formed first outing that is sure to appeal to many fans of ornate and adventurous indie-pop.
A great choice after a rough day of work.
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