Disco de Beirut: “Gulag Orkestar”

Finding out about Beirut was one of the best things to happen to me (musically) in 2007. When I first heard their EP "

", I quickly proceeded to dig back in the past works by this fascinating act.

Beirut blends a lo-fi sound not unlike a group of East European gipsies with a folk feel like Sufjan Stevens with leader Zach Condon's voice coming across much like David Byrne. The result is an exquisite and upbeat album that makes your heart pound with excitement making you want to jump, clap and laugh, with "Postcards From Italy" being one of the highlights.

Thinking that this was Beirut's debut album just blows me away. If you like it, by all means pick up "

".

This is definitely one of the most influential albums i've heard recently and maybe ever. It combines a bit of Balkan sounds, a bit of Tiersen (yes you've definitely heard of him!) and a bit (just a little bit) of indie and maybe post rock - at least, this is what my ears tell me :).

The most interesting thing maybe, is that the whole album is mostly the work of a single person (Zach Condon) whose age is about 20. When i first listened the album i thought that this was composed either from a Balkan band / orchestra or from some mature musicians. Well, i was wrong! Most of the recordings were made by him in his own house! This is his third personal album but the first under the "Beirut" name.

It is difficult to say which tracks are worthing from this album since most of them do! Few exceptions exist of course, but they are the exceptions and not the rule ;)

So, five stars from me and highly suggested to anyone who's looking for something fresh, inspiring and different. Give it a try and you won't be disappointed

To be honest, when I think of psychedelic bands I don't usually think of Balkan folk music. But with the release of Beirut's "Gulag Orkestar," I may have to revise my thinking.

This new band consists of teenage musician Zach Condon, along with people from Neutral Milk Hotel and A Hawk and a Hacksaw, making bittersweet folkpop and danceable marches. Imagine a band of slightly drunk gypsies on parade, and you'll have the general idea of how it sounds.

It opens slow, with a gentle piano and blaring horns. The title track meanders in circles and finally dies away... only to be reborn as a swaying march. Halfway through, Condon joins in with some mournful wails and equally mournful singing. That turns around in "Prenzluerberg," where the singing is just as melancholy, but the music is a cheerier march.

From there on, the trio tries out those styles and everything in between -- rattly folk with tambourines and horns, danceable folkpop, and tinkly klezmer music. Yes, tinkly klezmer. They get downright happy in "Scenic World," a colorful glockenspiel song that is just barely grounded by some quick violins.

After that, "Gulah Orkestar" is pretty upbeat, with a string of swaying marches and upbeat folk acoustics. The album's finale is a bit of a head-scratcher, though. "After the Curtain" is a relatively bare-bones song with Condon singing over applause and a dancing glockenspiel. I don't know how to fit that one in.

And this version has an addition: The "Lon Gisland" EP, which starts off with the bittersweet, playful horn pop "Elephant Gun," before slipping off into a ponderous march song, a colourful accordion tune (complete with clacking drumsticks), a sweep of soaring horns, and the delightfully bright "Carousels."

Basically this album is what happens when an American teenager drops out and crosses Eastern Europe, soaking up the folk music as he goes.

And it's a good thing Condon's musical talents are being backed by experienced musicians, so we can get a bittersweet, atmospheric taste of whatever he heard there. The main problem is that the less folky songs don't really fit in -- without them, the album would have been a lot better. But as it is, it's a remarkable achievement.

Condon has a pretty deep voice for someone so young, and he fills it with the longing and beauty that traditional singing often has. And he's assisted by some very talented musicians: Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost, both of whom work in the psych-folk band A Hawk and a Hacksaw. So of course, they have a good ear for this sort of thing.

So how do they manage? Soundwise, it's like someone took the gypsy out of Gogol Bordello and slapped it on Neutral Milk Hotel. The songs are brimming with violins, horns, accordion, mandolin, pianos, ukeleles, glockenspiel and many others. These instruments are so smoothly blended that it sounds like at least a dozen people are playing at any one time, and that they've played this music their whole lives.

"Gulag Orkestar" is a pretty, heart-tugging album that will make you think of quaint European villages in the springtime. Definitely worth listening to, many times.

indie melodies with gypsy european folk instruments! these guys push the envelope to the edge... very very refreshing and lovely.

the music makes you want to spin around in 3/4 time like the dervishes... it makes brass band music sound good! and even the accordion sounds great in the album.

the tunes are very catchy and melancholic and you won't be trying to tune it out of your head when you catch yourself singing it over and over again.

there is just one song which is a little strange because it has a casiotone (70s toy electronic keyboard)thingy going throughout the song, but i think they put it in to get that cheesy feeling which in a way is pretty daring but well spiced in an album that is completely filled with folk instruments.

If you're an indie fan and like innovation and great tunes, this is a MUST BUY.

LOVELY!

While it is a great CD I would also recommend Boris Kovac's Last Balkan Tango for more of the lovely Eastern/Southern European melancholia. I am amazed how Beirut manages at moments to outplay Kovac, a music veteran with twenty years of experience in New/"World" music. That right there is a great achievment for a 19-year old kid. Oh, yes, if you can grab somewhere UNMIK Titanic, a latest documentary by Boris Mitic which opens with a mournful, but yet comedic gypsy brass cover of "My Heart Will Go On" you will be closer to understanding what the H-E-C-K the Balkans is all about.