Beirut

Timans

What a fantastic band.

Antony & The Johnsons meets a ukulele.

I really love it, very diverse and many instruments in there.

Any news on them touring around these parts? I saw them on Jools Holland a while back which, hopefully, means they'll make their way over here soon.

Any other fans?

johnny_ultimate

Yeah young Zach Condon is a talent indeed. Liked a good few of the songs on the first album, but the Flying Club Cup seems more focused and consistent. Love Cliquot especially - Owen Pallet meets Beirut is a fine mix indeed.

ShoulderChip

I have been listening to them a lot lately, still not sure how much I like them though,
they are certainly very good, just may not be my thing exactly,
yesterday fever tomorrow saint peter, i beat on my drum till then.

Creamy Goodness

just listened to him there as i heard so much about him ie. people raving on about him and how it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

to me personally he just seems to be a carbon copy of sufjan stevens (in regards to his arrangements) with the voice of jose gonzalez.

Karlusss

The comparisons in this thread are ridiculous. Since when does Sufjan Stevens use Balkan horn arrangements?

Beirut have been to Ireland recently enough, they played Tripod, but not since the Flying Club Cup came out so there's a chance they'll come back. I didn't think it was that great though. He's a great songwriter and really natural singer, but he seemed a little too happy to be on stage, and his 10 minute drunken stumble through Hallelujah on the ukelele by himself was the stuff of embarrassing family reunions.

Everyone else I talked to seemed to think it was great though. What would it take to make a bad gig for a hyped band I wonder?

John

I can't see the Sufjan Stevens comparison at all either. Not a huge fan of Beirut, a bit too polished sounding. Doesn't quite capture the energy or emotion of Balkans music in general (not saying Beirut don't have any energy or emotion, it just isn't as strong as it could be). They do have some great stuff but I prefer A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Jeremy Barnes' band, who are a bit wilder, more passionate and more authentic sounding. I reckon anyone who likes Beirut should check out A Hawk and a Hacksaw (and anyone that doesn't too obviously).

Creamy Goodness

ehh whoops on my part.

had my mates ipod here and knew he had some beirut on it so decided to have a listen, turns out he has some of the older sufjan albums that i haven't heard mis-labelled as beruit.

don't worry a swift kick in the balls is going his way.

Attractive Nun

^lol

I like Beirut. I don't think they're as great as is often claimed, but they certainly have merit. I think the Flying Club Cup is an improvement on Gulag Orkestar, but I still think both albums have a strange combination of dull sameyness (as in a lot of the songs sound the same) and wild inconsistency (as in the really good tracks are brilliant, but the rest are somewhat mediocre). I will certainly be following Zach Condon's music for years though, because he has a wonderful singing voice, some great ideas and - in a word - potential. I expect him to create some truly great music over the coming years, whether it's as 'Beirut' or anything else.