Beirut - Postcards from Italy
I had heard numerous mentions of Beirut but never really paid attention to them over the years. I say years, I really mean about two, so I was a bit surprised to discover Zachary Francis Condon had been knocking about since 2006. Debut effort in the form of Gulag Orkestar is something different. I’m not one for general folk themes, or world music, but this project is all about exploring. I don’t know how I feel about it.
The music itself is somewhat infectious, especially heard in Postcards from Italy, but for me, it’s Zacharys voice that is the true instrument of Beirut. From what I’ve read, he was only 19 or 20 whilst this album was made, but he has the voice of a rum-swigging 40 something that might have had too many cigarettes before he recorded this album. The major let down of this album is the track Scenic World. It sounded out of place, completely, something the likes of that guy Owl City would make. Disappointing really. Put that aside though, and I’ve got an album I can appreciate.
Postcards from Italy had to be the stand out track. That dreamy, floaty guitar intro coupled with Zacharys voice has a summery haze about it, backed up with a bit of a stomping background. The horns are perfect.
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
(May, 2006)
Song of Week Fourteen Album
Unfortunately, I cannot get a decent version of In My Life for an audio post on this blog, so I will have to make do with just linking it via YouTube. I dislike this because it ruins the uniformity of my blog! Ah. Oh well. Here’s the link: http://goo.gl/Hmas
Out of a record that has numerous tracks I could choose as favourites, I went for In My Life. I’m not too sure why. It’s probably the short riff that is brought in at the start and played sporadically throughout. It just sounds lovely. Reminds me of Under The Bridge or something. It annoys me that some of my favourite riffs or intros are so short. In My Life does that, but redeems itself.
I had never really given The Beatles a real go, bar having their “1” album, which I guess doesn’t really count for anything. I was fed up of reading and hearing people say they are overrated and yadda yadda, so I wanted to see for myself. Although I knew I wasn’t really doing it justice by listening to only one of their albums… Maybe I might make an exception to the rule and listen to more of their albums through the 52 weeks…
The Beatles - Rubber Soul
(December, 1965)
Russian Circles - Station
Russian Circles are a band hailing from Chicago and they are coming to the bar where I work in just under a week or so. I decided that this would be a good opportunity to check them out and see what they were like.
I was impressed. I can’t say I listen to instrumental post-rock music a lot at all, the closest would be Explosions in the Sky, but even at that, I don’t own any of their albums. I anticipated this to be a bit difficult to get into, but I think I’ve found a genre in which I appreciate, especially that of Russian Circles.
It was thusly a pleasant surprise to find the track Station, which has a stomping, fist rising attitude to it. The riff is heavy and really comes at you. I like it. Although I do often wonder how vocals would work with such music. I’d probably go with a safe bet and keep it as it is. Proper heavy track which could be a part of a workout compilation of sorts.
Russian Circles - Station
(May, 2008)
Beach Fossils - What A Pleasure
I had to go with the title track for this weeks favourite song. What A Pleasure brings a lovely duo of flat bass creating the background, over layed with jangly guitar lines. I kinda visualise it as the bass being the background colours, the emulsion paint to the walls, and the guitar the detailed final colouring. Quite a number of songs from this album have this same format.
I feel that the vocals of Dustin Payseur are completely detached from this music. If the bass is the background, he’s somewhere out the back having a quick fag. That’s not to say I don’t like them, I just wonder if they had more prominence, would I like his voice as much. Either way, this is a stand out track, followed closely by Calyer, which is lovely.
Beach Fossils - What A Pleasure
(March, 2011)
Chromeo, why hadn’t I heard of them before? It was only after a recent chat about this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaI0LWcYvnU that I realised how much I wanted to listen to them. After doing a bit of snooping, I decided that they shall fill the boots of Week Eleven Album.
Electrofunk. Electro and funk. Two great genres combined. Add a splash of 70s and 80s throwback and you’ve got Chromeo. A duo of Canadians who know how to bring a beat together and make you smile.
Their opening track of “Hot Mess” is a decent enough opener, but I feel it is slightly marred by the cockney woman spewing a bit of nonsense every now and then. Still, that aside, it’s a great track, giving a glimpse of what is about to come: Synths. Pop. Disco. Funk. Dancing.
I decided to go with Night By Night as my Song of Week Eleven Album. It brings in a sprinting bass line, reminiscent of some California beach racing game in an arcade somewhere in sunny America. It would do well as to feature on the soundtrack to Drive, if only to break up it’s dark vibe throughout, and bring some serious joy into that fictional world. It’s topped off with a grandiose guitar solo. This track breathes nostalgia. Excellent.
Chromeo - Business Casual
(Septemeber, 2010)
Real Estate - Days
(October, 2011)
Grizzly Bear - Vecktamist
(May, 2009)
Twin Sister - In Heaven
(September, 2011)
Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
(February, 2011)
