Citizen Of The World Inc. » Beirut

Video: Beirut: D To The Letterman: Sunday Smilin’ On This Gloomy Day: TVOTR On SNL: Dancing Choose.

Citizen192 — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:23:36 +0000

Beirut took the stage, with Orkestar in tow, on David Letterman Friday night and delivered a soothing “Sunday Smile” performance. Of course, I missed it because I forgot to close the door to Mr. Sandman after reading excerpts from “Distant Star” in bed.

I tried to redeem myself by staying up last night and watching Tv On The Radio perform on Saturday Night Live, but dozed off during the “I’m Gonna Sleep With Your Wife” segment. Yeah. Lame. I know. “Dancing Choose” performance below (though I have a feeling SNL will snag this clip soon.)

Footnote: I stayed in on a Friday & Saturday night in LA. I blame the rain and crippling poverty.

Tv On The Radio SNL [via The Audio Perv]
Videos [via YouTube]

Beirut: March Of The Zapotec: Holland: Sample.

Citizen192 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:18:38 +0000

Beirut’s forthcoming double-EP doesn’t release for another 22 days, but a good friend of mine sent over an advance copy knowing all too well that I’d be hounding him for it anyway. The first half of the album is “March Of The Zapotec”, a six-song EP recorded in Oaxaca, Mexico along with The Jimenez Band, a 19-piece orchestra filling in trumpet blares, percussion and guitar accompaniment. You won’t find the melodic escapades from “The Flying Club Cup”, nor will you encounter the Eastern European triumph of “Gulag Orkestar”, but it’s a subtle salutation to Zach Condon’s time in Southern, Mexico.

It’s hardly experimental considering Condon’s concoctions usually involve intermingling of various elements from his travels around the world. Yet, what’s up with the lack of vocals on the track “On A Bayonet?”

The other half of the album, “Holland” — accredited to Condon’s first project Real People — is substantially groovier. Though I’m not sure why Condon prefered to name the latter of the EP under his old pseudonym, it’s clear he stuck to the synth-beat style notoriously Real People. The album is a mere 34 minutes in length, but ricochets enough brilliance off your ear drums to keep your thirst quenched for a few months. Also, you now have a video to keep you entertained as well.

Beirut To Release “March Of The Zapotec”, Just Another Fav Celebrity Hanging In Mexico.

Citizen192 — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:22:40 +0000

Update: Beirut talks with Pitchfork about the project.

I’ve heard rumors of John Malkovich residing somewhere around the Col. Condesa; Anthony Bourdain brought his spit-fire insight on gastronomy to Mexico City a few weeks back; now I’m hearing news that Beirut perched his scrawny awesomeness, probably on some hilltop where his horns would reverberate throughout valleys below, in Oaxaca to record a new EP set to release as a double CD.

From Pitchfork:

Come February 17 in the U.S. and February 16 in Europe, Condon’s own Pompeii Records (with an assist from Ba Da Bing!) will issue a pair of EPs from the Zachster, packaged together but spread out over separate CDs for maximum EP-ability. The first, March of the Zapotec, collects six new tracks partially recorded in Mexico recently by Beirut…

The second CD will be a five-song set under the name of his previous efforts, The Realpeople. It’s a shame the news comes almost four-months before the expected date of release because I’m usually against scouring torrents for early releases. Two questions: will there be any “Flying Club Cup” like videos filmed on the streets of Oaxaca? And are any Mexican musicians involved in the projects?

Tracklist for “March Of The Zapotec”:
01 El Zocalo
02 La Llorna
03 My Wife
04 The Akara
05 On a Bayonet
06 The Shrew