Song of the Day - May 29, 2006

There has been a fair amount of press about Beirut and his debut album Gulag Orkestar. Zach Condon has created a brilliant effort that glorifies an Eastern European/Balkan aesthetic. There is not a single guitar on this album, and I do not mind in the least. The instrumentation ranges from trumpets, pianos, ukeleles, organs, cellos, accordions, and glockenspiel contributing to Beirut's unique sound. Zach's music tends toward melancholy tunes and a sense of weariness in life, yet Zach is only 19. Zach is assisted on this album by Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeremy Barnes and A Hawk and a Hacksaw's Heather Trost. With friends like that and Zach's immense talent, I am sure we will have a wealth of great music to listen to in the future. "Brandenburg" is one of my favorite tracks with its aggressive Eastern European beat, mandolin accompaniment, and Zach's plaintive vocals. The trumpets add another level of sophistication to this great track. Click here to listen.