Beirut - Oh My Rockness

Rockness Recommends

Beirut

August 9, 2006
Beirut is 20-year old wunderkind Zach Condon, one of Brooklyn's newest residents. The multi-talented and multi-instrumentalist Condon sounds like Devendra Banhart meets Antony meets Neutral Milk Hotel meets, well, you get it.

This is post-folk with horns, strings, accordions and glockenspiels (and no guitars) that find their sonic inspiration in the mystical sounds of Eastern Europe. Imagine an old school carnival crossed with the music they play when you eat at the Olive Garden (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about). Condon's pleasant vibrato floats effortlessly over his melting pot of rhythms as he sings songs about minstrels and gypsies (somewhere Colin Meloy is demanding residuals).

You're either going to eat this stuff up or not care for it at all. But people who like Beirut REALLY like it. Condon should be around the music scene for quite some time.

Beirut play The Empty Bottle, on Saturday, August 19th.

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