Following
Beirut – Port of Call
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Anyone reading this blog back in early 2009 (no one) will remember I went through a major Beirut phase where that was pretty much all I listened to non-stop for a few months. Their 2009 double-EP (isn’t that technically an album?) saw the band led by baby-faced 25 year old Zach Condon in two separate directions: one was signature Beirut while the other was a synthesizer composed bedroom demo more akin to The Magnetic Fields.
It left a big question mark over what direction the band would take for their next proper album, The Rip Tide which will be released August 30th. The answer is a little bit of a synthesis of the two styles, with synthesizers added to their more traditional arrangements. The 9 songs are also fairly happy for the most part making it a really breezy listen. Album closer “Port Of Call” eschews the synths and overt happiness for the more wistful “classic” Beirut sound.
