November 20 street date. "It's with all that apparent stylistic multiple personality disorder, then, that third album proper The Rip Tide strolls along. On the whole more 'Elephant Gun' than Gulag Orkestar, the album definitely leans more towards the singalong end of the Beirut spectrum. You might even say there's an element of Condon exploring his inner pop singer-songwriter on songs such as 'Santa Fe' and 'Vagabond'. Only a small element, though; this is Beirut after all. Paired with the album's running time of only 33 minutes, it's a sign of the album's relentless focus on distilling the songs into their purest form, rather than Condon suddenly making a play to be the next major X Factor songwriter." 8/10 -- by Krystina Nellis, "Drowned In Sound"
November 12 street date. Ltd Coloured Vinyl! 'East Harlem' and 'Goshen' are the first new Beirut songs since 2009’s March of the Zapotec EP, and they reveal an expanded approach from a band that has always been nomadic. 'East Harlem' is the immediate and grabbing pop song, with an upbeat uke, piano and trumpet melody tailor-made for 7-inch satisfaction. 'Goshen' balances out the mirth with heartfelt piano and intimate vocals which may be band leader Zach Condon’s greatest singing performance ever. Together, the songs portend of good things to come.
June 17 street date. Together, this album-length double release represents the totality of Condon's work over the past year. March of the Zapotec is further testament toward the inventiveness and intimacy he creates as Beirut, a band which started as one person sounding like twelve, and has developed into a particular style and sound. No matter what inspirations jumpstart any one particular song, underlying it all is the realization that Condon is a singular artist creating an original sound. What may appear at first to be two disparate paths are in reality joined by Condon's ability to craft simple melodies that sound both unique and unforgettable. It would be a misconception for Beirut's sound to be considered a dabble in various styles, folk sounds, and music histories, because one could never confuse Condon's music for the original inspiration; all his songs on this release carry more in common with each other than they do their original source of inspiration. And whether he's being inspired by Balkan folk, French chanteuse, Mexican troubadour, '80s synth pop, or '90s house, the common thread remains Condon's ability to personalize the sound. March of the Zapotec marks the continuing emergence of a musician who has only shown an inkling of where he is headed. And while the road may be long, every stop along the way invites a new experience. Enjoy the latest.
September 11 street date. Zach Condon and his band Beirut will soon release their fourth studio album "No No No", their first world wide release for 4AD. Coming four years after The Rip Tide, and recorded over a two week period during one of the coldest New York winters - with blizzard after blizzard raging outside - "No No No" is Condon’s most vibrant and spirited record to date. Unlike previous outings, the band set-up is significantly pared down with guitar, piano, bass and drums forming the bulk of arrangements. All songs recorded at Strange Weather, except ‘No No No’. Engineered by Griffin Rodriguez at Shape Shoppe West and Laurence Eaves at Dumbo Studio One. ‘At Once’ was engineered by Griffin Rodriguez at Shape Shoppe West. Mixed at Strange Weather by Gabe Wax and Zach Condon. "Exquisitely orchestrated masterpiece" - Village Voice. Available as a US import CD / LP and a special blue vinyl pressing for the initial run.
February 1 street date. Zach Condon, the mastermind behind Beirut, releases his fifth studio album Gallipoli on February 1st 2019 through 4AD. The 12-track Gallipoli started life when Zach Condon returned to his old Farinas organ, the same one he used to write his first two albums, Gulag Oresteia (2006) and The Flying Club Cup (2007). After stints writing and recording in both New York and Berlin, with time for Zach to recover from a broken arm factored in, band plus producer Gabe Wax (Speedy Ortiz, Soccer Mommy, Adrianne Lenker / Big Thief) headed to Puglia in Italy to finish the album. With the remote rural setting “the right amount of isolated”, an intense month of 12 to 16-hour days in the studio with day trips around the coastline followed. Inspired by the surroundings, Gallipoli is unintentionally more visceral than Beirut’s more recent albums, alive with an energy that is further enhanced by every creak and groan of their instruments, every detuned note, and all amp buzz and technical malfunction being left in the cracks of the songs. Gallipoli’s title track is a cathartic embrace of old and new. Condon says, “We stumbled into the medieval-fortressed island town of Gallipoli one night and followed a brass band procession fronted by priests carrying a statue of the town’s saint through the winding narrow streets behind what seemed like the entire town. The next day I wrote the song entirely in one sitting, pausing only to eat.” Beirut hit the road with confirmed Canadian shows February 18th Montreal (Metropolis), Toronto on the 19th (Sony Centre). and Vancouver on February 26th at The Orpheum.
February 1 street date. Zach Condon, the mastermind behind Beirut, releases his fifth studio album Gallipoli on February 1st 2019 through 4AD. The 12-track Gallipoli started life when Zach Condon returned to his old Farinas organ, the same one he used to write his first two albums, Gulag Oresteia (2006) and The Flying Club Cup (2007). After stints writing and recording in both New York and Berlin, with time for Zach to recover from a broken arm factored in, band plus producer Gabe Wax (Speedy Ortiz, Soccer Mommy, Adrianne Lenker / Big Thief) headed to Puglia in Italy to finish the album. With the remote rural setting “the right amount of isolated”, an intense month of 12 to 16-hour days in the studio with day trips around the coastline followed. Inspired by the surroundings, Gallipoli is unintentionally more visceral than Beirut’s more recent albums, alive with an energy that is further enhanced by every creak and groan of their instruments, every detuned note, and all amp buzz and technical malfunction being left in the cracks of the songs. Gallipoli’s title track is a cathartic embrace of old and new. Condon says, “We stumbled into the medieval-fortressed island town of Gallipoli one night and followed a brass band procession fronted by priests carrying a statue of the town’s saint through the winding narrow streets behind what seemed like the entire town. The next day I wrote the song entirely in one sitting, pausing only to eat.” Beirut hit the road with confirmed Canadian shows February 18th Montreal (Metropolis), Toronto on the 19th (Sony Centre). and Vancouver on February 26th at The Orpheum.
August 30 street date. Vinyl reissue of the first studio album by the American indie folk band, Beirut, originally released in 2006. Includes digital album download coupon.
August 30 street date. Vinyl reissue of "The Flying Club Cup", the second studio album by Balkan folk-influenced band Beirut, originally released in 2007.
Please note new street date: April 1. "Artifacts" began humbly as a means of compiling a few early Beirut EPs for a proper physical release. However, as Zach Condon explains in the album's excellent liner notes, reconnecting with old recordings through fresh ears turned a simple reissue project into something much more expansive. "When the decision came to re-release this collection, I found myself digging through hard drives looking for something extra to add to the compilation. What started as a few extra unreleased tracks from my formative recording years quickly grew into an entire extra records-worth of music from my past, and a larger project of remixing and remastering everything I found for good measure". "Artifacts" is a phylogenetic tree. A double LP's worth of music that traces the evolution of Beirut from a 14-year old Condon's first attempts at bringing the music he heard in his mind to life, to the fully formed Beirut we know today.
Please note new street date: April 1. "Artifacts" began humbly as a means of compiling a few early Beirut EPs for a proper physical release. However, as Zach Condon explains in the album's excellent liner notes, reconnecting with old recordings through fresh ears turned a simple reissue project into something much more expansive. "When the decision came to re-release this collection, I found myself digging through hard drives looking for something extra to add to the compilation. What started as a few extra unreleased tracks from my formative recording years quickly grew into an entire extra records-worth of music from my past, and a larger project of remixing and remastering everything I found for good measure". "Artifacts" is a phylogenetic tree. A double LP's worth of music that traces the evolution of Beirut from a 14-year old Condon's first attempts at bringing the music he heard in his mind to life, to the fully formed Beirut we know today.