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Product Description

Beirut's second LP purportedly takes inspiration from French chanson of yesteryear (as opposed to the Balkan folk of yesteryear). Bandleader Zach Condon has found a new home in Paris, and a new muse as well, quickly absorbing fodder from the likes of Francois Hardy or Jacques Brel. The music remains quite recognizably Beirut--in all its oom-pa glory--but the production value is stepped up a notch. It's through the dense arrangements that it reaches new heights, this without question being the fullest offering yet. The band appeared on Owen Pallet's (Final Fantasy/Arcade Fire) new album in exchange for the use of Arcade Fire's Masonic church studio, along with the exotic pile of instruments within. Pallet ended up contributing several string arrangements and the band made full use of the studio. The result is a truly orchestral take on the simpler gypsy stomp of Gulag Orkestar or the straight-up eight-piece live band of the Lon Gisland EP. Opener "Nantes" features a perfectly broken organ and introduces the wealth of percussion that continues throughout the album, as well as some samples of French TV or radio (the most explicit Franco-features are these sampled tidbits). Waltzing glockenspiels give way to a celebratory, raucous chorus on "La Banlieu." "Un Dernier Verre" features a skittering, jazzy piano bit (in 3/4 time, natch). The Flying Club Cup lacks the immediate hits that made Gulag Orkestar explode (like "Postcards from Italy" or "Mount Wroclai"). It works as an album rather than just a collection of songs. It's a more pensive presentation--dare I say it: more mature. Beirut remains mind-boggling work for a 21-year-old, and it's exciting to watch Condon's musical palette expand as he gathers the life experience to match his voice. --Jason Pace

Since the release of Gulag Orchestra in May of 2006, Beirut has done a tsunami of interviews, photoshoots and features. This great fervor developed around an album conceived and constructed in a teenager s New Mexico bedroom. Six months of recording has led to The Flying Club Cup, an homage to France s culture, fashion, history, and music. Two years ago, Zach Condon immersed himself in Balkan folk, absorbed sounds, scales, styles, and the sonic joys of a skeletally structured, cacophonic ensemble and moved west.?Soaking up the likes of Fran?ois Hardy, Charles Aznavour, and, most notably, Jacques Brel (a huge influence on both Scott Walker and Mark E. Smith), Condon has been articulating his conversational French. Most of the album was created at a nondescript Albuquerque office space, a.k.a. A Hawk and a Hacksaw s practice room; Heather Trost plays violin and viola on three songs. Engineering and production assistance came from Griffin Rodriguez (A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Man Man).?He helped separate the many instrumentalists involved in recording, as opposed to Gulag s largely solo flight.?The orkestar, which has solidified into a core group of eight members, has grand plans for replicating the album live, and is now an integral part of Beirut s identity.?Additional recording was done with Owen Pallet (Final Fantasy) at the Masonic church studio owned by The Arcade Fire.

Since its release in May of 2006, Beirut's internationally celebrated Gulag Orkestar album has soundscanned more than 45,000 copies, and the band has done a tsunami of interviews, photoshoots and features (including NY Times, Spin, Pitchfork, Urb, and Village Voice). This great fervor developed around an album conceived and constructed in a teenager's New Mexico bedroom. Six months of recording has led to The Flying Club Cup, an homage to France's culture, fashion, history, and music. Two years ago, Zach Condon immersed himself in Balkan folk, absorbed sounds, scales, styles, and the sonic joys of a skeletally structured, cacophonic ensemble - and moved west. Soaking up the likes of Francois Hardy, Charles Aznavour, and, most notably, Jacques Brel (a huge influence on both Scott Walker and Mark E. Smith), Condon has been articulating his conversational French. Most of the album was created at a nondescript Albuquerque office space, a.k.a. A Hawk and a Hacksaw's practice room; Heather Trost plays violin and viola on three songs. Engineering and production assistance came from Griffin Rodriguez (A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Man Man). He helped separate the many instrumentalists involved in recording, as opposed to Gulag's largely solo flight. The orkestar, which has solidified into a core group of eight members, has grand plans for replicating the album live, and is now an integral part of Beirut's identity. Additional recording was done with Owen Pallet (Final Fantasy) at the Masonic church studio owned by The Arcade Fire. Within the spectacle and intimacy of The Flying Club Cup, you can hear a love letter to the joie de vivre that defines our existence. Listen closer, and you also hear the emergence of a singular musical talent - Mr. Zachary F. Condon, at present living in Paris - unbounded by cultural borders and by where his heart travels.

Customer Reviews:

• Atmospheric
  The Flying Club Cup contains the most compelling melodies and arrangements of songs inspired by French folk and popular music. Coban's addictive voice and the backing vocals are backed by an appealing instrumental mix that including horns, fiddles, piano, violin, viola, mandolin, brass, accordion, strings and layers of percussion. The sound is cohesive and authentic, for a full impressive sound on these beautiful tunes. My favorites include In The Mausoleum, Cliquot, Nantes and the title track. The mood is introspective, even sad at times, but engaging throughout on this unique and remarkable album. Repeated plays are advised, as the album slowly releases its layers of sonic beauty.
  ...more info
• Frech Flair
  The Flying Club Cup contains the most compelling melodies and arrangements of songs inspired by French folk and popular music. Coban's addictive voice and the backing vocals are backed by an appealing instrumental mix that including horns, fiddles, piano, violin, viola, mandolin, brass, accordion, strings and layers of percussion. The sound is cohesive and authentic, for a full impressive sound on these beautiful tunes. My favorites include In The Mausoleum, Cliquot, Nantes and the title track. The mood is introspective, even sad at times, but engaging throughout on this unique and remarkable album. Repeated plays are advised, as the album slowly releases its layers of sonic beauty....more info
• Worst CD I have ever purchased!
  After reading numerous POSITIVE Reviews I thought I would give this CD a shot, as I am also a fan of early 1900's French and Parisian Music... and this CD was extolled to be such....and these were also very romantic times! Well, as we all have broad tastes in music so do I and when I say my tastes are broad, I'm being conservative as about the only thing I don't like is Opera and Rap! Anything else in between usually works! However, not this CD! I've TRIED listening to every track and was, today, on my 3rd-attempt to try and find something about it that I could enjoy! I got up to selection #5 and hit the eject button! To me it was nothing but noise, more noise and then some more!! It's going on eBay tomorrow for 1-cent plus shipping! Look for it!...more info
• interesting, different
  I stumbled upon this on recommendations and found it alright and I listen to it fairly often....more info
• Homesick, fully grown children
  This is their second LP release, and by far their best release to date.
  
  Critics are quick to say Beirut's sound is Euro-stylized by influences like Jacques Brel and Fran?ois Hardy. They're eager to compare the band's frontman, Zach Condron, to Scott Walker. It won't be long before they liken Beirut to the Tindersticks had Stuart Staples turned queer.
  
  But "The Flying Club Cup" proved Zach Condon has developed a musical style beyond compare.
  
  Whereas "Gulag Orkestar" showed that the self-ordained small time American band could meld Macedonian folk sounds with romantic classical European music stylings and bourgeoise bohemian sophistication, "The Flying Club Cup" uses this melded sound as the departure point toward a far more striking occurrence: style defined without subculture.
  
  Timeless, ageless, genderless, cultureless, songs like "Cliquot" and "The Penalty" make "The Flying Club Cup" an album that could have come out of almost any place in the world at any point in history.
  
  But it's not just universal in those senses. Perhaps because of frontman Zach Condon's sophisticated, mature air and voice, it was refreshing and unexpected to hear him sing such honest lyrics about love. It was, well, sweet. Better yet, it is why I think "The Flying Club Cup" is nothing short of genius.
  
  In sum, "The Flying Club Cup": Beirut's balkan-gypsy-folk-french-euro-pop music style renowned in their first LP release, made even better with more mature lyrics for the young at heart....more info
• Simply Wonderful
  Absolutely besotted by this second album and its lush impact. If the initial outing deservedly gained wide recognition of a prodigious and eclectic talent, this work will gain even greater afflatus. The brass and accordion work is sensational and perfect accompaniment for that rich voice. Nothing maudilin or self-absorbed about this artist. This is a signature full of life's richest offerings. More please!...more info
• Loved it!
  So I was on YouTube one day and this band was featured as one of the "playing" videos on the homepage. I checked them out and fell in love! I had never shopped with Amazon before now - but I am going to do it again in the future. I was very pleased with the shipping time and the c.d. is great!...more info