MARCH OF THE ZAPOTEC

Beirut | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: PEII
• ASIN: B001NRPR7U
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #254,788 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. El Zocalo

2. La Llorona

3. My Wife

4. The Akara

5. On a Bayonet

6. The Shrew

Disc: 2

1. My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille

2. My Wife, Lost in the Wild

3. Venice

4. The Concubine

5. No Dice

Editorial Reviews

For the past year, Beirut has alternated between touring in support of 2007's much-lauded The Flying Club Cup and writing a wealth of new material. With no sense of a release in mind, bandleader Zach Condon recorded in any style that struck his fancy. Some early discussions about recording material for a film being shot in Mexico morphed into a new idea: What about finding a local band in a small city in Mexico, hiring them to play some new material, and recording the result?

It was a sincere challenge every step of the way. Condon had to find the band, which he did through a bandmate's mother who has connections in Oaxaca. To communicate with the performers, he hired a translator, who had to be able to speak English, Spanish, as well as Zapotec, the band members' native language. From there, he flew down to Oaxaca, traveling a half-hour out of town to the tiny weaver village of Teotitlan del Valle, where he met the nineteen members of The Jimenez Band. The ensuing weeks of recording, rewriting, and relating are documented in a series of short films (to be released online as the release date for March of the Zapotec draws near).

All well and good, but the six songs found on March of the Zapotec are only a part of what this release has become. Before recording as Beirut, Condon went by Realpeople for his bedroom recordings, and he has revived the name for the second half in this collection, Holland. As opposed to March of the Zapotec, Holland collects a series of songs conceived and completed at home. One song, Venice, appeared on a compilation by The Believer magazine, while My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille was on the Big Change digital-only charity compilation on iTunes.

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars new beirut, April 16, 2009

By 

moo shoo "moo" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: March of the Zapotec [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

i love beirut. this cd, especially realpeople holland, makes me want to travel and love and live. i love it. love. it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Sonic bliss, June 16, 2010

By 

Rod Redux "RR" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: March of the Zapotec [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

I am in awe of the sound quality of this LP and the inventive and catchy music on this album. Not one song was bad. On my system, the horns blared out like someone was playing right behind my seat. La Larona is the stand-out track for me on this album. I can listen to it over and over. I highly recommend this album. The packaging is thick, high quality with slick printed inner sleeves and retro looking art. Five stars. If you have a good record player, you owe it to yourself to buy this and immerse yourself in the music of Beirut. There are two LPs in this package, and both have very different styles-- one tradition Spanish and the other electonica. It is like getting two albums for the price of one!

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of 2009: A true reinvention in more than one way!, December 10, 2009

By 

Manny Hernandez "@askmanny" (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: MARCH OF THE ZAPOTEC (Audio CD)

I've heard every release Beirut has put out since the start. Each one has been amazing by its own right. Yet here, Beirut shows how it can reinvent itself culturally (by taking a leap across the globe to find influences in Mexico instead of Central Europe) and musically (by incorporating fascinatingly modern elements in connection with traditional instruments -easy to dismiss but not easy to accomplish). All in all, this has turned into one of my favorite albums of 2009!