The Rip Tide by Beirut

Sep 21, 2011 at 6:34 PM

By Leah B.

Zach Condon's left arm could have a lot to do with Beirut's non-traditional indie-rock sound.

The band's lead singer, according to an interview with Treble Magazine, had an accident during childhood that caused his left arm to be an inch shorter than his right, making guitar very difficult to play. Naturally, he stopped guitaring and turned instead to less traditional instruments: ukuleles; accordions; trumpets; euphoniums and flugelhorns, mastered them, and thus created Beirut's unique sound. Accident or not, it works.

So, is their new album, The Rip Tide [Pompeii Records – ‘11], true to their eclectic, folky sound? Original, unique, fresh sounds often seem to fizzle out after a couple of albums and reluctantly settle into the category of the bland and mundane. But what about Mr. Condon and his short left arm?

The new album opens with “A Candle’s Fire,” a triumphant Beirut-esque track with a symphony of blended horns, rolling drums and the beautiful drones of Condon's voice-beyond-his-years, raspy croon. The next track, “Santa Fe,” features an intro that's so catchy it's almost poppy. Midway through the track, a stunning bridge comprised solely of a tapping drum and Condon's voice, pure and resilient, emits.

“East Harlem” is a slow, folky lullaby that starts off a transition into a three-song long, pace changer tucked right in the middle of the album. “Goshen” is so slow it's almost in rewind. Condon's voice takes a gentler tone with a melody that sounds familiar and a bit cliché, but still strangely unique and distinguished.

“Payne's Bay” is more upbeat – almost march-worthy. It has a beautiful dipping and rising horn melody that's both repetitive and fresh in one. It's a victorious ditty that proclaims for the final two minutes "Headstrong today, I've been headstrong" over the crashing of cymbals and short, high bursts of horn mixed with the occasional deep blast of a tuba. It's possibly one of the best tracks on the album.

The title track, “The Rip Tide,” follows next as a slow-down. For the title track, stuck smack dab in the middle of the album, it seems something of a low point. It does everything that Beirut does well, but not to the fullest potential. It's a rambling tune, much in their style, but something of it feels drab without that little punch that's usually thrown in. It ends with the fizzling out of a trumpet and never returns.

Vagabond revives the mood with Condon's smooth voice sounding effortlessly hopeful and a gorgeous accordion bridge. It leads into a melodious ending that tumbles into the next track, The Peacock, before you have time to process the change. “The Peacock” features the simplest and most mesmerizing harmony on the entire album. The song is short, but ends with a beautiful, creeping melody that inspire chills.

The final track, “Port of Call,” is a clean, precise ending that requires a gentle head bob it's so joyful. The final track embodies everything that's great about this album, and really, everything that's great about Beirut.

What makes Beirut even better is the fact that these guys are great live. Condon's voice rolls out effortlessly and the band's harmony is marvelous.

After a couple sets at Terminal 5, they will be traveling out to Chicago, playing at the historic Congress Theater on September 26th. Their shows tend to go long and the band members are known to hang out afterwards. Buying tickets in advance and booking a hotel close to the venue is a good idea. Road trip, baby!

Overall, The Rip Tide stays true to the sound this band has been cultivating over the course of six years. Beirut is celebratory but mournful, triumphant but defeated, cheerful but sobering — a feat that's not easily pulled off.

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