This album makes me feel like I’m at a holiday fairground in a small town somewhere in Europe...
All its residents are there – young and old. I’m inspired by everything around me; the lights, the music and the spinning carousels. And as I wonder about; half dancing, half singing, I hear snippets of conversations from older generations: the wiser ones with so much life experience; grief, love and everything in between. The Flying Club Cup is being played by musicians on the bandstand, creating a beautifully happy atmosphere; daylight may be on the wane, but the evening is getting started and soon tomorrow will bring with it new opportunities, hopes and dreams.
Some Background Info
Beirut is the brainchild of Zach Condon, an American musician with a love of jazz and Balkan music and The Flying Club Cup is Beirut's 2nd album, released in 2007.
If you’re familiar with any Beirut material, then you probably already know their style is intensely melodic, with incredible trumpet melodies, beautiful and haunting vocal harmonies, lively ukuleles as well as many other instruments. The Flying Club Cup reflects all these qualities.
The French Connection
As Zach Condon has stated, this album has a strong French influence after he developed an interest in French chanson (which according to Wikipedia, is “generally any lyric-driven French song, though it most often refers to polyphonic (i.e. having 2 or more separate melodies) French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music). Suddenly that type of influence becomes clear in songs such as Guyamas Sonora, St Apollonia and Cherbourg to name just a few.
Many of these songs have a waltz type feel: such as Sunday Smile, Forks and Knives and Un Dernier Verre (making me wish I knew how to dance) and offer a beautiful contrast to so much of the modern pop formula, seemingly driven by a compulsion to have 4 beats in a bar - or is that too controversial for you? 😉
Another interesting approach from Beirut are the build-ups that deliver the most iconic parts of the songs towards the end, such as Cliquot, In the Mausoleum and Cherbourg. The impact of this type of arrangement and the introduction of new instruments really lifts the songs; moving them away from a perhaps more melancholic theme, towards something much more uplifting.
Then we have the introduction of the ukulele (The Penalty and St Apollonia), which brings its own natural charm and offers a lovely contrast to many of the other songs.
The Hidden Message
For me, Beirut have this wonderful ability to write music that sounds beautiful and charming on the surface, but lift the lid and the lyrics often hint at the more profound moments of life; perhaps a great metaphor for how many of us choose to portray ourselves in our modern, social-media focussed world?
Is this a one-off?
It certainly isn't! There are several other albums to cast your ears over, which of the ones I’ve listened to, all have a similar style and feel.
So what did you think?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on The Flying Club Cup: what you loved (or not maybe)? Any favourite songs? And will you be inspired to look into the Beirut back-catalogue?
Dave
The Bustling Tram Society
2 comments
Alan F
Not an easy listen! Complex layering and a lot of musical influences (think Morrissey meets a Mariachi band playing Kurt Weill songs while Dave Brubeck throws in a few fills and a bunch of “happy” football fans does the backing vocals) lead to songs that you are not going to be whistling on the way home. But persevere! The rhythms are infectious and the exotic blend of latin and middle eastern tones will transport you, if you give them a chance!
The Bustling Tram Society
That is a great summary of it – and not a description I would ever have come with either! Glad you liked it – at least I think you did! 🙂