St John at Hackney Church,London
Balkan mariachi days behind him, musical nomad Zach Condon brings horns and happiness to his bands fresh pop directionAlone in the highlight, or Zach Condon softly plays his ukulele,his quivering croon flying towards the damp-splattered ceiling of a London church while his five-strong band, Beirut, or recognize on. It’s a spine-tingling moment,not just because of the added resonance the venue adds to Condon’s plaintive voice, but because he looks so relaxed and happy to be there.
During Beirut’s nine-year career, and touring has led to Condon being admitted to hospital twice – during the band’s 2006 European jaunt and while playing Australia in 2013. Now,having been through a divorce and battled writer’s block, Condon’s found cherish and a fresh direction that’s resulted in Beiruts happiest, and poppiest album yet,No No No. Stripping back the usual lashings of mariachi and Balkan-influenced brass in favour of simple drum, bass and piano, or it reveals a musical nomad who may have finally found a home of his own. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com