Bigger than Balkan

It's been a charmed ride for Zach Condon, the 24-year-old mastermind behind Beirut, the brass-heavy Balkan pop orchestra that has rocketed from Brooklyn hipster approval to international acclaim in the wake of three successful albums in as many years.

Condon has been writing music for as long as he can remember, but he told The Prague Post that traveling through Europe after he dropped out of college provided his most formative musical experience, which culminated during his visit to Prague. 

"Prague was one of the first places I ran into the Balkan brass music I fell in love with. I remember hearing it floating out of bars in certain neighborhoods, and some folks in Prague were able to point me in the right direction toward some very important records," he said.

Returning to his native Santa Fe, New Mexico, the teenaged multi-instrumentalist composed and recorded Beirut's Balkan brass-infused first album, Gulag Orkestar (2006), alone in his bedroom. The album, released on Brooklyn's BaDaBing Records, received immediate acclaim in the blogosphere and throughout New York City, forcing Condon to scour Santa Fe for a group of musicians capable of reproducing his music live.

Beirut's sound has matured since their debut, taking on ambient sensibilities and more diverse influences, but the intricate horn lines and richly orchestrated pop of the band's early songs remain, as do Condon's eerily deep-voiced melodies.

"Melody always comes first," Condon said. "It's not that I don't pay attention or care about the lyrics, but I was swept off my feet by melody and harmony way before I ever learned what people were talking about when they sang."

Beirut's sophomore effort, The Flying Cup Club (2007) was partly recorded in Quebec at the studio of the already-legendary Arcade Fire. Catchy horn-fused ditties such as "Nantes" and wistful waltzes like "A Sunday Smile" secured Beirut's reputation and earned the band appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, as well as a string of sold-out concerts throughout the United States.

After a rigorous 2009 American tour promoting the album, however, Condon canceled all European concerts to recuperate and concentrate on rehearsing and composing Beirut's next album.

March of the Zapotec/Holland (2009), a double album, is an impressive effort from such a young band, and proves Condon's songwriting and orchestration is not limited to East European traditions. Nearly every track on the record evinces Condon's study of Mexican music, and the brass melodies are reminiscent of Miles Davis' classic, Sketches of Spain (1959), though smoother and more modern.

Condon's voice is as emotive as ever, crooning narratives of lost loves and missed chances on tracks such as "My Night with a Prostitute from Marseilles," which features synthesized keys and a drum machine, in a soulful, updated version of '80s pop.

Condon says the leap from Balkan to Mexican wasn't as difficult as it might seem.

"It wasn't a huge leap for me, as brass music from all over the world has many of the same feelings and traditions. It's easy to feel the similarities between mariachi, Sicilian funeral procession music and a good Balkan dirge. Brass is such an expressive medium, I can't help but search for every possible sound to come out of it; a beautiful, bittersweet range of emotions," he says.

Beirut is currently touring as a nine-piece band, with most members switching instruments between, and sometimes during, songs. Besides vocalist Condon, who also plays flugelhorn and ukulele, the band features accordion, cello, guitar, violin, drums, keys, baritone sax, mandolin, trombone and glockenspiel, to name just a few. More than any popular band in recent memory, Beirut utilizes a seriously diverse range of styles, moods and instruments.

Condon and his band are sure to have a warm welcome during their first visit to Prague, a city that appreciates brass music, if the almost seasonal outdoor performances by Gregor Bregović and the Balkan music still floating from certain bars are any indication. The performance itself promises to be a revelation for Beirut fans and newcomers alike, as Condon and company prove they are larger than the sum of their parts. 

Stephan Delbos can be reached at
sdelbos@praguepost.com