Beirut - The Flying Club Cup (4AD)
4/5
By: Gareth Roberts
After causing major backlogs at laundrettes up and down the land last year thanks to his pant messingly excellent 'Gulag Orkestar', it seems that critics may well be dashing for the washroom again after listening to this. 'The Flying Club Cup' is Beirut's the follow up to said work of genius, and whilst living up to revered predecessors is rarely easy, Zach Condon has made a credible attempt at doing just that.
Whereas 'The Gulag Orkestar' drew plaudits for its eccentric diversity, 'The Flying Club Cup' is a much more streamlined affair. The goal appears to have been to accentuate the more accessible aspects of the Beirut sound, thus creating a record that is ultimately more listenable, albeit slightly less interesting. As such, the guitar is omnipresent when previously it was nowhere to be heard...
The French influence is prominent throughout (Condon has been living in Paris for a while now, a self confessed Francophile), and we even have the odd excerpt of French dialogue. The lack of variation in style will no doubt cause some to jump to the conclusion that this somehow makes for a less credible piece of work. But of course to do so would be bordering on lunacy, as some of the songs on here are works erring close to genius ('A Call to Arms' and 'La Banlieu' to name but two, and believe me, there are many more).
He may have built an almost cult following by treading unfamiliar ground with an illustrious disregard for conventional musical direction. But with 'The Flying Club Cup' he looks set to enter the consciousness of a wider audience. And whilst this may irk some, few would argue that he more than deserves the successes which look set to follow.
Stream two tracks from 'The Flying Club Cup' HERE.
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