“Postcards From Italy”

Beirut

Background Info

*band formed from a solo music project by Zach Condon from Santa Fe, NM (he was raised in Virginia)

*influenced by Mariachi band music*traveled to Europe in late teens and became interested in

Balkan music (“gypsy” sound)*played the trumpet in jazz band in high school; also cites

jazz as a major influence*has collaborated with and been compared to Neutral

Milk Hotel and A Hawk and a Hackshaw (very early on)*Beirut’s first performance: May 2006 in NYC

Albums

*Gulag Orkestar (May 2006) “Postcards From Italy”

*The Flying Club Cup (October 2007)*The March of the Zapotec (January 2009)*Beirutando

-“Beirutando na praça”--“Beiruting in the Square” (August 30, 2009)

*The Rip Tide (August 2011)

Musical Features“Postcards From Italy”

• Instrumentation: ukulele, drums, tambourine, two trumpets

• Solo vocals (Zach Condon)• Dynamics: starts and ends softly (piano) with

ukulele• Vocal ornamentation, vibrato, mid to high range• Steady rhythm, duple meter heard clearly by

ukulele throughout• Syncopation heard in vocals and trumpets

Musical Functions & Semiotics• Telling a story (entertainment)– Turns from “we” to an exclamatory “I” after the instrumental

section• Ukulele symbolizes light-hearted hope and bittersweet

nostalgia• Rising pitch is usually an icon of happy feelings and falling

pitch is an icon of distressing feelings– Both trumpets and vocals have this effect

• Ukulele strumming on the tonic for a few seconds + fading out of other instruments = index that hints toward the buildup to the final verse

0:00-0:08 ukulele0:08-0:35 verse 1

0:26 enter drums, tambourine

0:35-1:09 verse 2

1:09-2:19 instrumental (add trumpet) 1:18 enter 2nd trumpet 1:53-2:02 trumpets drop out 2:02-2:19 trumpets enter, tambourine

drops out2:19-2:54 uke, drums, vocals

2:47 enter trumpet2:54-3:40 all instruments3:40-3:55 uke, drums (3:55-4:17 uke)

The times we had, oh when the wind would blow with rain and snow

Were not all badWe put our feet just where they had, had to go,

never to go

The shattered soul, following close but nearly twice as slow

In my good times, there were always golden rocks to throw

At those whoThose who admit defeat too lateThose were our times, those were our times

And I will love to see that day, that day is mineWhen she will marry me outside, with the willow

treesAnd play the songs we made, they made me soAnd I would love to see that day, her day was mine

Final Thoughts

• The “Americanness” of Beirut– Not a “traditional” sound

• What makes music “American?”• Early influences versus later influences– Mexico, US, France, Balkan Peninsula, Brazil

• Melting Pot effect