As a Beirut fan, the double EP release of March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland marks a charter into new areas of musicianship, including more experimentation with instruments, styles and concepts. Put your musical journey jacket on before delving in.

March of the Zapotec EP consists of songs written by Beirut and recorded with Oaxacan march masters The Jimenez Band in southern Mexico. March sounds a lot like Beirut meets the Mexican Godfather, especially on songs like "La Llorona". But it still has that unique Beirut sound - brassy, stuttered romps and old Euro carnival instrumentation.

Holland, featuring songs from band leader Zach Condon and recorded under the moniker Realpeople, includes the previously released tracks "Venice" and "My Night With the Prostitute From Marseille". Other tunes like the 1970s electronica-sounding "The Dice" and the sci-fi Burt Bacharach styled "The Concubine" make for an interesting listen.

All in all though, this double EP release from Beirut features some good music, just a bit of a departure. I guess I was looking for something bigger to build off the success of their last amazing release The Flying Club Cup.

"La Llorona" - Beirut from March of the Zapotec
"Venice" - RealPeople from Holland
"A Sunday Smile" - Beirut from The Flying Club Cup




U2 perform their classic hit "Sunday Bloody Sunday"


U2 of Old is Better Than U2 of Now

The ironically titled new release by Ireland's "most famous" rockers, U2, No Line on the Horizon, may be telling of the band's waning relevancy. In recent years, U2 has become overly-commercialized, trendy, glitzy rock celebs. I bet Bono and the boys would never dare to offer an album for free on the Internet like Radiohead did; and that's just part of my point.

Over the past decade, U2 has enthusiastically accepted the sugary media saturation bestowed on them without much a nod to those who made them multi-millionaires (yeah they do some charity work - cool, all for that).

U2 was one of the first bands that launched my obsession with rock music years ago. But they've now become mediocre musically in contrast to the god-like status the mainstream media gives them. I was really hoping for something special from the new U2 album, but again, it's just OK.

But don't get me wrong; I'll always love the U2 music from their debut right up to Joshua Tree; by now, it's classic rock through and through.

Labels: Beirut, Indie Album Releases 2009, Just OK Album, U2

This week you'll see some reviews of much talked about recent releases by groups like The Decemberists, Beirut and U2. I'm probably going to get some spitfire emails, but just trying to keep it real (one person's opinion). Let's start off with a band that was a favorite of mine for years.

Then, not so long ago, The Decemberists 'crossed over' and signed with a major label - Capitol Records. That was a bit hard to take for a band that helped boost the popularity of true indie labels. Anyways, my fear that their music would change has come true, and not in the best way.

And so what is the freaking hype for? First off, I have been a huge Decemberists' fan since first hearing The Crane Wife. After hearing that record, I immediately bought everything they ever released - and I was hooked man. The upcoming release of The Hazards of Love marks a new direction for the band that personally I am not a fan of.

There are really only a handful of songs on Hazards that are keepers for me, among them "The Rake Song" and "The Wanting Comes in Waves". I am more inclined to go back and listen to their merchant sailing songs and bucolic ballads from bygone days.

The NPR music dudes from All Songs Considered recently "bet" after The Decemberists' SXSW show last week in Austin that Hazards will be the best album of 2009.

What?! First of all guys, it's only freaking March. Secondly, I've heard dozens of better albums so far this year from bands few have heard of. Sometimes NPR irks me. For the last few years, NPR's musical staff druels over a handful of bands and commonly declare, prematurely notwithstanding, the contenders for 'best albums of the year', and eagerly enough, the sure-fire, got-to-be, hands down winner - with an entire freaking nine months in the year left.

Please guys. Time for a reality check at NPR music. If you don't believe me, dig through the IRC archives for this year and check out some of the other albums on the list to the right of this page; I promise there are better albums in that list than The Hazards of Love.

Next up in "Just OK" New Releases: Beirut and U2

Labels: 2009 Indie Rock Albums, Beirut, New Releases, The Decemberists, U2