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