Beirut Postcards From Italy Background Info band formed

Beirut “Postcards From Italy”

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 -0: 35 0: 26 ukulele verse 1 enter drums, tambourine 0: 35 -1: 09 verse 2 1: 09 -2: 19 1: 18 1: 53 -2: 02 -2: 19 -2: 54 instrumental (add trumpet) enter 2 nd trumpets drop out trumpets enter, tambourine drops out uke, drums, vocals 2: 47 2: 54 -3: 40 -3: 55 enter trumpet all instruments uke, drums (3: 55 -4: 17 uke) The times we had, oh when the wind would blow with rain and snow Were not all bad We 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 who Those who admit defeat too late Those were our times, those were our times And I will love to see that day, that day is mine When she will marry me outside, with the willow trees And play the songs we made, they made me so And 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