With the lumbering opening notes of ‘La Llorona’ the shift in mode is clear; a Mexican tinge has overtaken the Parisan lilt, just as the gypsy folk mode died before it. The song ticks away nearly half it’s length letting just the horns and layers of voice hang and mingle together. Slowly, the drums arrive, encompassing the true spirit and feeling of a traditional march. The tone is somber and the tempo reflects.
The track is thanklessly unencumbered by a need to be modern music, it draws so clearly from the aesthetic of its influence to become clearly a love letter from Zach to the era and culture in question. He’s so clear in his desire, that any touches of modern influence are pushed away into a separate project with a separate name.
For all that Zach Condon does to shift the overall tint of Beirut, there’s an inherent sameness to the “Beirut sound”. Now, that’s not a bad thing, as like with The Ramones, if you enjoy the vibe…you’ll enjoy what they do…no matter what the influence.
Beirut – La Llorona
The dual EP of Beirut’s March of the Zapotec and Realpeople’s Holland releases Feburary 17th on Obey Your Brain.
