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Posts Tagged ‘Beirut’

Just Encoded: Beirut- March of the Zapotec

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

just encoded big Just Encoded: Beirut March of the Zapotec

254096 72 Just Encoded: Beirut March of the Zapotec

Artist: Beirut/Realpeople
Title: March of the Zapotec/Holland
Label: Pompeii
Release Date: 2.17.09
UPC: 600197220122
Genres: Alternative
Territories: World

By: Michael Madavi

Oh glorious day, Beirut is back! One of today’s most talented and original songwriters, Zack Condon, graciously returns with not a single, but rather double dose of EP goodness for your listening pleasure! Entitled March of the Zapotec, the first EP consists of songs written by Beirut and recorded in Mexico with the help of Oaxacan march masters, The Jimenez Band and also features contributions from a 17-piece local band. The second EP, Holland, showcases Zach’s latest bedroom-style recordings under his former moniker Realpeople, including the previously released “Venice” (in the 2007 Believer music issue), and “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille” (on the Natalie Portman curated FINCA charity album). Packaged together, the two EPs proudly display the scope of Beirut’s work over the last year. Condon announced last April that he would be canceling his European tour and taking a break to re-evaluate his music and find new inspiration. The new double EP is the end result of the hiatus and on its February 17th release, he will be met with open arms by a loving fan base who missed him so.  Take a listen:

254096 72 Just Encoded: Beirut March of the ZapotecBeirut
download icon Just Encoded: Beirut March of the Zapotec “My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille” (mp3)
from “March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland”
(Pompeii Records)

icon landing page Just Encoded: Beirut March of the Zapotec More On This Album

Check out the video for La Llorana that premiered on Stereogum last week after the jump… Just Encoded: Beirut March of the Zapotec

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Finding Innovative Promotional Tools: Take Away Shows

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

By: Lisa Goodall

TakeAwayShows Finding Innovative Promotional Tools: Take Away ShowsI’ve been logging onto to this website for well over a year now & I absolutely love it. There is a joy in letting others know about it too, I’ve not met anyone (as yet) who doesn’t think it’s just fabulous.

The website blurb explains it best so please, read on….

“Every week, we (Blogotheque.net) invite an artist or a band to play in the streets, in a bar, a park, or even in a flat or in an elevator, and we film the whole session. Of course, what makes the beauty of it is all the little incidents, hesitations, and crazy stuff happening unexpectedly. Besides, we do not edit the videos so they look perfectly flawless, instead we keep the raw sound of the surroundings. Our goal is to try and capture instants, film the music just like it happens, without preparation, without tricks. Spontaneity is the keyword.”

Creative sites like this help smaller independent artists really highlight their craft and show off their raw live performance skills in a world full of auto-tuned, photoshopped and pre-recorded pop stars.

There are many glorious films here it’s very hard to pick some favorites.  You’ll see bigger independent artists such as Sufjan Stevens playing a banjo & singing on the top of a picturesque rooftop; the superb Arcade Fire (all of them) with a selection of instruments performing inside an elevator and The Shins playing on a Parisian street & in an apartment bathed in sunlight: “In little less than an hour, The Shins never stopped playing and never asked any questions. It wasn’t a session. It was more a sunny, leisurely afternoon, a spring debut with a group that fit right into the rhythm of the day.”

A number of IODA artists have been lucky enough to have an episode devoted to their songs, including: Beirut, Tom Brosseau, Essie Jain, Chris Garneau, The Low Lows, Herman Dune, Hopewell and more.

Finding these creative opportunities to promote your artists is an essential in today’s over-saturated media market.

Check out one of the most popular episodes from Beirut (who have a new double EP out 2/17/09):


#64.1 – Beirut – Nantes
by lablogotheque
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