Beirut Albums Ranked

Beirut is an American brand that was originally the solo musical project of Zach Condon. Beirut’s music combines elements of indie rock and world music. The band’s first performance was in New York, in May 2006, to support its debut album Gulag Orkestar. Condon named the band after Lebanon’s capital, because of the city’s history of conflict and as a place where cultures collide. Beirut performed in Lebanon for the first time in 2014, at the Byblos International Festival. Condon’s exploration of world music developed Beirut’s melodic sound. Zach’s younger brother Ross Condon played in the band Total Slacker. Here are all of Beirut’s albums ranked.

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7. Gallipoli (2019)

“Although the vocals still aren’t a strongpoint the sounds emanating from behind them are gigantic and purposeful. The urgency turns to beautiful melancholy towards the end of side two. Its a wonderful return to form, perhaps their best.”

6. No No No (2015)

“Fairly pleasant and listenable but ultimately a little bit bare bones and simplistic. This is definitely not the Beirut we all know and love, they are certainly doing something very different here. I would say it is a pretty decent offering but probably the weakest album they’ve done to date. It’s not just the lack of Balkan / klezmer whatever, it is the fact the songs here are not as strong as previous material. I still quite like it though.”

5. Lon Gisland (2006)

“It’s hard not to appreciate this record. Although I do think it is overrated – it’s not the type of EP that I could ever call a classic and the style of it wouldn’t be everyones cup of tea, but it is from one of the more original artists I’ve heard over the last few years. I’d nearly guarantee that it’s very different to most of the rest of your record collection and it does try some brave ideas on it, however not all of them are brilliant. “

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4. March Of The Zapotec/Holland (2009)

“I actually really like both “March of the Zapotec,” where the addition of Mexican influences meld perfectly with the Mediterranean vibe that Beirut usually sticks to, and “Real people Holland,” where the electronic elements work surprisingly well in a context where I never would have expected them to fit.”

3. The Rip Tide (2011)

“The dust has settled; translated artistically speaking, it doesn’t mean that with hipster hype and media shoe licking gone that Mr. Condon can rest on his laurels or go off on some long winding meditative path seeking consciously uncool methods of enlightenment. Live production brings that attitude of a new found reality to ‘The Rip Tide’, Condon hasn’t come out of rehab, not the chemical type anyway, so each time those horns veer off some misty mountain path, or his voice reaches that inch too far and loses a sparkling or three of sugar, he can be assured that this joint is almost exclusively his own now, no freeloaders, no vampires blessing every fart that squeezes out of his ass. Freedom, sweet freedom, breathe in it, this updated journal validates everything that has gone before, now with that brand of spice marked with Zach Condon’s own personal seal.”

2. The Flying Club Cup (2007)

“This album has a pretty typical indie sound for the period it was released during (when melodrama was en vogue, for whatever reason), but the music makes up for some of the negative qualities that might entail. For example, there are some orchestral bits to this album that are probably a bit over the top, but other tracks like “Nantes” benefit from those additions. So it all works out in the end.”

1. Gulag Orkestar (2006)

“The best Beirut album in circulation. Period. The horns are on point; Jeremy Barnes supplies fucking awesome drumming (sorry, Nick Petree, but this dude is the shit); Zach’s voice wailing away is just perfect; the variety showcases everything wonderful and beautiful about this band; etc. But really. This damn album is gorgeous in every way. Love it.”