A diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Bill Costa's, "La Bella Italia"

Bill Costa's, "La Bella Italia".

I picked up this little gem off of Ebay. It's definitely a straight forward album and what you see is what you get: classic Italian folk tunes arranged for tradtional accordion instrumental versions. This is a highly affordable record-- you can usually find a perfectly well functioning copy of it for $3 or $4 online-- and the material itself is a steal for that price. It's a cheap one, but a good one!

The record kicks off properly upbeat with one of  the most famous Italian tunes ever, "Tarantella Napolitana" and then into the lovely, "O Sole Mio"-- a beautiful song that has been reinterpreted countless times by so many artists (Rachid Taha's is perhaps my favorite-- his style mixes Raï and world combined with elements of rock, and he covered it and gave it a very middle eastern feel that is really unique and definitely worth checking out!)-- but when it comes to an accordion instrumental take on it, this one takes the cake.

The backing band consists of gentle acoustic guitar, light bass, light percussion, and vibraphone-- some tracks boast an occasional pinch of jazz, but overall this record keeps it in a traditional pocket for these italian standards. Additional highlights of the album take place on side B with the gorgeous soaring of, "Sorrento" and the fun bouncy folk of, "Funiculi Funicula", and the wonderful version of, "Arrivederci Roma".

Back of, "La Bella Italia".

As for Bill Costa himself he has a few other similar records available, such as, "Holiday And Rome", "Bill Costa and His Accordion", and one or two others I've seen online out there. Surprisingly, other than the records themselves on Ebay and Amazon-- I can't really find any other information on him. Luckily the back of this record alone clues us in a bit: he went to Julliard, worked and appeared on both NBC and ABC television, appeared in a decent list of jazz quartets, recorded with: Sammy Kaye, Dorothy Collins, Ben Selvin, and Jerry Jerome-- that sums up a decent chunk of the bio on the back of the album.

All in all, this is a great affordable fun album of authentic Italian folk tunes as accordion instrumentals-- it'd be an excellent addition to the collection of anyone interested in collecting specifically Italian, world music in general, could slightly interest some jazz fans perhaps, accordion enthusiasts, or even just if your looking to branch out your collection with something new of this caliber that you didn't dabble in before; in which case, this would be a perfect starting point.

A diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Mayhem's, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas"

Mayhem's, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas"

I picked up this incredible reissue of Mayhem's debut black metal classic today at Skinnie's Records. It was re-released a little while back by Back On Black records in 2013 on 180 gram and on a limited 500 copy press of purple splatter vinyl.

This album came third in line after Burzum's first two albums and Darkthrone's first three albums; and the Mayhem debut along with these albums are the three quintessential bands that created the second-wave black metal sound that would spawn countless of other bands to follow in their footsteps and make it known beyond the borders of Norway and as a new subgenre of its own.

Mayhem have always had lots of controversy surrounding them with the suicide of their original vocalist Per Yngve Ohlin (better known by his stage name, "Dead") and the murder of Øystein Aarseth (a.k.a, "Euronymous) by Mayhem's own Varg Vikernes, whom is also the one-man band behind the Burzum moniker. However, plenty of media coverage/silly hype and documentation is rather over-saturated on this angle. This review, and the reason for my personal interest in the group is strictly for musical purposes only and for its historical importance within the context of heavy metal.

Back of, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathans"

There are a lot of interesting things happening musically around the creation of this album, and there was virtually almost nothing else quite like it with the main exceptions of Burzum and Darkthrone (of course some first wave black metal such as Bathory also applies-- the bottom line is that its a very short list of a small handful of groups mostly in Norway all contributing to an entirely new extreme form of metal).

Key characteristics of the album and of Mayhem's early sound are part of what made this album and the early era of the second wave of black metal so unique. Hellhammer's drumming is arguably totally the most impressive display of talent up to this point within the genres early releases; effortlessly blastbeating away, excellent tom rolls, with pummeling double bass on the kick drum. The fuzzed-out guitar effects created the icy distortion the genre is so known for-- the tonality of it was so distinct and different from the classic death metal tones of the time, particularly from that of the Swedish death metal scene. Tremolo picking pulls and breaks apart minor chord progressions, along with thrashy pulverizing riffs, coupled with melodic chunky bass lines. Varg Vikernes (though not a permanent member of Mayhem's lineup) did fill in to play bass on the album, the bass lines are well executed-- but its the drumming and the guitar work that takes the spotlight on this record. I would argue the most addicting track is the legendary, "Freezing Moon"-- the song showcases an incredible riff and a sense of memorability to it, while also displaying all the trademark characteristics of the bands sound.

Attila Csihar took over vocal duties after their original vocalist Dead shot himself. There are recordings of demos and live concerts with Dead--- but this was the groups first studio/official LP recording, and Attila took over after Dead's suicide. His style is unique to the genre at the time-- he intentionally did very strange moans and deep eerie chant-like voices, he sets a very haunting atmosphere appropriate for Mayhem, and his performance matches the music well. 

Reissued on purple splatter colored vinyl.

Originally released on Euronymous's Deathlike Silence label, the record has now been re-released a total of 31 times on various formats. An original copy of the first LP pressing (cataloged as Anti-Mosh 006) has up to date sold at the highest at $453.14 on Discogs (too rich for my blood-- I will just enjoy this reissue!). So the reissue of this historically important and also timeless classic of the Norwegian black metal scene is now affordable and a neat addition into the collection of diehard metal fans. I imagine it will only be a short time before it gets reissued time and time again, as a record so ahead of its time is bound to have people looking back and listening to it over and over; as black metal continues to evolve, and even the newest and most groundbreaking bands within the genre carrying the torch today are undeniably influenced by Mayhem.

A dimaond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Exodus classic thrash-metal w/Bonded By Blood

Cover to Exodus's, "Bonded By Blood".

I'll never forget the day I scooped up this thrash gem up for $3 at Birdland Records! They don't usually carry metal, or almost even at all! I have often wondered if the only reason I got this for such a steal is because none of the staff seem to have interest in metal, and boy am I lucky they don't! Exodus is a band that for some reason is arguably highly underrated and not often credited enough throughout history of thrash metal. If your a thrash fan then you know "the big four" refers to: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. I often think this list/phrase should be extended five and throw in Exodus (but then again while were at it there is also Testament, Vio-Lence, Overkill, Celtic Frost, Death Angel, Pantera, Kreator, Dark Angel, and so many more! I know that's a ton and too many for a quick easy credit, but they're all phenomenal and in their own way just as significant as any. That being said, this album is of highly significant and exciting for being one of the big staples in contribution to a healthy thrash-metal diet.

Back of, "Bonded By Blood".

One thing I've noticed, especially after repeated listens from this original to its re-recorded, "Let There Be Blood" (w/Rob Dukes behind the mic, instead of the now deceased Paul Baloff) is how strikingly different these two frontman are. It's actually quite surprising, Paul Baloff technically should be a terrible idea for a frontman; yet in reality his sheer energy and heart drives the record along. Rob Dukes does a great performance of course, but the difference is: Paul Baloff doesn't even sound like he's performing at all, he's just a guy so in love with heavy metal who is just going off, and doing so long before a thrash-blueprint if you will really existed.
His intensity transcends from the record into the air and takes you along. The vocal production is (of course quite dated) but also really interesting, and despite an obvious effect of that era, it's very interesting and actually much more unique than some of the more modern productions that we hear now. Then again the production as a whole is rather interesting for that same reason, sure you can tell it was recorded in the 80's--- but it doesn't matter, it still has a classic element to it and its so raw in a fun way that is actually more rewarding than the polished re-recorded version (thought the polished version is also a lot of fun to listen, it's amazing how different recording techniques give a different vibe to a band that played everything note per note basically the same).

Inside lyrics/picture sheet.

The riffs on this album are incredibly iconic, it's no wonder that this is a go-to album for so many bands of the genre to follow, these guys along with the other big four really basically built almost from the ground up the entire thrash-metal wheel musically for so many others after them to follow. Every riff feels larger than life, pummeling, and crushing. The leads are more in the Slayer-league of doing things, "Catchy melodic solos? Who has time for that!? We just wanna shred!" The drums are a fierce pounding thunder and so raw, the timing is dead-on, bands using digital recording couldn't be this tight without the help of Pro-Tools; this band is legendary for a reason!

Inside lyric/picture sheet.

Lyrically this album is possibly the best representation of thrash metal in itself because it really sings about heavy metal culture in itself, it embraces the glory of thrashing around in the pit and going wild, and also the area of the record that partially departures from reality a bit with the violence; Exodus never killed anyone, at the same time it's not like bands like this relate to the hippie generation of acoustic guitars, flowers, and throwing up a peace sign-- it's heavy metal, if it were about kittens and rainbows it would throw off the energy of this album--- most importantly, like many many metal bands its more of the atmosphere that is trying to be captured here, it creates an incredible alertness and urgency; above all its mostly to create that mischievous sense of reckless fun that is associated with thrash-metal. The lyrical content reminds me of an Iggy Pop quote in reference to MC5, "everyone would just get all sweaty and gloriously beat up" and that also basically applies to Exodus.

An incredible debut release and an absolute must for thrash metal fans. Exodus's, "Bonded By Blood" is a relentless explosion of thrash metal, the energy within this album is remarkable, it will withstand the test of time even after Exodus themselves are long gone--- along with other classics like Slayer's, "Reign In Blood", Megadeth's first two albums, early Metallica, Anthrax's, "Among the Living", and so forth-- Exodus's first album will also be forever ranked in the thrash hall of fame.

D.C. Hardcore film, "Punk the Capital" on Kickstarter + from my vinyl vault: Faith's, "Subject To Change + the First Demo"

DC punk/hardcore film: Punk the Capital

When I first heard that there was a film being made that will be tackling the history of punk/hardcore in Washington D.C., I  totally flipped out!!!! I'm a huge fan of punk & hardcore in general; specifically the D.C. scene and many of the groups on Dischord Records that were very involved and integral parts of it.

As a kid/teenager, I was incredibly inspired by this scene. I spent all weekend usually with a small group of friends jamming to early D.C. hardcore bands; we'd play covers of Government Issue's, "Bored To Death", "Asshole", and, "Hour of One",  the Faith's, "You're X'd!" and, "No Choice", the Teen Idles, "I Drink Milk", S.O.A.'s, "Draw A Blank"and, "Gonna' Have To Fight"-- the list goes on! At that particular time we were too young to drive to go to many shows ourselves, much less play anywhere at that point in time-- we just hung out all weekend, and took turns switching instruments; teaching each other any new covers we learned, printed out the lyrics and all took turns doing vocals for a couple covers each, etc. Even though we weren't a serious band at the time and didn't gig, it was such a great time, and also provided the insight necessary to develop in order to be in bands that went out and played later on.

Faith's, "Subject To Change plus first demo" LP.

So naturally, when I discovered that they were having a Kickstarter to help complete the project, I was super excited and ready to contribute. In my choice of contributing $40 to the completion of this film I not only get to go to a private screening at the Black Cat for it, but also later will receive it on a 2-disc DVD. Perhaps most importantly, in a neat small way-- I get to give something back towards the scene that was a huge inspiration to me and one of the principal reasons I decided to play music in the first place; by contributing, it helps ensure this music will be properly documented as it rightfully should be.

I've also been happily immersing myself in the reissues Dischord has put out of some older and previously never officially released material; most recently being Faith's, "Subject to Change plus first demo. I just ordered this about a week ago, and it just came today right in time for all the excitement and hype of this film, as members of Faith are some of the many people interviewed in the film, as revealed in a trailer that has been posted.

Back of, "Subject to Change".

On this particular re-release of, "Subject to Change" the original 8 tracks that consist of that album are all put on to side A. The only thing excluded is the ridiculously long and exhausting looping laugh that was at the end of the record. Instead, now side B contains all of the bands first demo, which after being remastered; sounds full of new life and perfectly captures the intensity of the group in their earlier stages as a band. For a demo, its surprisingly incredible quality; its just as great quality-wise and just as impressive as the other side of the record, despite being a demo.

What's really exciting about, "Subject to Change" was that for this particular album the group had expanded their line-up to now also having Eddie Janney on second guitar, which really added to the dynamics and brought a new sense of melody into their sound. The contrast of this stylistic change with the demo featuring just the single guitar of Michael Hampton on side A is interesting and shows the groups growth and change of direction, its still furious relentless hardcore, but the melodic undertones of the additional guitar did make a significant change compared to the average run-of-the-mill hardcore bands that unlike Faith don't stand the test of time.

Inner sleeve cover w/Eddie Janney

What sets aside the D.C. hardcore scene of that time and Faith was the incredible songs that these bands were writing. Musically these groups certainly had similarities being within the genre "constraints" (for lack of a better term) of hardcore; however, the spirit and energy of the D.C. hardcore scene of that time will probably never be matched or surpassed. These groups, and Faith in particular proved themselves a force to be reckoned with, by presenting unique song structures into hardcore along with a sense of melody (see the song, "Untitled" for example). The lyrics were also incredibly passionate, and thought provoking.

Back of inner sleeve w/lyrics.

You could pick up your finger and randomly point to any song on the lyric sheet and find an intelligence that is quite contrary to the stereotype often expected of hardcore. "Untitled", "In Control", and "No Choice" are all just a few shining examples. Behind a great hardcore band is a great frontman-- in this case Alec MacKaye. The guy not only penned the groups incredible lyrics, but his undeniably unique tone to his voice and remarkable stage presence (if you youtube some live footage, you will definitely see!) created a channel for the energy of this relentless hardcore sound to travel.

I'm extremely thrilled that I'll be attending a fundraiser at the Black Cat this Tuesday for Punk The Capital that will have a Q & A with the filmmakers Paul Bishow and James Schneider, and hope they succeed in documenting this incredible moment in punk music. For any of those as equally as excited for this film as I am, here is the Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1137256310/punk-the-capital-straight-from-washington-dc

A diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Jo Basile & His Orchestra, "Play Music From The Hit Musical Cabaret"

Jo Basile's accordion covers of, "Cabaret"

I picked up this particular record on a special trip to meet my girlfriend/now fiance's parents for the first time, and also to help her drive her car back from Texas. On the way back we stopped to visit her brother in Missouri before coming back to Virginia, and while we were there we stopped at an antique place near her brother's house where I was lucky enough to score this Jo Basile album.

The title basically says it all, but for those who aren't familiar with Jo Basile and his albums; what is quite peculiar about this album is that he often just does accordion instrumentals of folk/world music and each album usually tends to just focus on one country/ethnic style at a time. Never before have I seen or heard of him doing a musical, usually he always sticks to a certain country as the basic theme per each album. So common was this particular stance of his, that I don't know if besides this and the, My World album (Jo Basile also played clarinet- but often did not mention, reveal, or perform any clarinet on any of his other albums much at all or possibly ever- except the My World album).

Basile continually churned out countless incredible albums with various standards from around the globe and performing them into beautiful arrangements for accordion from one album to the next. This album is no exception, except for its focus being on the musical, Cabaret. If you've ever seen the famous film verison of the musical with Liza Minnelli, then you already should be aware that its a perfect fit for the accordion; due to its usage of it in various scenes throughout the duration of the film.

The main theme itself soars beautifully as the record first starts spinning; the backing music of this manages to be both aligned with what you would expect and somewhat parallel to the film version, but somehow more energetic and sincere and minus the comedic aspects. Basile's version of the title track is in itself a showstopper, full of pizazz and excellent showmanship. Things then get to a finger-snapping groove with the swinging number of, "Don't Tell Ma". A transition into, "Pineapple" starts with a bouncy and circus-like introduction; flowing into a smooth calming moment before coming full circle where it started. "What Would You Do" is both mysterious and suspenseful; full of ticking and clacking in the backing percussion before fading into the cheery, "Meeskite". "Meeskite" is a particularly neat number, with equal amounts of swing and melody, both catchy, and also boasting a nice saxophone solo.

Back of cover.

As we flip to side B, the charm continues with, "Willkommen"- a rather addictive melody, and quite a climatic point of the album, appropriately placed at this middle moment of the record. Things take an exciting melodic turn with the enchanting moods of, "Married" with its bicycle-bells and light waltz backing rhythm, fluttering melody fills with the main melody re-inserted by the light and breezy lead guitar. This then blends like musical camouflage into, "So What?" where the chorus picks up with a loud crashing energetic rather fast waltz chorus, complete with a booming tuba as the backbone of the alternating bass line. The record comes to a close with the light, "Tomorrow Belongs To Me", a pretty little number that helps the record give this instrumental dedication to Cabaret the perfect touch with the final ring out being the closing curtain of another show well done. Jo Basile's albums are always a delight, never a dull moment. As far as accordion instrumental albums go, his are always a must. In fact, he's pretty underrated compared to say Frankie Yankovic or Dick Contino for example; his music is just as talented and just as skillful, and arguably is melodically and stylistically more beautiful.

A diamond in the rough... from my vinyl vault: David Bowie's, "Let's Dance"

Front cover

Though certainly not rare, its definitely a great album. I actually have two copies of this, one I got at a thrift store in Chesapeake and one from Birdland- I spent only $2 or $3 on each copy (only reason; back when I temporarily didn't have my own turntable, I had my records boxed up and didn't realize I had it after-all).

I remember- I actually first heard this when I borrowed the CD from a friend of mine's older brother, and I recorded it onto a cassette and I would walk around our block after school on Fridays or on the weekend and listen to this on my Walkman pretty often- it was one of the first obviously dated records from 80's I got really into. I don't mean that in necessarily a negative way, but with the production and especially the drum sounds on this- it's chock full of features typical of an 80's record, and the first record with that kind of style and sound- somewhat the "new wave" era, that I got interested in and exposed to.  However, unlike many other records from this period in music- this was a record that was very, with-the-times so to speak- that has also managed to withstand the test of time; not an easy task, as most pop music from this generation becomes the butt of bad jokes, outdated, and/or only thought of highly in terms of nostalgia.

Things kick off with a great boom, the opener and one of the lead singles, "Modern Love", still a classic from the album today; a ridiculously addictive catchy upbeat number, boasting a rip roaring sax from Steve Elson, all within the course of 4 and a half minutes. Worthy of countless repetitions, the strength of the album could stand on the shoulders of this song alone (but don't worry, it doesn't- it only gets better). Things take a semi-surprising turn as the opener fades and glides into, "China Girl", the famous David Bowie/Iggy Pop number; featuring a distinctive tinkering melody, another lead single from the album; Bowie's voice etched in the stone of the song, it's another trademark of the album. Third track in, "Let's Dance" boasts the famous Beatles ah's in it, but more importantly- this slight insertion discredit the song, instead it shows it standing on its own two feet; reinventing that moment musically for a whole new era. "Without You" is a particular tune, that just doesn't quite get enough of the credit it possibly deserves, the insatiable huge hook of, "There's no smoke without fire. You're exactly who I want to be with. Without you, what could I do?" It's a high point of the album, an understated tune and a climax for the first side of the record.

Backside.

Flipping over to side B, things get very rhythmically interesting and quite different with, "Ricochet". The energy gets cranked up with, "Criminal World", a song that also could've been a huge hit from this record. It's a song that boasts all the right moves, it has the perfect feel, the right hooks, the right everything. Things cool down just a bit, as we near the end of the record with, "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)"; Stevie Ray Vaughn really shines on this particular song, and shows of his chop- flaring and waving in and out with his fancy fretwork in between Bowie's crooning. The closing track, "Shake It" ends on an upbeat feel, a grooving funkadelic bass line, both awesome and ridiculously amusing background vocals. The lead guitar weaves intricately in the perfect moments to provide excellent texture for the track, and the synth/keyboard lines provide the same funky-ness the bass groove does. Fading out, it's a record rolls perfectly back into itself again; it has to be played time and time again. Unlike so many other records of its time, though full of characteristics typical of 80's pop records; David Bowie's music, and this album too will always remain timeless classics.

A diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Judy Garland's, "Judy In Love"

Judy Garland's, "Judy In Love"

Judy Garland immediately brings to mind Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz; some people are totally unaware that she actually also recorded a ton of swing albums. Not to say that the Wizard of Oz isn't a timeless cinematic classic of course, but it's kind of a shame that her solo records didn't receive as much attention as they perhaps deserved. She had a precise way of selecting songs, a very keen sense of style; she really drove them home. Garland's voice goes toe to toe with the even the best of jazz vocalists.

I picked this particular record up at Birdland Records in Virginia Beach used for just $3. After downloading it, I quickly became a fan of her take on the classic swing sound. So once I got lucky and found it in the used bin, I had to pick it up. After initially discovering this album on the net and reading that she actually had quite a huge discography of recordings; a large chunk of albums that were completely separate studio projects from the vast material on the musicals and films she had also worked on. Musically, it's in the same playing field as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, etc. Jazz vocal pop at its best backed with swing/big-band instrumentation. Though she's not throwing any curve-balls at you, every pitch is perfect on this record; she's a master at her craft.

Judy In Love is her fourth studio album, excluding some previous film soundtracks, and was released in 1959 (well, Wikipedia claims 1958, but my record says 1959). The album kicks off with, "Zing! Went the Strings of my Heart" (this was also recorded for the film Listen, Darling). Originally composed by James F. Hanley in 1934, This opener was recorded by countless others, including (but definitely not limited to...): Frank Sinatra, June Christy, Dinah Shore, and countless others; not surprising since these are all artists in the same genre (as that applies to the whole album), and all doing standard jazz tunes if you will. Arguably, Garland's version steals the show to all the other versions out there- yup, even Frankie's. Things cool down a notch, as the needles glides into the soothing, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" another classic jazz standard tune, originally written in 1928 by Jimmy McHugh. I first heard this sung by a character in a somewhat cheesy yet amusing B-Rate movie not worthy of mention, but the familiarity and the charming lyrical moments in this song shine through, and Garland's performance of it not only contends with the best, but oddly enough- for a considerably old song and older form of music, feels almost timeless. The energy and sensational power of Garland's voice really gets to show off during, "This Is It", possibly one of the most climatic points on the album, the momentum behind her voice in this moment feels limitless."More Than You Know", also notably done by Mildred Bailey (a popular 1930's jazz singer- she's definitely an underrated one worth checking out as well) this is another light breezy number, setting us up for another emotional high to come with, "I Am Loved" (a treasure from the famous Cole Porter songbook) wrapping up the first side of the record.

Side B starts off with a slow-dancing, "I Had't Anyone 'Til You", a Ray Noble tune from 1938 and gently rolls into another Poter tune with, "I Concentrate On You" which starts with a similar feel and then builds to a controlled tension, and ends magnificently with a climatic release; an eruption of trumpets blaring and fading into, "I'm Confessin" and then once again returning for a Porter song with, "Do I Love You?". Though she selected Porter tunes more than anyone else, it seems her voice and his writing were perfect fits, as all three Porter tunes on this record demonstrate the many moods those songs encompass and really give Garlands vocal cords a chance to flex their muscles. "Do It Again" starts strolling us along for the close of the record with, "Day In, Day Out". 

All in all, why Garland isn't just as known for her music as her film rolls? Just dumb-luck I guess. On the bright side, she left behind a legacy of classic swing/jazz vocal-pop recordings, just as good- if not better- than all the other singers who performed these standard tunes, and if you are interested in what her solo records were like, "Judy In Love" is a great starting point. 

Another huge diamond in the rough.... from my vinyl vault: Beirut's, "Gulag Orkestar"

Beirut's,"Gulag Orkestar".

Considering my last post was a huge influential record for me, I feel Beirut's,"Gulag Orkestar" is an appropriate and equally inspiring record to follow up that post with. This record came out the summer of 2006 (released by Ba Da Bing! Records),  I remember my oldest sister Holly got it as a gift for me when we were in Relative Theory Records together in Norfolk. I remember walking up to the desk and asking to hear it at the listening stations they had. Once it started playing it wasn't what I expected, it all felt entirely new to me; simultaneously, it had qualities that made you feel like you knew it, even though you know you never had before. Beirut has consistently often been labeled as indie-folk, which is not untrue, but I would argue a tad bit misleading. I remember the handwritten note by one of the clerks had also filed it this way, but honestly its leaning categorically much more towards world music in general, and projected through a thick pop music lens. Regardless of what you want to call it, it is a brilliant modern take on folk music infused heavily with Balkan and traditional world music.
The personnel on this album consists of both memebers from a the somewhat similar Hack And A Hacksaw: Jeremy Barnes (also formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel fame) on accordion and percussion and Heather Trost on violin, Perrin Cloutier is credited as cello (however, its worth noting he currently is doing accordion at their live shows and specializes in both instruments; and according to liner notes and online sources, it seems this is the only recording he didn't perform as the accordionist on), Hari Ziznewski on clarinet (notably was also involved with Alaska In Winter's, "Dance Part In the Balkans- a group also from Albuquerque, New Mexico that even featured Zach Condon some), and then of course last, but certainly not least- Zach Condon on (basically everything else! Are you ready for it?): lead vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, ukulele, also percussion and accordion, mandolin, organ, and piano. If that wasn't enough, he recorded a considerable chunk of the record in his bedroom, finishing the rest with said lineup.

The 11 songs that shape this record are wonderfully crafted gems full of European melodies, with  Condon's soothing vocals gliding over each tune, and the instrumentation truly transcends you to a different sound of the globe. The opening title track gradually lifts you off into Beirut's unique brand of folk, and ever so carefully slides you into the gorgeous waltz of, "Prenzlauerberg", then sweeping into the the strum patterns, "Brandenburg". All the while, the energy carefully pulling you in as the needle draws more and more near the center of the first side; the trumpets blaring in all the right places, fading into what has become the hit of the album (and with good reason!), "Postcards From Italy" with its charming vocal melody unfolding the poetic story of the song as it builds into a climatic moment and slowly dies back down to transform into the waltz of, "Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)". Once again, Beirut makes you get lost in the record, Wroclai creates the desire to shout the chorus along with them, like a chapter inside a marvelous novel, you are compelled to immediately flip to side B to see what's happening next!

The divide picks up right where Wroclai left off and, "Rhineland (Heartland)" continues with that same intensity and then just when you thought you knew every trick up Condon's sleeve, a glimpse of his past electronica project Realpeople (which he resumed again for the other half of the March of the Zapotec EP; quick interesting fact about Realpeople: he released an LP under this pseudonym before forming  Beirut entitled, "The Joys of Losing Weight"- it seems semi-rare, but worth checking out for fans of Condon's music) with, "Scenic World" (later to have another wonderful alternate version on the, "Lon Gisland" EP). The momentum of, "Bratislava" of perfectly transitions in the soft build-up of, "The Bunker" before once again bursting into another gloriously uplifting chorus. As we start to come to a close, "The Canals of Our City" helps wind us down into the final cries of, "After the Curtain".

Back of, "Gulag Orkestar".

Gulag Orkestar is a momentous occasion every time is spins on the turntable, a genius album full of songs that prove themselves as carefully constructed tunes rich harmony, melody, and an overwhelming swarm of controlled emotion. The record is constantly building and rolling from one song to another. Even more so, with each listen- little details seem to reveal themselves to the listener every time.

I had gotten it on CD from my oldest sister as mentioned above, and years later when I saw them perform at the Norva- I decided that I needed this classic for my vinyl collection, and was lucky enough to have a brief encounter with Condon himself and he was kind enough to autograph my copy, which as both a fan and a musician was a huge honor. This record is one of the absolute main reasons I decided I wanted to start playing accordion. Though the accordion lines on this record are mostly rhythmic, and serve more as muscle tissue around the bones of the songs- with Condon's voice and the trumpets/horns taking the lead- it doesn't matter. Every line it plays in the record though is so important, regardless of it not always being in the foreground. Its simply the overall execution, and the end result that matters; this record is a case of the sum being greater than the means. The big picture of this record, is its transcending qualities, and the way it creates the feeling of floating musically and drifting you up into a stratosphere. Gulag Orkestar is an all time favorite of mine, and has captured the hearts of people with its iconic song writing and unique sense of taste and style.

A diamond in the rough...... from my vinyl vault: Mel Brandt's, "Accordion Favorites".

Mel Brandt's, "Accordion Favorites"

I have to admit I don't know much about Mel Brandt, and I don't know if this is the same Mel Brandt as the SNL guy or not- which is who comes up when you google the name- I'm assuming probably not- but to be honest, I know nothing about the SNL Mel-Brandt to know if this the same person or not. I'm also not totally sure if this is his only record or not, but if there ever were others- I can't find any trace or record of anything else on the internet- and as far as I can tell, sadly this is the only one. However, on the bright side this record- is an incredible accordion instrumental and definitely a diamond in the rough in my collection. I often seek out various accordion instrumental records in thrift stores, as luckily they aren't in demand and usually go for cheap- typically $1 to $3- so if you happen to stumble upon a thrift store with a ton of vinyl, you can find a decent handful of some interesting finds for little money. This one though, was actually one I bought off Amazon for a change. I received mine in excellent condition- plays perfectly, very slight wearing on the sleeve. It's not necessarily rare, but I've never been lucky enough to stumble on it in person, so I got it fairly cheap for $7, which is slightly higher than I'd pay in a thrift, but then again no one else had it- and given it was incredible shape, it was a fair deal.I was particularly interested in it for its song selection, though I hadn't heard this one- I simply collect accordion instrumentals from the get go- on top of which, this one I noticed contained two favorites of mine, "Dark Eyes" a wonderful Russian tune, and though there are many countless versions of this song- both accordion versions, along with hundreds of others in general- it's always a song with hearing, no matter how many reinterpretations of it there are. Also, the song, "Fascination" which I had at the time recently started to play myself, and is also simply a song I really love. It's just a beautiful simple instrumental, but its very peaceful and memorable and well written, just soaring strong melodies- so I knew this recorded version of that song would be interesting, and of course it's beautiful! As an added bonus too, the version I bought (and it doesn't seem to rare- but neat nevertheless) the disc itself is a really nice looking bright transparent sorta gold and yellow color, I know its also out there in regular black too- I'm not aware of any other colors. Sometimes this costs extra, so it was just icing on the cake that it didn't seem to cost more because of this. Then again, its not like this record is in demand, but eh- fine by me- I really love it.

Beautiful transparent golden yellow disc

As for the material on the record itself- its wonderful. "Besame Mucho" was another reason the record interested me, its a Mexican song (I used to play it actually- and think I remember it too- or most of it)- I've heard one or two other recorded accordion instrumental versions of it as well- the record itself consists of: as mentioned before: "Fascination", "Dark Eyes", and "Besame Mucho"- and also: "Maria Elena", "You Belong To My Heart", "Perfidia", "Tico Tico", "Adios Muchachos", "Come Back to Sorrento", "Humoresque", "Barcarolle", and "Song of India". Sure as far as accordion instrumental records go, yes this is somewhat typical and these are basically standards if you will; not dissimilar to Ella Fitzgerald and a hundred other jazz vocalists doing countless versions of, "Makin' Whoopee", "Honeysuckle Rose", or, "Dream a Little Dream", etc.

It's not the fact that these have been done before that matters, its the fact that these are amazing versions- and quite possibly- arguably some of the best accordion standard versions recorded of these batch of songs around. The melodies prevail and don't fall short due to an over assertiveness of showmanship and cramming as many notes as possible- don't get me wrong- there is plenty of flair when it comes to the musicianship; just not showing off simply for the sake of showing off- and that allows the songs to breathe and be the gorgeous melodies that they are. That's what made this particular instrumental record stand out to me. Mel Brandt certainly didn't do anything groundbreaking or reinvent any wheels, etc. The bottomline is he made a fantastic and beautifully melodic instrumental record, one that will never leave my collection, as the melodies float freely and prove it worth of every spin the needle makes around it.