Beirut

On a whim, I decided to follow up on a some Pitchfork praise. Some 19 year old New Yorker has happened to catch the interest of many a folk, on the independent online music sphere. This solo artist, although he's had help from former Neutral Milk Hotel member Jeremy Barnes, goes by the name Beirut. Either way, through his website I downloaded the track "Post Cards From Italy" and it's good. Fans of the "freak-folk" genre may enjoy it; certainly Neutral Milk Hotel has been dropped in description, but reviewers like using the obvious comparisons. I can't really make many comparisons, not enough musical knowledge. Worth a listen if you enjoy that kind of quaint, folk inspired music. It's very inviting and personal, which makes sense coming from a solo artist. The song could be carried with the, mandolin, ukulele(?) part and vocals the whole way through.

On the Beirut Myspace, there's another track, "Mount Wroclai"; also a winner.

Myspace

Postcards From Italy