Weekly Last FM Chart
City Slang SLANG504437: 13th November 2006
1. Calexico – The Guns Of Brixton
“When they kick at your front door, how you gonna come, with your hands on your head, or on the trigger of your gun”
2. Beirut – Interior Of A Dutch House
“Could you really be so tired”
Calexico’s cover of The Clash’s 1979 song ‘The Guns Of Brixton’ is a brilliantly atmospheric reworking. Joey Burns’ vocals are whispered with a Dylan like hiss and backed by Horns that reminded me of The Rumble Strips. It’s topped off by a mornful Spanish-language backing singer on the second half. This is one of those rare things, a cover that re-invents a classic track and creates something new and exciting.
Beirut’s contribution is a brand new non-LP track called ‘Interior Of A Dutch House’ (It may or may not be inspired by Pieter De Hooch’s painting of the same name). Zach Condon’s voice is part Rufus Wainwright and part Tim Buckley. Musically, it’s like Sufjan Stevens with warm Brass and gentle acoustic Guitars. It had me whistling along, bobbing my head and imagining warm summer evenings.
Click here to buy Beirut’s album ‘Gulag Orkestar’ from HMV for only £9.99 (It now comes with a free 5-track bonus CD).
Also click here to buy Calexico’s latest album ‘Garden Ruin’ from HMV for only £8.99.
Calexico – All Systems Red (Acoustic Version) mp3
Beirut – Postcards From Italy mp3
Beirut – Mount Wroclai (Idle Days) mp3
Click here to download Loo & Placido’s bootleg mix of ‘The Guns Of Brixton’. It’s renamed ‘What About Brixton?’ and splices in samples of Christina Aguilera, The Beach Boys and others.
Calexico Website / Calexico MySpace Page
Beirut Website / Beirut MySpace Page
City Slang Website / City Slang MySpace Page
