[3/5]
"Cliquot," the midpoint of blog-favorite Beirut's second full-length, is everything the band do best: Over pan-European accordions and strings, frontman Zach Condon emotes about a lost love, asking-nay, pleading-for a melody that will bring her back, with a rousing chorus from his bandmates on each refrain. Like Arcade Fire's Win Butler, Condon's best when he's assisted. His vocals are more pronounced when he's joined by his chorus of fellow believers, and this makes his band of Gypsies (or at least they're influenced by Gypsies) seem communal rather than individual, specifically live. It's a shame, then, that the record seems more song-focused than band-intensive. In interviews, Condon's referenced Paris as the geographic center for the album's music, and on songs like "Un Dernier Verre (Pour La Route)," it's obvious the city informed Condon with its overbearing, arty pretension. (BA DA BING!; badabingrecords.com) Jeff Miller
 Official Website: http://badabingrecords.com
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