Gulag Orkestar

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Gulag Orkestar | type = Album | artist = Beirut | cover = Gulag Orkestar (Front Cover).png | alt = | released = May 9, 2006 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Balkan folk | length = 37:25 | label = Ba Da Bing | producer = | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Lon Gisland | next_year = 2007 }}

'''''Gulag Orkestar''''' is the debut album of Beirut. It was recorded in 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Gulag was a Soviet government agency administering criminal justice, while ''orkestar'' is the Serbo-Croatian word for "orchestra".

It is written in the booklet that the front and back photos were found in a library in Leipzig, torn out of a book. The original photographer was unknown to the creators of the album while it was recorded, but has since been discovered to be Sergey Chilikov.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beirut's Condon Talks New LP, Obsession, Exhaustion|date=May 2007|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/42776-beiruts-condon-talks-new-lp-obsession-exhaustion|accessdate=2007-05-07|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509034602/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/42776-beiruts-condon-talks-new-lp-obsession-exhaustion|archivedate=2007-05-09}}</ref>

== Reception == {{Music ratings | MC = 80/100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/gulag-orkestar/beirut|title=Reviews for Gulag Orkestar by Beirut|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=June 24, 2016}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/gulag-orkestar-mw0000533383|title=Gulag Orkestar – Beirut|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=June 24, 2016|last=Mason|first=Stewart}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev2Score = B+<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2006/05/26/gulag-orkestar|title=Gulag Orkestar|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 26, 2006|accessdate=June 24, 2016|last=Greenblatt|first=Leah|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107102831/http://www.ew.com/article/2006/05/26/gulag-orkestar|archivedate=November 7, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The Guardian'' | rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/nov/03/popandrock2|title=Beirut, Gulag Orkestar|work=The Guardian|date=November 3, 2006|accessdate=June 24, 2016|last=Clarke|first=Betty}}</ref> | rev4 = ''NME'' | rev4Score = 8/10<ref>{{cite journal|title=Beirut: Gulag Orkestar|journal=NME|date=November 4, 2006|page=33}}</ref> | rev5 = ''The Observer'' | rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2006/oct/15/shopping.folk|title=Beirut, Gulag Orkestar|work=The Observer|date=October 15, 2006|accessdate=June 24, 2016|last=Mardles|first=Paul}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev6Score = 7.7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1204-gulag-orkestar/|title=Beirut: Gulag Orkestar|work=Pitchfork|date=May 11, 2006|accessdate=June 24, 2016|last=Stosuy|first=Brandon}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Q'' | rev7Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Beirut: Gulag Orkestar|journal=Q|issue=245|date=December 2006|page=141}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev8Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/10250362/review/11111806/gulag_orkestar|title=Beirut: Gulag Orkestar|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=August 11, 2006|accessdate=June 24, 2016|last=Gitlin|first=Lauren|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821212304/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/10250362/review/11111806/gulag_orkestar|archivedate=August 21, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Uncut'' | rev9Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Beirut: Gulag Orkestar|journal=Uncut|issue=112|date=September 2006|page=83}}</ref> | rev10 = ''The Village Voice'' | rev10Score = B+<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv608-08.php|title=Consumer Guide: History Lessons|work=The Village Voice|date=July 25, 2006|accessdate=June 24, 2016|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref> }}

The album has received great critical acclaim and was later re-released to include the ''Lon Gisland'' EP.

As of 2009, sales in the United States have exceeded 79,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-beirut-idUSTRE5110A420090202|publisher=Reuters|title=Indie rock band Beirut ventures south of the border|first= Michael|last= Ayers|date=2 February 2009|accessdate=27 April 2019}}</ref>

==Track listing== Many song titles are named after toponyms in Europe, such as cities, states and neighborhoods. Prenzlauerberg is a locality in Berlin. Brandenburg and Rhineland are geographical areas in Germany. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia.

{{Track listing | total_length = 37:25 | headline = | all_writing = Zach Condon

| title1 = The Gulag Orkestar | length1 = 4:38

| title2 = Prenzlauerberg | length2 = 3:46

| title3 = Brandenburg | length3 = 3:38

| title4 = Postcards from Italy | length4 = 4:17

| title5 = Mount Wroclai (Idle Days) | length5 = 3:15

| title6 = Rhineland (Heartland) | length6 = 3:58

| title7 = Scenic World | length7 = 2:08

| title8 = Bratislava | length8 = 3:17

| title9 = The Bunker | length9 = 3:13

| title10 = The Canals of Our City | length10 = 2:21

| title11 = After the Curtain | length11 = 2:54 }} {{Track listing | total_length = 16:29 | headline = UK Version Bonus CD: Lon Gisland

| title1 = Elephant Gun | length1 = 5:48 | title2 = My Family's Role in the World Revolution | length2 = 2:07

| title3 = Scenic World | length3 = 2:53

| title4 = The Long Island Sound | length4 = 1:18

| title5 = Carousels | length5 = 4:23 }}

*The EP's version of "Scenic World" differs from the first in that it has a slower, stronger sound and is entirely acoustic, with a violin and accordion replacing the original MIDI keyboard.

==Personnel== ;Beirut * Zach Condon - vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, ukulele, percussion, mandolin, accordion, organ, piano, recording * Heather Trost - violin * Jeremy Barnes - percussion, accordion * Perrin Cloutier - cello * Hari Ziznewski - clarinet

;Additional personnel * Alan Douches - mastering * Josh Clark - recording, mixing * Ben Goldberg - photography (all but cover and back)

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:2006 debut albums Category:Beirut (band) albums Category:Ba Da Bing Records albums