{{other uses|Riptide (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox album | name = The Rip Tide | type = studio | artist = Beirut | cover = The Rip Tide (Front Cover).png | alt = | released = August 30, 2011 | recorded = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|Balkan folk}} | length = 33:11 | label = Pompeii Records<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2011/aug/14/beiruts-rip-tide/ |title=Beirut's Rip Tide |newspaper=San Diego Reader |date=August 14, 2011 |accessdate=2011-10-29}}</ref> | producer = {{hlist|Zach Condon|Griffin Rodriguez<ref name=credits>[https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rip-tide-r2222560/credits The Rip Tide – Credits]. AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref>}} | prev_title = March of the Zapotec/Holland EP | prev_year = 2009 | next_title = No No No | next_year = 2015 | misc = {{Singles | name = The Rip Tide | type = studio | single1 = East Harlem / Goshen | single1date = June 3, 2011 }} }}
'''''The Rip Tide''''' is the third studio album by the American indie folk band Beirut, released on August 30, 2011.
The album debuted at No. 88 on the ''Billboard'' 200,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2011-08-20|title=Billboard 200: August 20, 2011 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and peaked at No. 80 a month later.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2011-09-17|title=Billboard 200: September 17, 2011 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album has sold 93,000 copies in the US as of August 2015.<ref name="us sales">{{cite magazine|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150825183753/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |archivedate= August 25, 2015 |url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |title=Upcoming Releases |magazine=Hits Daily Double |publisher=HITS Digital Ventures }}</ref> The album has received mostly positive reviews.<ref name=metacritic/>
==Recording== Beirut's Zach Condon decided to write the album after a rough tour in Brazil, where he suffered a perforated eardrum and was involved in a stage invasion. Unlike previous Beirut albums, ''The Rip Tide'' was more reflective of places closer to home; for example, the song "Santa Fe" was a homage to Condon's hometown. Condon reflected on that, saying "The vagabond thing – that was a teenage fantasy that I lived out in a big way. Music, to me, was escapism. And now I'm doing everything that is the opposite [of that] in my life. I'm married. I've got a house. I've got a dog. So it felt ridiculous, the narrative of what my career was supposed to be, compared to what I was actually trying to attempt in my life."<ref name=observerinterview>Carnwath, Ally. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/sep/25/zach-condon-beirut-rip-interview Beirut: 'I drank cognac and started smoking a pipe next to the fire']. The Observer. September 24, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref>
Influenced by the recording of ''For Emma, Forever Ago'', Condon wrote ''The Rip Tide'' while he spent six months in isolation living in a Bethel, New York winter cabin.<ref name="observerinterview"/><ref name=billboardinterview/> Unlike Beirut's previous albums, the music was recorded as a band playing together instead of laying down individual tracks one at a time. However, the lyrics were only added by Condon after all the music had been recorded.<ref name=worldcafe>[https://www.npr.org/2011/11/07/140707452/beirut-on-world-cafe Beirut On World Cafe]. NPR. September 23, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2011.</ref>
==Release== The first news that Beirut was recording a new album came in the winter of 2010–11 with an announcement from Ba Da Bing records: {{cquote|Indeed, the band is recording. Basically, Zach [Condon] is going back and forth between doing recording sessions in a studio with the whole band, then taking the materials back home and editing them as well as working on vocals. He wants to take the rest of the year to make sure it's all up to snuff, so there will definitely be a Beirut record next year, but not sure when yet!<ref name="world-music-instruments-happen.com">{{cite web |author=anon |url=http://world-music-instruments-happen.com/beirut-side-project-soft-landing-new-beirut-album-in-the-works.html |title=Beirut: side-project Soft Landing; New Beirut album in the works |publisher=world-music-instruments-happen.com |date=December 23, 2010 |accessdate=2011-08-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902152643/http://world-music-instruments-happen.com/beirut-side-project-soft-landing-new-beirut-album-in-the-works.html |archivedate=September 2, 2011 }}</ref>}} After recording, Beirut toured throughout Europe and the US, playing several songs that would appear on the album, including, "Vagabond," "Santa Fe," and "Port of Call.".<ref>{{cite web|last=Fitzmaurice |first=Larry |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/42481-watch-beirut-play-new-songs-live/ |title=Watch: Beirut Play New Songs Live |website=Pitchfork |date=May 11, 2011 |accessdate=2011-10-29}}</ref> On June 3, 2011, the band released ''The Rip Tide'''s first single, "East Harlem," with "Goshen" as its B-side, with a physical release on June 6, 2011.<ref name=eastharlemsingle>[https://stereogum.com/719542/beirut-east-harlem/mp3s/ Beirut – “East Harlem”]. Stereogum. June 3, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref> On June 7, 2011, Beirut officially announced the existence of the new album, disclosing both the title and track listing.<ref name=riptideannounce>Fitzmaurice, Larry. [https://pitchfork.com/news/42750-new-beirut-album-unveiled/ New Beirut Album Unveiled]. Pitchfork Media. June 7, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref>
''The Rip Tide'' was originally going to be released on August 30, 2011.<ref name=riptideannounce/> Unlike previous albums, ''The Rip Tide'' was self-released on Condon's own Pompeii Records. However, an internet leak pushed the album's iTunes Store released date to August 2, 2011.<ref name=billboardinterview>Jacobs, Justin. [https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/467718/beiruts-zach-condon-on-rip-tide-i-was-trying-to-write-a-pop-album Beirut's Zach Condon on 'Rip Tide': 'I Was Trying to Write a Pop Album']. Billboard.com. August 26, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref> The physical edition of the album was released in a cloth-bound, embossed package as a thank you gift to people who wanted a physical version.<ref name=physicalpackage>[http://beirutband.com/2011/08/30/the-rip-tide-release-day/ The Rip Tide release day!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124223610/http://beirutband.com/2011/08/30/the-rip-tide-release-day/ |date=November 24, 2011 }}. Beirutband.com. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | ADM = 7.6/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/3459/Beirut-The-Rip-Tide.aspx |title=The Rip Tide by Beirut reviews |website=AnyDecentMusic? |accessdate=December 28, 2019}}</ref> | MC = 78/100<ref name=metacritic>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-rip-tide/beirut |title=Reviews for The Rip Tide by Beirut |website=Metacritic |accessdate=October 29, 2011}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web |last=Monger |first=James Christopher |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rip-tide-mw0002168023 |title=The Rip Tide – Beirut |website=AllMusic |accessdate=October 29, 2011}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The A.V. Club'' | rev2score = B<ref>{{cite web |last=Murray |first=Noel |url=https://www.avclub.com/beirut-the-rip-tide-1798169182 |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide |work=The A.V. Club |date=August 9, 2011 |access-date=October 29, 2011}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The Guardian'' | rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=guardian>{{cite news |last=Jonze |first=Tim |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/aug/25/beirut-rip-tide-review |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide – review |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=August 25, 2011 |accessdate=October 29, 2011}}</ref> | rev4 = ''The Irish Times'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Gleeson |first=Sinéad |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/album-reviews/beirut-1.607476 |title=Beirut |newspaper=The Irish Times |location=Dublin |date=August 26, 2011 |accessdate=May 3, 2019}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Mojo'' | rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide |journal=Mojo |issue=214 |date=September 2011 |page=96}}</ref> | rev6 = ''NME'' | rev6score = 8/10<ref name=NME>{{cite web |last=Snapes |first=Laura |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/beirut/12279 |title=Album Review: Beirut – 'The Rip Tide' |work=NME |date=August 24, 2011 |accessdate=December 3, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908053832/http://www.nme.com/reviews/beirut/12279 |archivedate=September 8, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev7 = ''The Observer'' | rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Empire |first=Kitty |author-link=Kitty Empire |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/aug/21/beirut-the-rip-tide-review |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide – review |work=The Observer |location=London |date=August 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 3, 2019}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev8score = 7.7/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Fitzmaurice |first=Larry |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15715-the-rip-tide/ |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide |work=Pitchfork |date=August 8, 2011 |accessdate=October 29, 2011}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Q'' | rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide |journal=Q |issue=302 |date=September 2011 |page=109}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Uncut'' | rev10score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide |journal=Uncut |issue=172 |date=September 2011 |page=83}}</ref> }} ''The Rip Tide'' received large acclaim from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 78, based on 34 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".<ref name=metacritic/>
Tim Jonze of ''The Guardian'', in a positive review, wrote "It's less flashy than previous efforts, but the thrill here is of witnessing a songwriter's talent maturing."<ref name=guardian/> ''NME''{{'}}s Laura Snapes also gave the album a positive review, writing "These ideas of acceptance, hope and personal reflection make ''The Rip Tide'' an accomplished, restrained record, which sees Condon forgetting his travels, and forging his own native sound."<ref name=NME/> ''Slant Magazine''{{'}}s Jesse Cataldo wrote that while "The songs are often still a little too cute, too twee and self-satisfied," Cataldo concluded that the songs were nevertheless "just as catchy without the burden of self-reflexive exoticism."<ref name="Slant">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/beirut-the-rip-tide/2598|title= REVIEW: Beirut – "The Rip Tide"|magazine=Slant Magazine|author= Cataldo, Jesse|accessdate=2011-08-29 | location=New York| date=August 29, 2011}}</ref> AllMusic's James Christopher Monger enjoyed the album's more personal songs, writing "Condon spends much of Rip Tide writing in first person, and it lends an air of much needed intimacy to the always gorgeous, yet historically elusive Beirut sound."<ref name=allmusic/>
PopMatters' Eric Brown, on the other hand, gave the album a more mixed review, writing "Beirut too often moves away from its world-folk origins into a more generic sound, one that has more in common with an Apple commercial than their breakthrough album. It's not necessarily a bad move — the songs are all well-composed and technically challenging — but ''The Rip Tide'' lacks an emotional core, or at the very least, an interesting hook in lieu of something more substantial." Brown continued: "I have to think that as an EP, The Rip Tide would be a rousing success. But as it is, there are just too many bland, uninspiring tracks that drag down the whole experience."<ref name=popmatters>Brown, Eric. [https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/146722-beirut-the-rip-tide/ Beirut: The Rip Tide]. PopMatters. September 2, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref> Benjamin Boles of ''NOW'' was also less receptive to the album's sound, writing "Unfortunately, it all feels a bit too manicured and restrained. As easy as it is to hit repeat when the disc ends, trying to remember standout moments is another story. It’s a solid album, but too conservative to make many converts."<ref name=nowmagazine>Boles, Benjamin. [http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/discs.cfm?content=182061 Beirut – The Rip Tide]. NOW. August 4, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref>
===Accolades=== ''The Rip Tide'' has appeared on a few end-of-year lists. ''Paste'' ranked ''The Rip Tide'' No. 20 on its list of the top 50 albums of 2011, while ''Mojo'' ranked the album No. 22 on its end-of-year list.<ref name=paste50album2011>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/11/the-50-best-albums-of-2011.html?p=4 |title=The 50 Best Albums of 2011|last=Josh |first=Jackson |date=November 29, 2011 |magazine=Paste |accessdate=November 30, 2011}}</ref><ref name=mojo2011list>[https://stereogum.com/894362/mojos-top-50-albums-of-2011/list/ MOJO's Top 50 Albums Of 2011]. Stereogum. December 2, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2011.</ref>
==In popular culture==
The song "Goshen" from the album appeared in the series finale of season 5 of the NBC show ''Chuck''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://danceyrselfclean.tumblr.com/post/16642605346/chuck-tell-me-our-story-yeah-yeah-where-to|title=Dance Yrself Clean – Chuck tell me our story...|date=February 2012|accessdate=2012-03-03}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = ''The Rip Tide'' track listing | all_writing = Zach Condon
| title1 = A Candle's Fire | length1 = 3:19
| title2 = Santa Fe | length2 = 4:14
| title3 = East Harlem | length3 = 3:58
| title4 = Goshen | length4 = 3:20
| title5 = Payne's Bay | length5 = 3:48
| title6 = The Rip Tide | length6 = 4:26
| title7 = Vagabond | length7 = 3:19
| title8 = The Peacock | length8 = 2:26
| title9 = Port of Call | length9 = 4:21
| total_length = 33:10 }}
==Personnel== *Zach Condon – vocals, ukulele, trumpet, piano, percussion, pedal bass, organ, pump organ *Perrin Cloutier – accordion, piano, pump organ, cello *Paul Collins – bass guitar, upright bass *Ben Lanz – trombone, piano, tuba *Nick Petree – drums, percussion *Kelly Pratt – trumpet, euphonium, French horn, vocals '''Guest appearances''' *Sharon Van Etten – vocals *Heather Trost – violin, vocals
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Chart performance for ''The Rip Tide'' !Chart (2011) !Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Austrian Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart>{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Beirut&titel=The+Rip+Tide&cat=a|title=Beirut – The Rip Tide|accessdate=2011-11-16}}</ref> |align="center"| 20 |- ! scope="row"| Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 7 |- ! scope="row"| Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 22 |- ! scope="row"| Dutch Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 28 |- ! scope="row"| Finnish Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 32 |- ! scope="row"| French Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 42 |- ! scope="row"| German Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.de/album.asp?artist=Beirut&title=The+Rip+Tide&cat=a&country=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403113440/http://www.officialcharts.de/album.asp?artist=Beirut&title=The+Rip+Tide&cat=a&country=de|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 3, 2015|title=Beirut, The Rip Tide|publisher=charts.de|accessdate=2011-11-16}}</ref> |align="center"| 69 |- ! scope="row"| New Zealand Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 26 |- ! scope="row"| Norwegian Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 28 |- ! scope="row"| Spanish Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 41 |- ! scope="row"| Swedish Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 52 |- ! scope="row"| Swiss Albums Chart<ref name=austrian-chart/> |align="center"| 29 |- ! scope="row"| UK Albums Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/3358/beirut|title=Beirut|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=July 16, 2023}}</ref> |align="center"| 49 |- {{album chart|Billboard200|80|artist=Beirut|rowheader=true}} |}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Release history and formats for ''The Rip Tide'' !Country !Date !Format !Label |- !scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States |August 2, 2011 |Digital download<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.midheaven.com/item/rip-tide-by-beirut-cd |title=Beirut: The Rip Tide |publisher=Midheaven.com |date= |accessdate=2011-10-29}}</ref> |rowspan="3"|Pompeii Records |- |August 30, 2011 |rowspan="2"|CD |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |August 29, 2011 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Beirut (band)}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rip Tide, The}} Category:2011 albums Category:Beirut (band) albums Category:Self-released albums