The Incompetents: More Songs… (2008)

The Incompetents: More Songs From The Victorious City (Tunefork, 2008)

THE INCOMPETENTS is the result of the unusual collaboration between songwriter Serge Yared and producer/multi instrumentalist/arranger/sound engineer Fadi “Fe” Tabbal.

Living and working in Beirut, those two music enthusiasts, who are constantly touring the world in search of new musical adventures, finally decided to team up and join forces on a set of songs. They were naturally joined by a myriad of professional, less professional, and even involuntary musicians, using any instrument (musical or not) available at hand.
When performing on stage, the ranks of the Incompetents are augmented by talented multi-instrumentalist Abed Kobeissy and drummer/percussionist Amine Daher, for a happily disjointed live extravaganza, a raucous celebration of British 60’s psychedelia and vaudevillesque sing-along tunes.

Alfred TARAZI

[Photo by Tony Elieh]

THE ALBUM:
‘More Songs from the Victorious City’

After many desperate hours spent listening religiously to the Beach Boys, Moondog, Stephen Jones and Tom Waits, and after touring the world chasing the Sparks, Serge Yared came to Fadi “Fe” Tabbal one day with a bunch of broken lyrics and out-of-tune melodies. Fe decided that the two of them were to perform the songs on their own, no matter what.
Recorded in between riots, fratricide wars and assassinations, the project soon developed to involve a community of more than 25 “incompetents”, including anyone who came by the studio while they were recording, as well as “graphic designer” friends who were asked to illustrate one of the album’s 8 tracks, creating different interchangeable covers…
A true community work, and an outrageously spontaneous and liberating experience!

Karma TOHME

The CD was released on the night of Saturday, October 11, to coincide with the delirious concert the band gave at the Quadrangle Pub in Hazmieh, Beirut.