mastroKristo is a band out of Greece whom I was able to glean little information about, but considering they are being released by Lost Tribe Sound, I expected this to be good. I was not disappointed at all. The acoustic guitar is achingly sparse, with a hint of neofolk without Continue Reading
Greece
Various Artists – Canary Records: Hellenic Hinterlands: Independent Greek-American 78rpm Discs from Baltimore, Boston, and Cleveland ca. 1953-57
From the Canary Records Bandcamp site: “When middle-class Americans in the 1950s found that they could get access to a tape recorder and a microphone, it then became possible for them to make recordings that they could pay to have pressed into discs. One didn’t need to go to dedicated Continue Reading
Various Artists – Canary Records: The Heart of a Mangas: Intersections of Popular Greek Theater & Rebetiko in Chicago & New York, 1923-29
The ever-brilliant Canary Records graces us with more Greek theater music and rebetiko. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “The word “mangas” for instance is untranslatable into English but has remained central to the notion of rebetika. It is a word that indicates a man who does not aspire to middle-class Continue Reading
Various Artists – G.O.D. RECORDS (Garden Of Dreams): Mondo Farfisa Garage Psycodelico
I was a big fan of bands like The Bomboras and The Lords of Altamont during their heydey in the 1990s and 2000s, but there is such a deep, rich reservoir of farfisa and hammond organ-based garage rock that it boggles the mind. The ever-excellent Greek record label G.O.D. RECORDS Continue Reading
Anglachel – A Light that Shines so Bright
The first thought I saw with this lovely cover art from Greek composer Anglachel was, “good boi!” It’s a heartbreakingly charming bit of cover art, but the main story is the music. It’s dungeon synth, but perhaps a little meatier than what I am used to hearing. The production value Continue Reading
The Basements – Sounds Of Yesterday
The Basements are a heavy psych-garage band out of Greece who sound authentically garage while managing to avoid clichés of the genre.
Kristo Rodzevski – Black Earth
Here is something rather magnificent coming out of Macedonia in the form of Kristo Rodzevski’s latest album through Defkaz, a great Greek label. There is hope for the Balkans yet! From the Defkaz Bandcamp site: “Black Earth has eleven traditional Macedonian songs infused with African aesthetics, including Gnawa undertones, Congo Continue Reading
Will -O-The Wisp – Will -O-The Wisp
Led by guitarist Takis Barbagalas, Will-O-The Wisp are a Greek psychedelic rock band from the late 1990’s whose Hammond organ-infused rock sounds as authentic as anything from the late 1960’s to early 1970’s.
Psycada – Hiking Lung
Psycada are an astoundingly heavy psychedelic rock band out of Athens, Greece. The band straddles the line between fuzz, prog and stoner rock perfectly.
Pray For Your Prey – Pray For Your Prey
At least as I understand it, there is a magnificent label out of Greece, Defkaz, releasing some really fine free jazz and world music. This particular album features one name whose work I’m very familiar with – the Hungarian drummer Balázs Pándi, who is magnificent. After hearing him work with Continue Reading