No Budget Team

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2010-07-16T10:22:00.004+03:00

PAIN OF SALVATION - "ROAD SALT ONE"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Staring from a wide window as far as the eye can see, marvellous things can happen.Uncovering stimmulating impressions beyond your usual predictable needs finally lead your dreamy promenade to a new, unknown, sudden purpose.Daniel Gildenlow's glance sinks into the ocean of a vivid mirror: casual old vinyl records drown his thirsty sponge ending to a multi-vintage expression elegantly decorated by the band's tricky acting."Road Salt One" leads to a daring point of view leaving behind predictions connected with the recent past.
The band's progress tears the etiquettes and uses willingly different costumes: from Beatlish alternative pop to Delta blues, from Zeppelinish eccentric hard to post classical anthems, the changes rise over and over again building up a carnival of directions BUT behind the costumes there is always the same body trying to hide or come out, to heal or be healed, to live with hypothetical substitudes or adore the loss eternally, to avoid the danger or melt in the sentiment...
The adventure of "Road Salt One" is not obvious or easy to enjoy: the certain fact of this new trip is that controversy will scream out loud and the conservative followers will laugh against Gildenlow's megalomania turning finally ears to the past...
But here we are with the precious and independent gift of our time ready to be translated into this unique musical myth. We have to wait and unlock the doors of mysteries for songs larger than life like "Sisters". We have plenty of time and original agony to argue, insist, adore, ignore, spin around, melt and rebuild, change and tear, taste, avoid and return. This is what true masterpieces are made of...

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2010-06-29T14:26:00.003+03:00

ANATHEMA - "WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE HERE"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

"Life is not the opposite of death-death is the opposite of birth-life is eternal". The journey of a young man constantly staring at his inner world while he is leaving pieces of him behind, can find a lighthouse of peace in this phrase: stillness, calmness and light at last. Anathema have a new album after seven years and they kept digging inside them while being away. Their new, most awaited and furiously discussed piece of art keeps moving into a gentle melancholic clearing of post progressive melodic rock. Their familiar emotional blow carries the spirit of a man drowning in the waves of love, willing to leave behind the head and embrace the sentiment. This last music field is in fact the flame of love at its high when it becomes extremely smug and egoistic to question, to be afraid, to stare with suspicion against the history of love through the centuries. This recent, brave, strong light filling the rooms of the album is also interpretted with gentle shyness from a person whose aristocratical view indicates that has been hurt, has bled and paid the price.
In soundscapes of new acceptances and returns to emotional starting points, in lighthouses of support like being in a family, music spreads this bright material with a healing melancholy without never in fact closing the circle. Like the traveller that sooner or later will find the door closed against his face, Anathema celebrate with bittersweet drinks.And if you allow me a couple of them, I would willingly order "A simple mistake" and "Universal" over and over again until I'm drunk of their misty skill...

live review

2010-06-29T14:20:00.002+03:00

"Over The Rainbow" - Live In Larissa Friday 11th of June 2009

We often face a weird misty meeting with the ghosts that move between us, leaning shadows of a legendary past carrying the etiquette of an age gone by. The gentle isolated Medieval Knight in love, former tough Man-In-Black for years, gave to his son the blessing of his electric guitar, the gift of a glorious name and a company of veterans ex-Rainbow members to conquer the world once again. Watching "Over The Rainbow" playing at my hometown -where only a few bands from abroad have ever played- was for me, a typical 80's Rainbow kid growing up with their music, almost an eerie experience. The brave set list, opening their performance with epic "Tarot woman" was on the other side the strongest conclusion of that night: so many unique and important songs could drive even a bunch of typical employees to kiss golden eternity. In fact, there were many more than this in front of our eyes but the weight of the songs was floating above everything. Rainbow had raced a journey playing finally almost everything and shaping in the end parts of the general culture in the heavy sound: from classical hard rock to epic and power metal and finally to delicious pieces of cake from commercial hard pop music and all of them always first class, they had always been the perfect alibi for those who loved attractive music and quality hard rock at the same time... Joe Lynn Turner, moving between the image of his past and today's beer belly and lifting face, had the most difficult mission of all. He had to suffer with the limitless difficulties of Dio's songs and also some Bonnet's great moments but tragically had also to fight against his former self in hard pop anthems like "Street of dreams", "Can't let you go" and "I surrender"... Sometimes he was pretty good, but in parts like legendary "Stargazer" or epic "Eyes of the world" (in fact the best Dio song that Ronnie never sang...) he was hardly and slyly beaten by time... Before playing "Man on the silver mountain" they looked to the sky and raised their hands saying goodbye for the loss of a very good and special ex-Rainbow friend and everybody thought with a secret chill how it would be to watch Rainbow with Ronnie holding the microphone again... After one and a half hour of solid sound and hard rock history lessons there were no hard feelings left...Only sympathy and nostalgia drying in a hot greek summer night...

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2010-06-29T14:10:00.004+03:00

THE NATIONAL - "HIGH VIOLET"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Five grey Brooklyn suits keep moving to wider audiences through songs that praise the naked reality of a sad person. The National have built their serious fame with the traditional climbing up the hill through great albums and numerous performances. "High Violet", number five album in line, somehow sounds like a dirty bag with wounded diamonds. The soul of barytone leader Matt Berninger stands somewhere between Stuart Staples and Paul Banks, breaths in joydivisionish anthems or bunnymen cakes to translate hopeless meanings of daily acts. The smell of ugly rain in the city could be the carpet for Matt's storytelling as a sufficient selfsarcasm parades in sketches of New York. Urban scenes of inner acceptance of failure, the poverty of reasons to be and feel a meaning for this, a false importance in acts of despair, the fear of being a parent, the stream of nothing... Five grey Brooklyn suits with the smell of smoke and alcohol have found numerous reasons to attract the restless souls of winter and help them share their emptiness. They always keep sounding indispensable to people who can't fall asleep without a little help...

live review

2010-02-17T16:05:00.006+02:00

AND ALSO THE TREES (UK) - Acoustic Show on Friday 5th of February in Larissa

"FOUR PURPLE SHADOWS IN THE BELLY OF THE NIGHT"

Exactly one year after their first gig in Larissa, persistent travellers of mysterious tunes, legendary "And Also The Trees" from Worcestershire return as a quartet to prove on "Stage" that their acoustic experimental roaming was driven by serious artistic reasons.

Standing severe under distinctive low light, they draw an imaginary curtain uncovering the point of departure in their career, as haunted "Shantell" opens a sly purple hole in the belly of the night. "Candace" holds its ground for all those familiar with "When the rains come" until the surprising refreshing person of "The suffering of the stream" races that same old odd narration with the chilling company of dark backing vocals. The warning for "...The accordion girl" sounds like a tail of revenge for the former shortcut beside the stream, to find a suitable follower to the old macabre classic "There was a man of double deed". "Fighting in a lighthouse" for those being close to their americana trilogy, sounds now like a musical spy, determined to get familiar with the rest of their moods, echoing with a mysterious allusion. Impressions turn tender with the smooth glove of "Dialogue" like a thin carpet of innocent dust on a faded sentiment. Justin grabs the accordion for another crushing journey in time to recall the echo of "The street organ" and "Mary of the woods" finds a temporary exit of strong memories long forgotten. The restless steps of "Jacob Fleet" drove us once more to our hypothetical inner rage to race something we miss and don't know what, and nice vocal harmonies reinvented "The cyclone", an isolated almost- neoclassical diamond in the road trip of "Silver soul". Then the night had to suffer to take in a small piece the whole heart of Europe as eternal "Belief in the rose" revealed its wisdom armed with a bittersweet reflection strong enough to make everybody believe this was the serious end of something beyond description. Only the mystical heresy of "Mermen of the lea" could make a strong link of the chain and drive back to another room of "Lucy" getting now suspicious and turning tension to expectation. The familiar theme of "The untangled man" started spinning in a circle to the end of the basic part of the show. The weird steps of " Vincent Craine" and the hesitant mood of "Feeling fine" lead to the all time classic "Virus meadow" blessedly cursed to sound eerie and endless even in its new acoustic costume. The four shadows stepped down the stage, marched between the audience and left their absolute reasons sink in the tired and dizzy entrails of a long February night...

And Also The Trees (UK) @ Larissa - all info

2010-01-28T12:47:00.002+02:00

BRINGING THE RAIN ON STAGE...

‘And Also The Trees’ enjoyed the success of their first acoustic tour promoting "When the rains come" in certain dates and special places. They finally added more dates and in the beginning of the new year they return to our city and our country to share with us this unique experiment of re-inventing some of their legendary songs into an acoustic form and opening a new view for all of their devoted followers, as they did in "When the rains come".

By recording this acoustic album in a single four day session in a barn in rural Herefordshire AATT succeeded in capturing a feeling of spontaneous vitality, from the 'live' situation and a sense of space and detail from the ancient and sparse environment.

The 14 songs selected from throughout their song writing history are performed and carefully arranged for vocal, acoustic guitar and double bass with the occasional accompaniment of dulcimer, accordion and melodica. The oldest song 'A room lives in Lucy', their indie chart hit from 1985 is fascinatingly reinterpreted and despite it's understated and somehow surreal menace, sits with surprising ease beside the title track 'When the rains come', a song which was completed just in time for the recording session.

To those familiar with the universe of AATT these captivating recordings will provide an exciting redefinition of their rich melodies and unique musical landscapes and atmospheres. To the uninitiated or those who think they know who AATT is, it will be a surprise! Despite coming from a background where John Peel, (who described them as "too English for the English") was king, and their constant spiritual benefactor Robert Smith was just emerging from the mists of the post punk scene, AATT have continued to evolve and without losing track of their creative soul they continue to confound and enchant.

Their fierce sense of independence and non conformist attitude have always made them hard to accurately categorize but the discerning listener might hear echoes of Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake, Arthur Lee or Scott Walker from the past, and see parallels with Marissa Nadler, Matt Elliot, The Young Gods or David Eugene Edwards.

'When the rains come" is a fantastic opportunity to discover, or rediscover AATT.

It is a strangely moving album that will reinforce their position in the alternative world scene...

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2010-01-22T11:48:00.002+02:00

RACHEL GRIMES: "BOOK OF LEAVES"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Louisville's pioneers Rachel's introduced a serious part of anxious audiences to the marriage between chamber music and bass, guitar based post rock. Turning back to the legendary season of "Handwriting" and "Music for Egon Schiele", heretic and daring Louisville's bandmates created a special ground where the indie listeners pleasantly discovered the ambient drama of strings arrangments and gazed through their window a new horizon willing to accept also a new serious number of follower bands. Rachel Grimes had always stood behind their unique piano, nailing her net of sensitivity on their final expressive canvas.
Today Rachel Grimes stands for the first time isolated against this same old piano, driving the echo of her own confident result. "Book Of Leaves" moves gently with careful, sensitive steps in a parallel delicate universe. Her naked themes reveal the direct strength of truth when she builds the importance of private isolated moments translated into minimalistic music pieces of limited length. Her piano leaves the allusion of a precious beauty without repeating the discovery of it in an endless stream of duration: finally you accept the comfortable need for turning back again...
In this modest frame of gentle patience, wise piano phrases and field recordings, her first solo album races the path to a storytelling and personal secrets whispering autumn.
Listeners who prefer Michael Nyman and Max Richter can follow the footprints, but after all it is Rachel Grimes and she deserves to face her in this way...

And Also The Trees (UK) @ Larissa - 5/2/2010

2010-01-08T11:50:00.002+02:00

AATT return to Larissa - 5th of February 2010

Mysterious travelers in worlds lost in time, spread their shadows upon their past and re-invent some of their most impressive songs. Like opening hidden bottles in dusty self, strange new aromas fill our senses, figures we used to know reappear in distinctive frames...
We have all the time to isolate our favorite details, to set the vivid horizons of weird nature, to face our cursed heroes again and finally at least pray for a Friday night February rain...
Meet them at "Stage Performances Venue"on Friday 5th of February 2010.

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-11-26T13:17:00.004+02:00

JENIFEREVER: "SPRING TIDES"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

If there is a view that your life's hometown is important and determinant to define your expression, then Uppsala has a wonderful balance between complex accuracy and spontaneous beauty of sentiments.
Swedish "Jeniferever", faithful and persevering pioneers of live shows in helping more new acquaintances, when they finally end up in the studio, endeavor to honor this effect... Delicate shoegazing post rock band with the weight of the substance in compositions, uses from the basket of this post ambient indie rock field every useful ornament to build direct, poetic, deep discriptive songs.
"Spring Tides" is their second full length album and should honestly be heard as a steady and united chapter. Seasons come and go along with guitars caressing and exploding, figures sink in the distance and memories take their place, well kept secrets and words never said fill the empty pages and life rises to move forwards against failure. The longest part of it, called "Nagijala", nine minutes long, sounds to be somehow the heart of the album, revealing all the gifts Jeniferever can offer to the hesitating listeners who prefere delicate, atmospheric journeys with voices shaking the emotions.
In fact, it is difficult to resist to trap-lines like "if you bring the words, I 'll bring pen and paper...".

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-11-09T15:30:00.005+02:00

EDITORS: "IN THIS LIGHT AND ON THIS EVENING"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

A certain impressive change can be the obvious answer to the conception of the title for the Editors new album. As the title track opens building slowly, an endless mysterious horizon with this strong suspicion of an inner confession jumping from the mirror to the countless roofs of the world, you can clearly distinguish the shape and the echo of the new Editors. As "Bricks and Mortal" follows the sign and fearless synth lines slide on a metronomic beat, you grab the reality that the absence of guitars was not just a matter of an opening track: the electrosynth skeleton of new album's dramas comes only to change the preconceptions about Editors from Interpol and Joy Division to Depeche Mode and New Order... (if i was obliged i would probably say...Tuxedomoon). Famous producer Flood appears to have a serious part of the sound's turn, although the band had declared the mood to move into explorative and experimental electrosynth paths even a few months after the release of "An end has a start". There is an important guide for those who feel insecure in front of this surprise: Tom Smith's faithful performance holds the link between the present and the past and carries their identity feeding their new material with his epic skill. It is rather unfair for a band avoiding so honestly fillers to live always with such kinds of preconceptions especially in our predictable days of repeating echoes. "In this light and on this evening" is an urban synth album with the dark corners of the city feeding the imagination. Sometimes impressions lurk, sometimes emotions fade, but we have always first class mystery and drama in direct and catchy tunes. Change can be elegant, wisely balanced and keep the right room for Curtis' subtle distant cousin...

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-10-30T11:56:00.006+02:00

REDEMPTION - "SNOWFALL ON JUDGMENT DAY"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Los Angeles progsters Redemption release their third full length album "Snowfall On Judgment Day", flowing in the stream of their increasing fame. Standing in a musical field that crosses every new second with a view to become more familiar and predictable, Redemption carry the heaviest and most exact weapons they can handle. Based on a deep production with separate corridors for the limits of their instruments, they end to an almost perfect balance so the ebbs and flows of their songs have a natural flow. Frontman Ray Alder (Fates Warning vocalist) finds new paths according to the age of his voice with no lack of the sentiment we were used to sniff from him. "Snowfall On Judgment Day" is a technical journey of songs dealing with personal relationships, inner dilemmas and emotional struggles, and Alder's voice knows all these familiar steps to turn the final result into a sentimental footprint strong enough to last for long.
Tracks like "Black and white world" and "Love kills us all/Life in one day" build that kind of epic emotion larger than life, that kind of cinematic impression that finally pushes you to chase the best out of life. James La Brie on guest vocals in "Another day dies" adds another valuable card for every devoted prog-fan or DreamTheater follower but the song mostly melts into indifference. Redemption's skill for catchy tunes shines impressively in tracks like "Walls" or "Peel" when every single trick of technical orchestration gently obeys to the purpose of melody itself... And this is in fact the bridge between Redemption's two basic influences, the detailed, mechanical orgasm of DreamTheater's playing and the melancholic weight of memories from mates Fates Warning soundscapes.
So, here they are, placed in the limited area of ourdays choices and it looks like they have almost made up their minds to give their own survival fight having all the necessary accessories of modern extreme exact playing but above all the importance of melody itself. Only time will tell if they will gain fame and commercial success like top sellers DreamTheater or stand just respected in their own private circle like gigantic Fates Warning...

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-10-26T15:38:00.004+02:00

PREFAB SPROUT: "LET' s CHANGE THE WORLD WITH MUSIC"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Life always used to be cruel... or as Paddy would probably say 'DNA or GOD always used to be cruel...' But to be honest, even a generous, patient, unknown god in a distant solar system would be jealous of an ambitious young singer-songwriter with a special bittersweet muse, helping him fly eccentrically over the cheap boredom of cursed human nature. Paddy's blessed blasphemy and healthy cynicism led to some of the most unusual pop anthems of the 80's. Who else would dare to write a well crafted pop song for chess champion Bobby Fisher, or name a nostalgic train of thoughts with the title "I never play basketball now" in his first long play attempt? PREFAB SPROUT were for the charts an attractive pop band with the Midas touch, but Paddy Mc Aloon had always been for his faithful followers a Fred Astaire of words... Offering masterpieces like "Steve Mc Queen" or "Jordan:The Comeback", but also excellent noiseless wagons of melodies, worshiping golden details of the unimportance or poetic shadows of human weakness like "Protest Songs", Paddy was born guifted to heal the ugly corners of life. But DNA or GOD could never forgive his lustful haughtiness for life especially after the triumph of "Jordan..." The merciless march of time brought a series of health issues, including vision and hearing problems. Paddy had retinal detachments in both eyes and a sever bout with tinnifus, which has left him virtually unable to carry on as a recording artist. This fall of health confidence lurked somehow in the moods of their last albums, "Andromeda Heights" and "The Gunman And Other Stories", but was deeply unfold in Paddy's personal recording "I Trawl The Megahertz". Today he is 52 years old, so far away from that ambitious, fearless young boy, mysterious and earthen at the same time... "Let's Change The World With Music" was in fact about to be their next album after "Jordan..." Now, 17 years later, the dust is enough and the tapes have been disinterred and spruced by the engineer Calum Malcom. The "new"- old Prefab Sprout album has the blessed mission to keep the world turning with Paddy's necessary, luxurious voice and spirit. Even if DNA or GOD have punished him so hard, he sings in wisdom for his constant antidote "music is a princess, i'm just a boy in rags..."

No Budget Festival 2009

2009-07-28T12:39:00.003+03:00

Η No Budget Team

σε συνεργασία με την ΠΑΕ Α.Ε.Λ 1964

διοργανώνουν το

No Budget Festival 2009

4, 5 & 6 Σεπτεμβρίου 2009

Κηποθέατρο - Λάρισα

Ένα τριήμερο υπαίθριο μουσικό φεστιβάλ με άλλες παράλληλες συνοδευτικές πολιτιστικές εκδηλώσεις (έκθεση φωτογραφίας, έκθεση ζωγραφικής, μπαζάρ βινυλίων, t-shirts, κ.α.). Πρόκειται για το 4ο μουσικό Φεστιβάλ που διοργανώνεται από τη No Budget Team, αστική μη κερδοσκοπική εταιρία πολιτιστικού χαρακτήρα με έδρα τη Λάρισα, σε συνεργασία με την Π.Α.Ε. Α.Ε.Λ. 1964.

Το φεστιβάλ θα πραγματοποιηθεί στο Κηποθέατρο του Αλκαζάρ στη Λάρισα, το τριήμερο 4, 5 & 6 Σεπτεμβρίου 2009 και θα έχει καθαρά φιλανθρωπικό χαρακτήρα με ένα συμβολικό χαμηλό εισιτήριο (5€/μέρα!). Τα έσοδα της εκδήλωσης θα διατεθούν σε συγκεκριμένο ίδρυμα της Λάρισας, που θα κοινοποιηθεί μετά την οριστική απόφαση των συνδιοργανωτών.

ΤΟ ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ

Το γενικότερο καλλιτεχνικό πλαίσιο του φεστιβάλ έχει αναλάβει η No Budget Team, μία αστική μη κερδοσκοπική εταιρία πολιτιστικού χαρακτήρα. Σχηματίστηκε τον Νοέμβριο του 2005 χάρη στην αγάπη των μελών της για την εγχώρια μουσική σκηνή και ήδη ως τώρα δραστηριοποιήθηκε και ανέλαβε με επιτυχία την οργάνωση αρκετών συναυλιών στην πόλη της Λάρισας. Μερικά από τα σχήματα με τα οποία συνεργάστηκε είναι τα εξής: Χειμερινοί Κολυμβητές, Mikro, Sigmatropic, Deus Ex Machina, Dead Moon, the Nomads, Rotting Christ, the Earthbound, the Last Drive, the Fleshtones, Threshold, And also the trees, Matisse, Cyanna, Blend, Siva Six, Panx Romana, Μωρά στη φωτιά, κ.α.

Την πρώτη μέρα (4/9) εμφανίζονται τα εξής σχήματα:

Global Vibe: reggae, ska, dub μπάντα από τη Θεσσαλονίκη. Ξεκίνησαν το 2002 και συνεχίζουν μέχρι τώρα με live παρουσίες και συμμετοχές σε φεστιβάλ σε όλη την Ελλάδα.

The Velvoids: μία από τις πιο ελπιδοφόρες rock ’n roll μπάντες της εγχώριας μουσικής σκηνής. Αναμένοντας την ευκαιρία να ηχογραφήσουν το πρώτο τους album, έχουν πραγματοποιήσει αρκετές ζωντανές εμφανίσεις μέσα στο 2007, ενώ στις αρχές του 2008 άνοιξαν τη συναυλία του Marky Ramone & Black Lips.

Γιάννης Αγγελάκας & Ντίνος Σαδίκης: Ο Γιάννης Αγγελάκας, γνωστός απο το συγκρότημα ΤΡΥΠΕΣ αλλά και απο την προσωπική του δουλειά με τους ΕΠΙΣΚΕΠΤΕΣ (Απο δω και πάνω) και τη συνεργασία του με το Νίκο Βελιώτη (Οι ανάσες των Λύκων, Πότε θα φτάσουμε εδώ) και ο Ντίνος Σαδίκης (ΕΝ ΠΛΩ, ΕΠΙΣΚΕΠΤΕΣ) θα παρουσιάσουν εκτελέσεις κομματιών τους, με κιθάρα και μπαγλαμά, με τη συνοδεία του Στάθη Αραμπατζή, κιθαρίστα των ΕΠΙΣΚΕΠΤΩΝ. Ο Γιάννης Αγγελάκας θεωρείται πλέον ένας από τους πιο σημαντικούς μουσικούς της ροκ ελληνικής σκηνής.

Murder By Death: rock κουαρτέτο από την Indiana των Η.Π.Α. Σχηματίστηκε το 2000 και πήρε το όνομα του από την ομότιτλη ταινία του Robert Moore (1976). Μετρά ήδη 4 δίσκους στο ενεργητικό του με τους 2 τελευταίους – In Bocca Al Lupo kai Red Of Tooth & Claw - δικαίως να τυγχάνουν εγκωμιαστικών κριτικών διεθνώς. Post punk, σκονισμένα country, gothic, Americana πλαισιώνουν ιδανικά noir στίχους - του εξαιρετικού, cashεικών καταβολών τραγουδιστή, Adam Turla, εμποτισμένους απ’ όλα τα στερεότυπα της αμερικάνικης rock n’ roll τραγουδοποιίας.

Η δεύτερη μέρα (5/9) περιλαμβάνει τους:

NoiseToy: Οι Noisetoy γνωρίστηκαν και ξεκίνησαν να παίζουν μαζί το 2007 στην Αγγλία και έχουν ήδη παίξει σε διάφορα underground μουσικά clubs (elektrowerks, zigfrid underbelly, notting hill arts club, monto water rats) του κεντρικού Λονδίνου. Ο alternative ήχος τους είναι αποτέλεσμα των διαφορετικών επιρροών τους που κυμαίνονται μεταξύ του new wave, minimal, post punk και electronica αντίστοιχα.

Dread Astaire: Με δύο sold-out κυκλοφορίες στο ενεργητικό τους και πολυάριθμες εμφανίσεις στις κυριότερες σκηνές της Ελλάδας, οι Dread Astaire είναι μια από τις συχνότερα μνημονευόμενες εγχώριες μπάντες, χωρίς ταυτόχρονα να στερούνται τακτικής παρουσίας στον διεθνή Τύπο. Το τρίο έλκει επιρροές από είδη τόσο ετερόκλητα όσο το rock’n’roll, το garage, την ψυχεδέλεια, το punk, το kraut και το hardcore, ενώ οι συναυλίες τους χαρακτηρίζονται από ένταση και δυναμισμό στα όρια του παροξυσμού. Το No Budget Festival 2009 σηματοδοτεί την πρώτη παρουσίαση του νέου τους άλμπουμ, «Playstation», που κυκλοφορεί αποκλειστικά σε βινύλιο από τη νεοσύστατη λαρισινή ετικέτα, «Backstage Records».

Lanterna: οι αμερικάνοι lanterna με την κατά κύριο λόγο instrumental μουσική τους στόχο εχουν να μας ταξιδέψουν με τον τρόπο που αυτοί μόνο ξέρουν. Ατμοσφαιρικές κιθαριστικές συνθέσεις ονειρικές pop μελωδίες, post rock περιπλανήσεις από ένα group, που εδώ και δέκα χρόνια με πέντε δίσκους στο βιογραφικό του μας γοητεύει με συνέπεια παραμένοντας μακριά από τα φώτα της μουσικής βιομηχανίας.

Κ. Βητα: Ο Κωνσταντίνος Βήτα, γνωστός από τους Στέρεο Νόβα, γκρουπ ορόσημο για την εγχώρια ηλεκτρονική μουσική - έχει κυκλοφορήσει 9 προσωπικά albums, ενώ έχει ασχοληθεί εκτός από τη μουσική, με το θέατρο, το χορό και τον κινηματογράφο. Ξεχώρησε η συνεργασία του με τον Δημήτρη Παπαϊωάννου στο πλαίσιο της τελετής έναρξης-λήξης των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων, ενώ η συνεργασία τους στην παράσταση χορού ‘2’ έσπασε ταμεία.

Τέλος η τρίτη και τελευταία μέρα (6/9) θα καλύψει ένα μεγάλο φάσμα του σκληρού ήχου με τους:

Hidden In the Basement: stoner, metal μπάντα από τη Λάρισα που δημιουργήθηκε το 2007, με πολλά live σε ολόκληρη την Ελλάδα.

Poem: progressive - alternative metal μπάντα από την Αθήνα. Δημιουργήθηκε το 2005 κι από τότε κυκλοφόρησαν ένα album, συμμετείχαν σε διάφορες συλλογές αλλά και με τις ζωντανές τους εμφανίσεις έκαναν γνωστό το όνομά τους στο metal κοινό.

Como Esta Loco: hardcore - metalcore σχήμα από τη Ξάνθη. Έχει ανοίξει συναυλίες μεγάλων ονομάτων και με τις εκρηκτικές εμφανίσεις τους έχουν αποκτήσει φανατικούς οπαδούς σε όλη την Ελλάδα. Έχουν κυκλοφορήσει ένα E.P. με τίτλο ‘Walking the last mile’.

Burst: ανερχόμενη metalcore μπάντα από τη Σουηδία, που έχει κερδίσει τις καλύτερες κριτικές σε τύπο και ΜΜΕ. Μελωδικά φωνητικά αλλά και εκρηκτικές ωμές κραυγές, πολυπλοκότητα και επιθετικότητα από 5 δεξιοτέχνες μουσικούς. Έχουν κυκλοφορήσει 3 albums και πολλά EPs.

Οι πόρτες ανοίγουν στις 19.30

Τιμή εισητηρίου: 5€/μέρα

A FAREWELL...

2009-07-13T12:03:00.007+03:00

"MIDNIGHT" JOHN PATRICK JR. MC DONALD
R.I.P. (4/29/1962 - 7/8/2009)
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

So, did you have to race your demons till the huge waves of the dark sea? So, did you follow this same old twisted echo until the silent land of the gentle snow? So, did you mean every single word of it? Did you try so hard to find your world within yourself? Within your head of barking dogs and your heart of marching trains? Why did you have to choose the path of the poisoned mushrooms and the dizzy mirrors? So, did you have to bring to life the weird caves of your voice? DID YOU?...
I always remember your voice building those burning bridges of repeating loss. Some said you were pretending to be a cursed poet, a fake tragic figure... You had kissed the black lips of eternal frost with your words transcending into a universe of your own. You told me tales of lost balance racing the borders of prediction, you, my distant lunatic brother of twisted shadows. Now you've turned to be authentic with the highest price... How will i return to your open fields to race again your echoes? How will i meet your memory upon the same critical lines? How will i face your legacy, your truth, your tragedy, your myth, your world, YOU?
Why did you follow the fatal steps of your private dance till the end? If you wanted to make me feel humble and human, i am... If you tried to make me feel lonely, i am... If you thought of making me feel older, i am... If you wanted to make me sing to you through your own words, then sincerely I WILL:
"IN DEATH I'VE FOUND THE ANSWER
IN DEATH I LIVE AGAIN
FEAR NOT THE REAPER's BLADE
IT DOESN'T MEAN THE END
IT NEVER REALLY ENDS..."

NEWS REPORT
Former CRIMSON GLORY frontman Midnight (real name: John Patrick Jr. McDonald) passed away earlier today (Wednesday, July 8) from "total kidney and liver failure". He was 47 years old.

According to JON OLIVA'S PAIN guitarist Matt LaPorte, who played on some of Midnight's recent solo recordings, the singer spent his final hours surrounded by his mother, brother, daughter as well as members of CRIMSON GLORY, SAVATAGE, and JON OLIVA'S PAIN. His death occured at 3:45 a.m EST at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

His bandmates said:

Guitarist JON DRENNING:
"Midnight and I shared so much together over the years; dreams, goals, visions, creativity... We would often daydream for hours upon hours about how we would make the most amazing music together that would "Transcend" the world. We were determined to make an impact like no other and wanted create a legacy that would be everlasting... Despite our disagreements, I loved him deeply and will miss him profoundly. We had a contentious, yin-yang type of relationship, but we respected each other's ideas, talents and creativity, and loved each other dearly; we were brothers 'til the end. Midnight was a kind, generous, spiritual, beautiful, passionate, eccentric, mysterious, stubborn old soul with the voice of both an angel and a lion. Truly, he was a rare individual with an enigmatic, angelic vioice who had a great influence on many of today's well-known and yet-to-be-known metal singers. There have been many great singers throughout the years in the metal genre, including several who have tried to copy Midnight's uniquely moving, intensely emotional style, but there can be - and will only ever be - one Midnight. He was a once-in-a-lifetime singer, one-in-a-billion, a star among stars... Indeed, the world has lost a great singer, songwriter, painter, poet and friend... but his spirit lives on in each of us who knew and heard him, as well as for those yet to discover his creative genius. In death you live again, my Brother, my friend. It does not mean the end; it never really ends..."

Guitarist BEN JACKSON:
"Words cannot express the sadness I feel today over the loss of my dear friend Midnight. Having been friends with Mid for the last thirty years has provided me with memories I will surely treasure for the rest of my life until we hopefully will meet again. Together we made music, shared laughs and good times, traveled the world to faraway places and lived life with passion.
He touched many with his unique gift and was universally loved by his many friends and fans. A gentle genius and a sweet, sweet soul. I will miss you so much buddy! I love you!"

Drummer DANA BURNELL:
"Today the world lost an incredible singer and songwriter. I lost my band mate, my friend... my brother. I've known Midnight for over 30 years; he was the gentlest, kindest and most caring person I've known, and I loved him very much. Midnight only wanted good for everyone, he was a good soul. Knowing he is at peace now brings me great peace. I love him and will forever miss him."

Bassist JEFF LORDS:
"Speaking in the wake of my friends and bandmates, I can say that they've covered, very eloquently, a lot of what needed to be said. Notwithstanding, I will offer my thoughts, because every relationship is truly unique:

What few people know, probably even some of my own bandmates, is that I knew John "Midnight" McDonald longer than most---from the seventh grade, to be precise. We sat next to each other in History class. Mind you, this was well before I ever picked up a bass or knew that he could belt out the 'Zeppelin and 'Floyd tunes. Well, Midnight ("John", then) would sleep or doodle during class. We sat next to each other in the back. Come test time, he'd want to copy my answers (that rascal!). In any event, I knew that he was a rare breed with a tendency toward the arts. Little did I know....

Fast forward 7 or 8 years, and one night at our rehearsal facility we were going to try out this guy whom we discovered on the beach playing acoustic guitar. Admittedly, I was skeptical when this shoe-less and frumpy-clothed fellow showed up to give a whirl at singing Priest, Accept, Maiden, Scorpions... all of which were bands we covered very briefly before "Crimson Glory" was born. I was once told, "you cannot tell how far a frog can jump by lookin' at it". Well, that night, and the following nights, that little adage was never so solidified in mind. The kid had a set of pipes. We later learned that he had a knack for writing creative and thought-provoking lyrics, as well. Crimson Glory was born.....

Fast forward again, and we found ourselves going from a warehouse - to the studio - to stages over seas. With the increasing amount of pressure to sing the songs as you hear those recordings today, Midnight sought to overcome this pressure by unnatural means, which would later, and sadly, become his downfall, as well as the band's. This problem put a tremendous strain on the relationships with people close to him, meaning, not the fans in this case, but with his family and bandmates (who were his second family). To my understanding, we all did what we could to help him.

In the end, I am sad: Sad, because of the loss of life and that such a talented human being never reached his full potential. I am angry: I am angry because he was out of touch with reality towards the end, and could not be reasoned with, even if that meant trying to reconcile some past mistakes made along the way, including my own. I am hopeful: I am hopeful because, while I don't believe in a hereafter, I firmly believe that John "Midnight" McDonald has touched people in this life, the life that we know for certain exists, and in that sense, he was most certainly an Earthly "Angel". Farewell, Mid'."

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-07-10T12:51:00.004+03:00

BROKEN RECORDS: "UNTIL THE EARTH BEGINS TO PART"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Almost 42 minutes of the Scottish septet "Broken Records" debut album attempt to race the history of folk, Celtic rock of ages gone by. Instead of the hype of being Edinburgh's Arcade Fire, they dive deep in the spirit of legendary Waterboys sharing the pieces they grab between both of the two eras: Celtic, epic rock along with folk traditional music. There is also electric tension with cowpunk impressions of The Pogues or folkabilly attractive singles reminding of The Men They Couldn't Hang. The neoclassical growing epic opener "Nearly home", building up a vivid horizon, always filling with rich foldings of sound and marching drums, leads to a bombastic crescendo and probably describes at the same time the basic conception of "Until the earth begins to part" album. Rerecorded already known single "If the news make you sad don't watch it", flows easily carrying a comfortable attraction as a clearing for a mediocre listener, who doesn't really stand for the Celts. The album title track builds the vision of apocalypse, driving again to the growing and building sound tactics... Broken Records attempt to grab the echoes of what their Edinburgh mates used to call "The Big Music" back to the 80's, holding the weapon of sentiment to their front line and they already certainly have been a pleasant surprise for an audience filled with nostalgia for this hue of sound. But they also leave the impression of standing at the crossroads of the critical direction: will they go on swimming in sympathetic tunes, feeding the needs of a certain piece of audience or do they have the guts to drive their blessed influences to a bigger sphere of expression and creation, singing finally for their own "Big Music" of our days? Only time will tell...

European Music Day @ Larissa - 21, 22 & 23/6/2009

2009-06-16T13:33:00.002+03:00

European Music Day in Larissa

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-06-09T15:18:00.005+03:00

HEAVEN AND HELL - "THE DEVIL YOU KNOW"

by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Four figures stand along again... Their endless shadows cover the lives of numerous people living in the strange world of the killer dwarf, the inventors of heavy sound from Birmingham and their unique elixir. So, while racing an era of metal community's strong effort to survive waving the flag of new, modern, extreme or post metal and haunting furiously the new heroes of generations to come, their grandfathers come out of the studio waving the frame "classic" as only THEY have the luxury to do. The four figures, 17 years since "Dehumanizer" fed their faithful followers, share wisely the distance between it and "Mob Rules" and name their piece or art with the allusion phrase "The devil you know"... The killer dwarf racing already his 69th year (!) appears to be stronger than before, translating the inspiration of "all-of-them-being-again-together" to a unique echo of his Rainbow years. His excellent, full, steady voice serves all his favorite cliche' themes in a dreamy world of symbols and myths where the man of controversy and distance is always the devil for religion. The games between good and evil leap on the direct buildings of riff-master of certain results, the unique Mr.Iommi, still teaching to every corner of the world how you can make it simple and great. Some of the most respectful tunes they have created in the last decade race more than the first half of the album proving it is something more than a nostalgic, anniversary meeting with guitars... Everyone brought up with smoking angels, country girls and rainbow bridges will gracefully enjoy this new sanctuary of symbolic tales. The four figures stand along again... and there's still magic in the air.Against the music business and one woman's cheap trick, don't hesitate to name it in the way you should... when you're dealing with the new BLACK SABBATH album...

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTxMMXzO8jU

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jou8JA-lxt8

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-05-25T11:13:00.005+03:00

AND ALSO THE TREES - "WHEN THE RAINS COME"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

An isolated sad tone, like the fragile sound of a mourning bird, pulls the macabre coach of the new "Virus Meadow": the classic, heavy, black legend of the plague sounds richer in simple and distinctive details, strongly building an uphill slope of escaping death. Poisoned beauty grows the tension and somehow deserts the protagonist under a baroque, rustic sky, filled with drama and beauty. All this ends with the tender, naked transformation of "Dialogue" into a warm dreamy ballad of visions and memories. A clear horizon of devotion starts to complete the pieces of this new acoustic trip through the years and the tales of AATT. Sometimes the vision is surprisingly daring as the swinging "Fighting In A Lighthouse" wears a different costume, turns to something new and finally leads us elsewhere to invent different impressions. A long distance stands also for the new "A Room Lives In Lucy", when the fierce and the pressure of years gone by have been gently replaced by a sly, lurking patience opening unknown holes to the surface of the song and planting fine smooth traps for our ears. Extremely moving songs are also set in this acoustic album to keep the traveling spirit alive, so we meet again the haunted spirit of "The Dust Sailor", the restless wandering of "Jacob Fleet'-with an excellent bare orchestration uncovering every single trace of melody line-,the rural mystery of "Mermen Of The Lea" and the misty but not easily forgotten echo of "The Street Organ". The links finally meet locking up an album wisely homogenius, an album with a faithful portrait against time, easily ending to become a perfect sample of our times for people willing to know about the band. The old songs prove to have a wise depth, not only as themes for tales rearranged, but also as pure compositions willing to be driven in new clearings: in any case, the precious spirit of important details in life itself, the wandering senses of human looking for the beauty of a world slowly fading, and the poetic dignity of sharing the scars of our restless souls with the countless frames of nature, all of them are here supported also by a nostalgic artwork. Old fellows will dig deep for the only new track "When The Rains Come", a suitable epilogue for one more pure, deep and sensitive piece of art at the long AATT catalogue...

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-05-08T17:23:00.004+03:00

DOVES - KINGDOM OF RUST
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Doves have always kept their modest shadows in the noiseless part of Manchester. Poor of scandals, cheap publicity and gossip stimulations, they have always proved themselves to be rich in consistency and creation of gentle and honest pop music. Getting back since 2005's "Some Cities", they had to clear their dim, hesitant, a little dizzy and tired but never indifferent horizon. The british trio had always built a strong and private basis, capable to combine a crowd of outer influences and end to daring, honest, interesting and-above all-original songs. "Kingdom Of Rust"reveals an air of determination blowing from the first moments as "Jetstream" grows fresh and certain in a rich dance rock canal, an electronic impressive opener, obviously warming up a New Order tradition. Title track begins already a hyperclassic, a delicate brief road movie, armed with clear melody lines of dignified melancholy. A well crafted memory obsession leads to one of the most inspired tracks, beautiful and flowing "Winter hill", and behind its nostalgic value, it proves at the same time all this special work they have done upon their primitive conceptions. Such kind of intension reveals surprising evolutions in the characteristic example of "10:03", or the interrupting expectations of "The Great Denier" always changing directions. "Spellbound" somehow turns around a newer version of "The Man Who Told Everything" finally melting in dangerous beauty ... "Compulsion" flies over Blondie's clear impression and balances skillfully between rhythm and feeling. Outro "Lifelines" grows step by step haunting consistent crescendos to the fact that it's hard to make sense each single day... But even if it is so, they have no cheap drama or attractive tragedy set for us. Doves have once more kept the distance from certain, obvious sentiment as they always used to respect their conceptions beyond tricks, risks, influences and decisions: deep and simple at the same time they have the skill to drive their harmonies in the noiseless part of expressions ... as they exactly do with their lives.

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-04-29T15:54:00.004+03:00

MASTODON -"CRACK THE SKYE"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

They have achieved every inch of respect offering each time an important gigantic shadow to the playground of the heavy sound monuments. Racing a long ride of real hard work and intelligent evolution as a band, Mastodon, after the legendary chapter of "Blood Mountain", had to face the challenge of their lives. Being the basic choice for the next real big thing in the world wide metal debates of the last year, Mastodon dare to place their severe personal point of view beside their classic influences of space and groovy hard sounds of the seventies, ending finally to a flowing album. Songs with all of their characteristic structures reveal a friendly filter of impressions, several surfaces of recordings meet into an attractive balancing result: producer Brendan O' Brien found the path to concentrate all the comets of the Mastodon universe and finally transform the gathering into the solar system of "Crack The Skye". A homogenius fireball of technical realism along with a natural flow of riff waves remain distant and friendly at the same time: melodically interesting to swallow your resistence and deep enough to stand against the rust of time. A weird, vivid story in the lyrics, a dizzy storyteller-mushroom of wormholes, a golden navel string, a world of spirits, Siberia and ...Rasputin, turns the final result to a supernatural spiritual trip where trandition and progress meet under the brave honesty of our heroes. Extaordinary tips across their soundscape their longest efforts, "The czar" and "The last baron", reinvent the complete metal history by being themselves at the same time. If there is a certain gate to wider audiences there is no more honest passage than this piece of troubled spirit and pure adrenaline...

NEW RELEASE 2009

2009-04-08T16:51:00.002+03:00

MONO:"HYMN TO THE IMMORTAL WIND"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Leader Takaakira "Taka" Goto is trying with his limited english to drive the 28-piece chamber orchestra to the direction he has in his troubled heart: "play like a cloud drifting slowly across the sky"... He is so serious that the only way you can take him is... seriously. MONO, the extraordinary japanese post-rockers (if we feel obliged to use the name of a genre to describe the big music...) have sailed with their cinematic ship before 10 years and this is their fifth, new album, three years after brilliant "You Are There". Recorded in Chicago, again with producer Steve Albini and faithfully following analog recordings, they have certainly been more into neoclassical paths of expressions. Their extensive tracks still creep with shimmering guitars and leading to biblical distortions with marching drums push you to a solution of hope but there is also a rich depth of epic, detailed orchestration filling their sources with numerous gifts of sounds. All these patient trips of the soul from personal drama to a violent catharsis come growing in waves of impressions ,building a vision of inner revelation. MONO sound like an ancient music box of honest sentiments kept hidden in the closet for the daily last breath before surrendering to sleep: no hesitations, no strategic balances, no intelligent manouevres between the head and the heart, only a heroic eastern march to the eternal fire of truth. For all those growing listeners in the post rock fields, all the tracks of the album are clearly memorable: in their gently increasing tunes from abyss to enlightenment, they have their special melodies shining to improve that these are not practice of a certain style but births of pure expression. From "Ashes in the snow" to "Everlasting light", this is the burning horizon with the fatal dance of all the sentiments we are afraid to face...

NEW RELEASE 2009

2009-04-02T12:33:00.008+03:00

THE VEILS:"SUN GANGS"
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

It's very easy to say "like father, like son"... Especially when your father is Barry Andrews ,a keyboardist collaborated with XTC, David Bowie, Brian Eno and many more, and you are dealing with music signing to Rough Trade Records at the age of 17, the suspicious one would easily say that you have achieved recognition based on the fame of your father. But...luckily you are Finn Andrews, the lead singer and song-writer of the London based band The Veils, you have already released "The Runaway Found" in 2004 and "Nux Vomica" in 2006 and you have spread a serious crowd of evidence that your song writing can't fade away unnoticed. According to Finn, "Sun Gangs" is "a very modern mixture of prayers, love letters and personal record keeping". And Finn has the necessary wealth to build a well crafted small universe of sounds, drawing the lines of breaking up with an attractive mood of acceptance. "Sit down by the fire" hangs between ballad parts and epic crescendos and represents the conception he shares with the producer Graham Sutton (Jarvis Cocker and British Sea Power) to describe his strange voyage of visions, symbols and conclusions. "Sun Gangs" slips in silence to a tender peaceful absolution leading to "The letter", probable The Veils' passport to the massive audience. "Killed by the boom" turns to distorted alt-rock with heavy streams of guitar and percussion. The drinking ballad of "It hits deep" leaves Finn in an abandoned empty soundscape and "Three sisters" bring religious visions with an epic feverish rhythm. There is a weird meeting with the sentimental luxury of absence in "The house she lived in" and poetic nice visions lead to the vain thoughts of the ''Scarecrow". "Larkspur" is the longest track of the album with a biblical depth in its sound and the noises turning to sly, nervous silence. "Begin again" seals gently the album, sounding like the caress of habit turning to a noble surrender...
Finn Andrews has the "Midas touch". Balancing between the seduction of middle listeners ears and a daring personal point of view, he finally imprisons his crowd of stimulations in high class songs of impressive beauty, poetry and strength. If there is still a suspicion of justice in this cruel world of music business, The Veils should be soon the next alt-rock heroes instead of those 15-minutes-long ,first-page bubblegum superstars the press adores to discover...

BEST ALBUMS OF 2008 - part one

2009-03-27T16:40:00.011+02:00

(in alphabetical order)

1.BOOKHOUSE BOYS:"The Bookhouse Boys" Epic alternative rock dramas ,a daring Tarantino hue, strong mariachi horns, the necessary fatal vocal duets, fine parts for a mesmerizing noir sound.

2.CHERRY GHOST:"Thirst For Romance" High class alternative country rock songs for common people with a pure sentiment that finally sets reality more valuable than fiction.

3.GOLDFRAPP:"The Seventh Tree" Alison gets academic in intelligent folktronica and acts Frazer and Bush in the woods, offering promenades instead of hot dancing.

4.HER NAME IS CALLA:"The Heritage" Haunting post rock ambience pushes to a deep well of tension where fear and salvation walk hand in hand-slow difficult steps of agony draw you nearer.

5.MARILLION:"Happiness Is The Road" After the indifferent and neutral "Somewhere Else", they race their travelling tunes sharing directions but keeping their sensitivity-and we have always to deal with THIS voice.

6.NO MAN:"Schoolyard Ghosts" We almost forgot Bowness' easy way to seduce over piano and acoustic guitars carpet with a voice of desolate beauty and childhood nostalgia.

7.PENDRAGON:"Pure" Art rock veterans prove to be openminded to modern proposals and return with a richer sound,a new fascinating drummer, more porcupine-ish views and their best album since "Masquerade Overture".

8.PIERCES:"13 Tales Of Love And Revenge" Hot Pierces Sisters sound pleasant and dangerous,silly and wise, complicated but definite and finally they have the guts to punish us with a weird sexy death.

9.TINDERSTICKS:"The Hungry Saw" Old mates from Nottingham return after a serious break reminding of the old good days even if now being just the half of them-drunken bitterness and macabre humour in a grab of bright new songs.

10.WOVEN HAND:"Ten Stones" Edwards' familiar imposing figure races his symbols with a strong religious fever, a threatening ,titanic percussion and a company of holy spirits and personal demons.

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-03-26T16:58:00.004+02:00

iLiKETRAiNS - ELEGIES TO LESSONS LEARNT
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

An honest simple answer lurks behind the weird name "iLiKETRAiNS", representing a flock of persons writing songs about historical tragedies:"a certain sense of eccentric Englishness..."answered the guys from Leeds.Their first full length album titled "Elegies to lessons learnt" follows the trails of "Progress reform" EP building a nucleus of echoing circles upon the fact that humanity fails to learn from its mistakes.Characters taken from dusty, forgotten pages from history books meet with their tough fate in huge waves of bursting guitars and percussion but also unfold their agony in patient streams of paralyzed nostalgia.The musical path as a building of sound but also as an evolution hides traces of Explosions In The Sky, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Mono, A Silver Mt. Zion, and Sigur Ros producer Ken Thomas sounds also responsible for this slice of common ground.The morose and acting baritone voice of David Martin captures the perfect dose of seriousness turning this compilation of "figures-surrounded-by-failure" tales into a constant heavy conclusion for the never ending circles of history and fate.From the great fire of London in "25 sins" to the assassinated british prime minister in "Spencer Perceval", and from the Salem witchhunt trials in "We go hunting" to the bubonic plague in Eyam village in "We all fall down", all those persons from the avant-garde of history reflect sympathy and mourn, knowledge and vainness, braveness and desperation.The coin of day and night ,the battle of life is the translation of their sound and all these dark structures of their songs ,beyond the tragedy reveal also a touching heroism...iLiKETRAiNS dare and succeed to use unusual themes and lyrical origins to offer their musical proposal in our days without ending to sound ridiculous.After millions of similar lyrical lines and boring love songs, they come up with a weird treasure of true stories for persons that really existed, carried with a cinematic soundtrack of ringing guitars, bursting percussion, shy parts of brass and cello, a slowly narrating sad voice and basically...great expectations.

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-03-23T15:26:00.006+02:00

GOLDFRAPP: ALISON HIDING BEHIND THE SEVENTH TREE
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

There is a rare bird sinking into bucolic soundscapes.She smoothly spreads her voice echoing between the temples of Kate Bush and Liz Fraser: an ethereal,vivid child gently deserting her former sexuality...All that electro-pop, glam beat lustful rhythm has faded in the distance of empty dancehalls.Alison is pulling Will Grecory by the hand to a dim pastoral horizon haunted by an eerie romance.Rural Somerset was the right place to accept the influences of Nick Drake, early Pink Floyd and the soundtrack of cult english horror classic "The wicker man" and finally lead them to a misty stillness of their folktronica style.Acoustic guitars, string arrangements and harp samples carve the path with a pseudo-retrospective suspicion ,sometimes easy listening lullabies sounding like traps or modern pagan psychedelic folk ceremonies promising everything and nothing."Clowns"captures the frame of "The seventh tree" with Alison's haunting throat transforming the words like jumping from glorious 4AD heroes Cocteau Twins days.The same crystalline distortion seals the evolution of "Little bird" as the sexy,glam,dancing heroine of "Black Cherry" and "Supernature" has turned into a fairy playing games of patience and spiritual expectation in a world with birds' masks and newspaper hats.All of her imaginary lovers on the planet follow her gently in her numb ,hypnotic,woozy landscapes turning their dance-steps into deep confession promenades.From the sensitive irony of "Clowns" and mystically singing about breast implants("only clowns would play with those balloons") to the pavement smell of the rain completing an inevitable circle in "Monster Love" ("everything comes around,bringing us back again, here is where we start and where we end"),Alison takes every pose of expectation sometimes as a quiet observer,others as a vivid girl obeying to weird voices in her head.As you race all of her pastoral promenades to find her former ego, all of a sudden you realize that the adventure was no bad at all.The point of the journey is not to arrive...

ΔΙΣΚΟΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ

2009-03-18T13:24:00.005+02:00

13 TALES FROM THE DIARY OF THE PIERCES
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Don't miss the pleasure of listening to "Thirteen tales of love and revenge",before seeing pictures of Catherine and Allison ,the Pierce Sisters...the Pierces.You have a long wide corridor of fantasy to build the reflection of those pretty vocal harmonies in your head..."Secret" will help you pick up the eyes, the eyes that betray and disappoint, the eyes that reveal the moto "two can keep a secret if one of them is dead"...And it will be a fine macabre entrance to the trap carnival of seductive Pierces as a gothic sex sunset will hypnotize your armour with a rich stylistic parade of musical decoration."Boring" will lead you to the right lips ,somekind of a siamese hill to scream out your favourite parody-anthem of lifestyle celebrities emptiness, dancing naked on both tops.You' ve been deep in their forest of love and death, rage and forgiveness,rain and fire,madness and tenderness and the witches pick up their weapons-shining in the dark from producer Roger Greenawalt-and hide them in the bushes, from country folk lullabies ,pure pop diaries, to sly cabaret, electroclash and synthesized dance rock.You are confused now between lust and fear, as the clear voice of delicate childhood somehow ends to the deep sweating order of a sexual fantasy.Catherine and Allison, Allison and Catherine, the former ballerinas Alabama sisters who received home-schooling from their hippie parents in their childhood, have used such diverse views to help you find out their picturebook of thirteen tales and finally make you paint their portraits.When the witche's breath demands "make love with the lights on baby, tell me what you see, clear the bed to lie on darlin', make a mess of me, here's my dress to try on baby, let me be your man, i will call you pretty darlin', tell me what i am..." you are finally willing for everything.Well, the time is right now to check their photos and videos...
Distance will keep as always everything perfect...

ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ

2009-03-12T12:14:00.006+02:00

IT'S IMMATERIAL: DRIVING AWAY FROM...FAME
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

When you name your first album "Life's hard and then you die" you should be prepared for the worst...Three former members of "Yachts" formed "It's Immaterial" in 1980: John Campbell vocals, Martin Dempsey guitar and Henry Priestman keyboards. After surviving in waves of changes they ended to a duo by 1984: John Campbell and Jarvis Whitehead guitar and keyboards who joined in 1982. But, before the moto-title of their first album becomes cynically true ,life tried to seduce them waving gently a flag of fame, as "Driving away from home" was a hit single been featured widely on television advertisements and 1980s based compilation albums. This glorious opener, a careless proposal to a brief road movie vacation was an optimistic ,fresh introduction to the rich world of their first album, back in 1986. Musically there is a vivid parade all over the sounds of the era, new wave,country,folk,synth pop,even blues and ethnic. The skill of the band's orchestration and the production of it lead to a definite,intelligent,concrete and well-realised album:it was a daring bet, but the untied borders of it could at the same time ensure a homogenius result. The cinematic "The better idea" probably hides the perfect symmetry of the spirit that Liverpool duo was hiding: their intelligent nostalgia drives perfectly this dreamy anthem to a fogy end. It's Immaterial enjoyed a second successful single with "Ed's funky dinner" and life was no bad at all... Even if "Driving..." went Top 20 almost all over continental Europe with minimal promotion, the duo decided to listen to the voice of their hearts.Heading on to their next album,"Song", they drove to quiet isolated, polite and sensitive clearings of soulsearching music, ending to ten stories that simply happen in the north of England. Campbell and Whitehead didn't aim for a single moment to find the followers of their first album's singles. From the promenade of memories in "New Brighton" to the childhood visions of "Your voice" their music is driven by a bare human need to let an inner personal world come out gently.If there was a suspicion for a probable single ,it would be "Heaven knows", but finally this delicate masterpiece of intelligent storytelling pop music behind a brilliant cover ("Mount St.Hilarion And The Castle Ruins" by David Bomberg,1948) remained in the shadows ,selling less than 7000 copies in the UK ,back in difficult 1990... Virgin Records dropped many artists and between them "It's Immaterial". Rumors said that at that time (1993) they had just completed another album...Campbell and Whitehead left without a trace ,diving back to anonymity like they had never existed in the music business.Finally, life's hard even after a "Song"...

ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ

2009-03-10T13:29:00.003+02:00

CHERRY GHOST (UK) - THE NORTHERN TOWN BLUES
by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

Simon Aldred is a Bolton native with an interesting past as a solo artist.His musical reality has now turned to a full band called "Cherry Ghost",a name taken from Wilco song "Theologians".Simon Aldred has the gift of seeing demons dancing across factory floors...Aldred's statement "Willie Nelson meets Walt Disney" makes Bolton's heavy industry mysterious and promising:all this kind of simple human magic ended with "Thirst for romance" claiming an unexpected #7 slot in the UK album charts.A catchy seduction of country and indie rock opens the door to daily sympathetic shortcuts from life in Bolton.No high hopes ,no supernatural heroes,no immortal promises blow in the streets of his hometown.Aldred sings about his mates, silent heroes in a limited universe where sentiments still breath out serious reasons to create tunes in deep simplicity.Producer Dan Austin ,known from Massive Attack, sounds to respect the composer's aim for the return of classic old pop songs and the instruments-basically guitars,piano,drums and string arrangements-finally flow to drive the tales vivid, lively and eternal.The key to the final result is, beyond any doubt,Aldred's voice, a storyteller's friendly voice creeping over the pillows of humanity at night, revealing the importance of daily quiet tales of common people and building the personal triumph of finally inventing an audience for the passions of common people.Bittersweet well-crafted manouevres support his heartfelt lyrics digging into ordinary lives melting in time, anthemesque lines lift fameless characters and his kind type of voice stands certain and willing to advice like an old friend always been there.As any kind of rich and important album, many will find traces of hypothetic influences, from Johnny Cash to Smog and Bill Callahan, from Starsailor to Richard Hawley or from Sparklehorse to Richard Ashcroft.But sharing the distance of a Bolton native talented composer singing his north town chronicles of modern romance, we only have to deal with a block of first class authentic songs, from the uplifting country rock title track to the charming and definite proposal of the single "People help the people" and finally ending to the almost art rock hyperclassic diamond of "Mathematics"...Aldred's effort to escape the monotonous noise from the heavy industry in the northern end of England and seek something of beauty finally makes sense.We have already started to remember him with a smile on the face...

more info @ http://www.cherryghost.co.uk
www.myspace.com/cherryghostband

BREAKING THE BEAUTIFUL SILENCE ON STAGE: And Also The Trees (UK) IN LARISSA 6-2-2009

2009-03-10T13:27:00.002+02:00

The clearness of a spring day in February ended to a sly rain as The Trees were almost completing their soundcheck.A few lucky who watched it, heard an unbelievable version of "Under the stars",but it is rather impossible to perform the beauty of "Under the stars"in a mediocre way.As it was expected (LF)TRABM raced the basic part of their performance, starting with the epic "Domed" ,strong and serious enough to give the exact impression to some people who were driven to the "Stage" Club just by curiosity.The delicate esoteric, gentle satisfaction of "The beautiful silence" raised a nostalgic warmth and spread the right carpet for the dim optimism of "Under the stars".Old weird times grew furiously as "Gone...like the swallows" led Simon's voice to the familiar ending crescendo.The attractive chorus of "Dialogue" seemed to last just for one breath as "Vincent Crane" along with "He walked through the dew" drove the five silhouettes in suspiciously distant movements."Mary of the woods" echoed definite with its eerie final promise and the ghost of "...Lucy" troubled the spirits as it always should...Turning back to the virus period once more, "Maps in her wrists and arms" poisoned the smoky air:the older fellows started whistling and screaming to old loves never forgotten.The conception of "The untangled man", consistent and forever hunting, brought the obsessive footprints for Simon's painful dance, slowly growing into an impressive highlight.A trilogy of "The rag and bone man" was meant to complete the basic part of the setlist.Coat over his head-suspicious eyes-sly drumming steps-the storyteller unhappily is the protagonist in "The legend of Mucklow" and the tension seems to sink his strength till "The man with the drum" offers a sweet relief."Rive Droite" walks up a hill of visions and impressions, the faces look exhausted and Paul's drumming seals the edge of the night.They disappear for a while and came back on stage with the heat of "Scarlet arch" counting an ancient time of a personal fever.When the first moments of "Virus meadow" slipped between the heads around the room ,it was certain that something huge and important was floating around:some people just called it precious past.And it was not enough for anyone as the five silhouettes stepped out of the stage:the last card on the table of a starless night was the everlasting flaming circle of "The slow pulse boy" always chasing the redemption...from horizon to horizon.Staring at the empty stage while faithful figures grab the setlist pages, you take a piece in your heart shaking with echoes and visions ,memories and impressions lasting with persistence against the pale,predictable daily reality.While you keep returning back to it, a sanctuary for a world gently valuable, you can't stop thinking about music business being so unfair to them...

by George Georgiou (song292@yahoo.gr)

check THE band @ www.andalsothetrees.co.uk
www.myspace.com/andalsothetrees

exclusive INTERVIEW And Also The Trees (2009):

2009-03-10T13:20:00.002+02:00

Simon Huw Jones (shj)

Justin Jones (jj)

1.What were the main elements that gave TRABM album its direction and atmosphere?

shj- Working with a different bass player (Ian Jenkins) and the fact that he was playing a different instrument (the double bass), gave the music a very
different feel right from the start, especially the parts that were bowed. The
richness of that deep, wooden sound was new and exciting for us and it seemed to integrate with our style very well, without taking it off in a jazz or
pseudo classical direction

Justin's guitar sound and style of play seemed very pure to me as well, pure in the sense that it was very much his style and sound rather than drawing influence from anywhere else. Most of my lyrical inspiration comes directly from the music, so these sounds are the equivalent of musical seeds.

In the end, I also think that the sound of the album was coloured by the locations we worked and recorded the music in a shed surrounded by mud, cockerels and stinging nettles, a disturbingly beautiful 11th century manor house and a victorian chapel in the east end of London, which makes it sound as though we set out to find interesting places to work but in actual fact it was chance that dealt us, this interesting hand. They were more or less the most convenient, affordable and.. Ok...interesting places
we found to work in

2. AATT have been making music for almost 30 years now. Do you find it an increasing disappointing when the amount of CDs you sell the type of concerts you play aren't that different, or does this give you a feeling of having complete artistic freedom?

jj- I am not disappointed. Being a musician on our own terms is a privilege. We even deliberately play smaller concerts than we should sometimes, just to keep it interesting and intimate. For example, we played on a boat in Paris. It was small, very small and lots of people couldn’t get in. It was a different experience and that’s good in itself. By the time we walked onto the stage the boat was leaning heavily to one side so the trip across the stage was up hill. I think people remember these things

3. If you could turn back time and change one choice in your career, which one would it be?

jj– From a personal musician’s angle, I would have liked to have continued to have piano lessons and to have become a better musician. It would have helped in becoming a soundtrack composer for film, which is what I always wanted to be.

shj- I don't recall having that many choices. Things just happened, or didn't. Maybe when all those major record companies were begging us to sign with them, we should have given one of them a chance? but maybe not.

4. How strong is the influence of the place you were born and grew up in the music and the lyrics of AATT?

shj- It's strong. Our family lived in a big old farmhouse in the middle of the
countryside, the kind of place that young, creative people leave as soon as
they can. But, for one reason or another, we stayed, and discovered that if we were open to it there was quite a lot out there to draw inspiration from. I could hear echoes of that land scape in Justin's guitar on TRABM, and I'm sure it still influences my lyrics. I dream of Worcestershire all the time, it's in our blood

5. After your special dark urban americanatrilogy trip, you have entered the 21st century with two albums racing a different direction. According to the way you work on songs and the facts that drive you, is there a prediction for your next step?

jj-This latent desire to write scores for films is always there, and I suspect that the next writing project will have a strong element of this. Perhaps exploring the boundaries of film music within the context of AATT. I like the
idea of pushing this out further and saying “to hell with musical structure and
form. Let’s go for a walk in these ideas, a very long walk”

6. If for one very serious reason you were obliged to leave, having only one of your albums in your suitcase, which one would it be and what for?

jj– If you mean an album from my collection at home, I would probably say Rain Dogs by Tom Waits. A good balance of emotions and mental imagery, and I have a sentimental attachment to it.

shj- If you mean which AATT album, I'd say '(Listen for) the rag and bone man'. I'm very pleased with it and I like the range of emotions it provokes within me. If you meant 'any' album, it would either be Bowie's 'Hunky
dory' because I loved this since I was fifteen and still do, so probably always
will or Vaughn Williams' 'Sea symphony' because it's a journey I can make again and again.

AATT "The Beautiful Silence" Live at Paris 2008