EP Grab Bag vol. 103

Clearing the inbox once again, this time with a very appealing selection of European EPs (save for one from a re-occurring Californian). Tends towards the lo-fi side of music yet it reaches many permutations within that vast field.

To be had here:

Baston - Gesture (2015)

A fresh release from the amazing Parisian label, Howlin Banana Records. Baston is a French band, though they do sing in English as per the usual in the world of rock and roll. Whatever they'd choose to sing in I am confident I'd enjoy it equally, because they're playing is awesome. There is really outstanding garage pop on this EP that's sure to impress most any fan of lo-fi rock. Shimmery and slightly psychedelic, I highly recommend giving it a listen, most especially the Beach Boys-esque song, "Honda."

How Scandinavian - The Kinch Service EP (2015)

The first release from How Scandinavian since the "Drowning In Myself" single. Five new mid-fi songs of wandering slowcore art-rock yet they've gone at added an unusual amount of uptempo indie rock for this outfit into some of the songs. This is most apparent in the tracks "Monday" and "The Flensed." The Kinch Service might be a turn for the louder and quicker but it is still grounded in solid songwriting. A fine listen for anyone wanted some angsty tunes in there life, which I find to be a understandable impulse.

Dustbombers - Public Beta (2015)

From the city of Arnhem in the Netherlands comes a darkly noisy rock EP. Sorta a mix between new wave and Sabbath-esque metal, these four songs are bear full-sounding guitar and vocals that at times reach into the elaborately strange. Very good for getting that heavy post-metal fix and really does show off some amazing guitar work. I should like to see what happens if this is expanded in scope, to make longer and more epic songs.

bm79 - Who Loves Control / Scream (2015)

The fella behind bm97 is from the Moofs, a Greek psychedelic band that I continue to get projects related to on a routine basis (keep them coming). A couple of songs this time from a lo-fi psych-garage outfit. When you begin listen you might notice how familiar the songs seems, and that is purposefully done as the track "Who Loves Control" is a take-off on VU's "Who Loves the Sun." The other is a noisy, psych exploration. A neat introduction, be sure to look at the other tracks on bandcamp as well.

Guruzsmás - Az Élő Csizmaszár \ The Living Bootleg (2015)

The return of the Hungarian experimental progressive folk band, Guruzsmás. Now I know that seems like a bunch of shit to wrap your mind around, but you'll really have to trust me that it isn't something to shake off. Dive in and be surprised by how utterly compelling these three tracks are. The title isn't just clever, the songs were recorded live, something the recording will show and well as the audience being audible in the final song. There's a punch to theses instrumental numbers you might not expect.

EP Grab Bag vol. 99

Here for this 99th Grab Bag I have band from just two countries, Greece and Canada. A combination that came to be just from me noticing I had a supply of EPs from each of these nations at the ready in the pile of submissions. With one exception, they're all from two cities, Athens and Toronto. Odd how that all works out like that. Anyhow, enjoy this Graeco-Canadian display.

To be had here:
Lazy Aftershow - The Legacy Of Automobiles (2015)

The awaited return of one of my favorite Greek bands. Lazy Aftershow are from Thessaloniki and have been on the blog a couple of times already. Here we have their latest EP, with a title the strikes close to home living here in the Motor City. The music is kraut-inspired post-rock yet there is a jazzy sound to be heard in these tunes as well. It is the most excellent use of horns. Reminds me of a sci-fi noir show, maybe something like Cowboy Bebop. I've been playing first thing in the morning for a few days and I like more each time.

Meeko Cheech - Miss Bolivia (2015)

Toronto's Meeko Cheech makes noisy dark pop songs. They don't conform too much to a style, but there is a noticable influence of gothic rock and post-punk in Miss Bolivia. The vocals are nicely understated, overwhelmed by the multiple layers of sound happening around them. The structure of the songs simultaneously erratic and perfectly transitional. It all flows together magnificently, but not in the way one might expect the rhythm to go. If you are won over by Miss Bolivia I don't know how to help you.

Violent Cartoons - Violent Cartoons EP (2015)

Jumping back to Greece, this time to the capital city of Athens, we've an EP of experimental psychedelia. While a being a psych-rock album undoubtedly, it undeniably a progressive rock EP at heart. The songs also feel like they could belong to a Zach Hill sort of noise outfit as the drums seem to be the first thing you notice, then the quick, often angular, guitar playing. Also, when picking anthropomorphic cartoons for the albums art, it seems the guitarist got the short stick with a bunny rabbit compared to a bear and alligator....

The Flying Museum Band - Smoke & Variety (2015)

Time for a Canadian band again, and one that stands out considerably among what's been posted as of late. The Flying Museum Band is an Americana, or Canadania they they've charmingly tagged it, band. Country style twang and soulful singing but this didn't stop them from throwing in rock guitar riffs, abundant horns squealing as if in a jazz concert and lacks nothing in pop hooks. You'll see, it all falls together most admirably, perhaps most beautifully in "Wishin' on a Wild Heart," at least to my ear.

HOLY LIMBO - First Circle EP (2015)

And finally, back to Greece with a band that carries on he fusions of genres that seems to be a under-riding theme of this Grab Bag. Holy Limbo claims to make indie rock with downtempo soundscapes behind. As they're too jaunty to be post-rock, I can see why they'd go the circuitous route of describing it as they have. Whatever you wanna call it, this EP is beautiful and has no small dose of epic-ness from the soundscape backgrounds. Far from a lesson in contrast, it is an example of how to seamlessly blend styles.

The Cave Children - Quasiland (2015)

Always a pleasure to get music from Greece. That country really has a lot going on and we hear too little of it, though that can be said of many countries in Eastern Europe. All the more reason to get my shit together and make some more Scence of a City posts. In the meantime we've got the Cave Children.

Received this album a little while ago and have actually listened to it several times yet somehow it kept getting neglected when I sat down to write posts. So while I've been holding it back unnecessarily, the additional listens makes me feel more confident in how I regard Quasiland. The Cave Children are hard to place genre-wise, although psychedelic and progressive rock have undoubtedly had a clear impact on them. The songs are all over the place from flashy rock filled with quick guitar to spacey effects combined with dreamy singing. They cite "Danny Elfman, The Beatles of 1969, Frank Zappa’s sarcasm" as influences. Weird, right? The description seems chaotic yet when heard you'll find the direct contrary is true. These tracks are remarkably cohesive and well-produced. It is really the sort of album to turn on and try to go about doing your thing only to find yourself pausing at all the curiously interesting sounds.

Quasiland was released by the Greek indie label, Inner Ear. They've got a spiffy website where you can order vinyl copies of the albums they've issued, or you can just use bandcamp I suppose.

To be had here:
The Cave Children - Quasiland

Kooba Tercu - Kooba Tercu (2015)

Our friends in Greece are back and have sent in another rock album for us all to enjoy. Spinalonga Records has submitted their new release from the band Kooba Tercu. Consisting of Johnny Tercu and his 'crew' musicians from Athens. They've neglected to tag the album on the bandcamp page, and more power to them as what they've produced doesn't fit neatly into any of these genres. That's to be expected, even hoped for. Nevertheless influences are apparent and include psychedelic, post-hardcore and even some metal. This might give the wrong impression if I don't stress how their sound isn't simple to boil down. I guess I have to try anyway, that's what I fucking do here.

They maintain a heavy edge through most of the album but other than that it's hard to pin anything down. The first track "Ukunta" is fucking amazing with the chanting and drums and bass. Hooked me straight away and prepared me for the weird album that follows. The songs are complex in composition, with them distinctly shifting through several styles in a three minute track. Has a healthy degree of post-hardcore abrasive singing, post-rock-like crescendo building, dreamy psychedelic repetition. It's a fine debut and an excellent use of time for those underemployed Greeks. Maybe an increase in artistic output could be the silver lining to all that financial hardship Greece is suffering? If so I look forward to hearing more of it.

To be had here:
Kooba Tercu - Kooba Tercu

Wil Bolton - Whorl (2014)

Greece may have its problems, but music aint one of them. Sound in Silence is one of the best indie labels the nation has, and their constant search for atmospheric classical and post-rock acts throughout Europe is commendable. The steady stream of releases can be daunting to new listeners looking to jump into the label's extensive back catalog, making Britain's Wil Bolton a perfect jumping on point.

I don't have a classical background, so I feel I like the language required to describe this music effectively. It is minimal and brooding, with enough layers to allow multiple peelings. Nothing about this is over-the-top; it sits back, takes its time, and lets the listener paint its purpose and meaning.

It is available on 200 limited edition CDs. I am sure it costs a bit to get it out of Greece, but a lovely addition to your collection it would make.

Get it here:
Wil Bolton - Whorl (2014)

The Axeman's Jazz - The Axeman's Jazz (2004)

I must be in the mood for instrumental rock, for here is a second album sans vocals for your listening pleasure this week. You might've noticed the year this was released isn't as recent as the usual post, but this is not unheard of. In fact this album was sent in by the same fine Greek who sent me the belated digital release of his erstwhile band, the Moofs. After the disbanding of the Moofs there was a project with three quarters of the membership that they called the Axeman's Jazz. Very cool name, however absolutely no saxophone to be heard. Rather this eponymous release, originally a cassette that seemingly only recently resurfaced, is lo-fi psychedelic rock. The music of the Axeman's Jazz shares their psychedelic tone with the Moofs, but this project has a rather starkly different feeling. Partially from the lack of vocals and most definitely from a heavy style of playing, at times become similar to stoner rock, the album possesses a more artistic tone of seasoned musicians less concerned about making pop tunes. 

The lo-fi production can be heard, possibly as a result of extracting the tracks back from a cassette if that's indeed how he went about it, so there's some charming crackling but nothing very distracting. Merely as a conjecture, perhaps the twanging and buzzing that make this album warm and trippy were enhanced by these lo-fi work arounds. Then again, I know nothing of technical workings of most any variety. What's for sure is that the songs are wonderful to lose some time and maybe even the sensation of space while listening to. So here's where to get your weekly allowance of robo-tripping in, per Amazing Larry's sage advice.

To be had here:
The Axeman's Jazz - The Axeman's Jazz

EP Grab Bag vol. 72

What we have here is an all European Grab Bag. As these are what was in the submitted material and what I have been fixated on personally for months now. I cannot get enough of European garage rock and basically anything lo-fi, psych or likewise. So tour Europe with me from French-German joint endeavors to Finland and back to darling Spain, not in that order for whatever reason.

To be had here:

Carton Sonore & Broken Jokes - Sleeping Water (2014)

Similar to the Italian-Turkish collaboration on Yellow, this release is a result of the combined multinational efforts of one man each from Paris and another in Berlin. Also, I'd say there's a folksy, acoustic nature with a purposefully Eastern style to both releases that further the association, but here the tracks are instrumental other than some vocal sounds that are sampled and altered in an artful fashion. Reminds one of a Hawk and a Hacksaw, especially the more striped down first album. Only six short songs left me eager to hear more, so hopefully they'll put our more through With A Messy Head (the label putting this out and the previously posted Monster Surprise).

Chickn - Single #2 (2014)

Sure, this is technically a single yet the songs are long so I believe that it qualifies for the Grab Bag easily. Plus after hearing the songs I could not pass up a chance to talk them up. Chickn is an duo from Athens, Greece who are still recent to pulling material out as you can tell. However, you'd ever be able to tell by the bluesy, kraut/psych/garage rock they've got in these 13 minutes of music. High quality, but lo-fi, as it should be.

Tropicalianegra - Tropicalianegra (2013)

Tropicalianegra is a band that appears to be made up of members of various other groups in separate towns in Spain. The at least got working together long enough to make these four very lo-fi garage rock tracks and get them put out on the Sevilla-based Saturno Records. The songs are fast and punk in tone, and of course I don't know what the fuck they're singing about, but I prefer it that way. Thought it was a short but awesome EP and we can only hope they want to make a longer release that'll be as sweet some time in the future.

Dot Dash - Dot Dash 7" (2014)

Viennese band that makes post-punk flavored pop tunes. I was trying to come up with something they're akin to and tonight the best I could come up with is Stereo Total, the Franco-German band that made weird electronic pop tunes like a decade ago. Dot Dash does sound more subtle than that band yet just as catchy. The seven inch is put out by the Austrian fettkakao, who seems to be a man and a label at same time. Either that or someone isn't good at translating.

The Achtungs - The Achtungs EP (2013)

Finnish punk rockers the Achtungs are incredibly lo-fi. The sound is like a 90s garage punk album from the Midwest or Southern United States, but is totally what these northern Europeans are up to right now, at least this band, and for that I am exceedingly happy. Looks like it was originally put released last year but was re-issued but attempts to find a non-digital version where a nonstarter for me. Maybe some Finnish reader out there knows better. Anyhow, they also put out a 7" recently that keeps up the same momentum called Total Punk.

EP Grab Bag vol. 69

Ahhh, sixty-ninth Grab Bag, very nice...

To be had here:

Club de Surf - Sonic Death EP (2014)

A very fast, very loud and very punk EP to begin the Grab Bag with this week. Club de Surf is a garage punk outfit from Santiago, Chile. It is beautifully noisy and intense, with lyrics that are beyond even guessing at. I mean, just look at these cats in their shades, you know it's fucking rock and roll and you know you're down. The sort of thunderous percussion and fuzzed out guitar that makes me feel like I'm not doomed to wandering around confused at khakis shorts and graphic tees with Disney shit on it.


The Lost Day - The Lost Day EP (2014)

Now to Greece for more high volume guitar playing, this time instrumental psychedelic rock from two other fellas. Has a ever so tiny touch of pop sentimentality in between the heavy freak out sections to make an invigorating blend of fast and loose fucking around with thought out composition. Even gets a bit droney at times, which is always a welcome development. The final track is something to look forward to too with the Dick Dale style reverb layered on early then some crazy Asian spoken word on it.



Saint Julien -  Space​-​Age Politics Single (2014)

Three tracks from Nashville act Saint Julien of a bizarre variety. Hard to place, certainly experimental but that term doesn't mean much, I'd call it lo-fi electro-whatnot. It is very brief, feels like it is over just as it begins and leaves you stranded in a strange feeling, yet one that makes you want to click the button to replay it over and over. A full-length of this would be pretty fucking epic, I'd bet. We can only hope that is something the future has in store for us all.


Prude Boys - Demos from Lost Boys Days (2013)

There are four tracks from a Hamtramck band, and for those you not of the Detroit area Hamtramck is a city fully enclosed within Detroit know for its low rent, Polish food, small bars and rock shows. Anyhow, these are some cool garage rock songs that have nice fuzzy guitars and fine singing, though I would scale the vocals back but I always say that it seems. Exceptional fine for demos and very promising for the new material they're putting out. Seems they've got a six-part project of two track demo releases coming out, so keep an eye on these guys.

Grushemka - Enredo interesante (2014)

Back overseas with the Spanish band, Grushemka of Barcelona. The lyrics are in Spanish (or maybe Catalan, but I can't understand it regardless) but the music is some very tight dream pop. The first track is a very dancey sort of beat-driven pop song and the second is a lo-fi acoustic guitar number that is very sweetly done. Hope they're singing something sweet and not something gross to trick me, but if they did do that: good fucking work. Anyhow, just found them at random and thought it was worth sharing.

EP Grab Bag vol. 65

This a damned epic EP Grab Bag. Not that I don't like what I've put of others, I wouldn't bother to write it up if I disliked it, but these songs all hit my ears at the right time, with me throughly yearning for some garage punk and psychedelic that makes up so much of my musical diet. So like a boozehound with a bottle of jack, I gulped all these EPs right up and this is what I can recall from the fantastic experience.

To be had here:

Divided Minds - Strangers EP (2014)

Another lo-fi punk rock release from Zagreb's Doomtown Records. You may recall the Modern Delusions album I wrote up a few weeks ago, and if you liked that this is most certainly a must listen for you. Four short, fast and relatively roughly hewn tracks that excellently convey anexity without getting whiney. Sounds very much like old school punk of the 70s, guitar heavy and very quick and clamorous drums. There'll be more to come from Doomtown's awesome catalog soon enough as well.

Qúetzal Snåkes - Lovely Sort of Death EP (2014)

Here is a most fucking amazing EP from French garage rockers with a very metal looking name. However, the music isn't metal at all, rather it is psychedelic garage rock that mixes dreamy, hypnotic rhythms in with fuzzy guitar playing. After having taken a spill off my bicycle last night and being rather battered and sore, this music is exactly what I wanna hear in lieu of any actual drugs to take my mind stinging in my hands. It seems rather likely that you can enjoy it without getting hurt as well. A damned fine EP for sure. Stream on BC but you can buy it on vinyl from Howlin' Banana for ten Euros.

Lazy Aftershow - The Gutter Tapes (2014)

Here is a fresh release from a recently written-up Greek psychedelic band from Thessaloniki. Or perhaps you heard a track of theirs on a recent episode of the podcast. Naturally, should you have enjoyed those this will surely tickle your fancy. Moreover, this is a sweet peaking of my use of music as drugs, with the very krautrock yet folksy psychedelic guitar noodling and steadily beating percussion. A damned fine follow up to the album they put out last year that excellent met my desire to hear more from these fellas. "Sunshine Over Grass Fields" is a winner for sure.

Local Onlys - Mt. Wister EP (2014)

Local Onlys are from a city I've had my eye on for some time as a city perhaps a bit less shitty than mine but not too nice so as to weird me out, Philadelphia. They're trio of garage punks who've put together a remarkably catchy EP of short rock numbers. And yes, they've got the angst, but seem to be dealing with it in an keenly humorous lyrical content and some of the fucking most cheerful guitar I've heard it some time from a punk outfit. Amazingly fine, especially for only a second EP from some college students.

baby dog - hinterlude (2014)

Gotta come down from that rocking high at some point, but why not ease yourself down with some emo rock from a band with the somewhat upsetting name of baby dog? I did it and I liked it as a throw back to what I recall the late 90s as, but like most things from the late 90s, this is a bit better than I remember shit being back then. I guess I got to hear this with my ass in a seat with a beer though instead of standing in a hot room with stupid kids like me. Plus this has got Garrett Linck whose music I've happy reviewed before, so trust him if not me.

Lazy Aftershow - Lazy Aftershow 12" (2013)

I work at bookstore in Detroit, as some of you may know already, but it really isn't all the important for the specifics of my job. Just know that I work retail so I see the public. Most of the time I keep my work stuff and this music blog well separated but I found the coincidence interesting enough to share. I was ringing out a series of customers and eventually got to young man and we chatted for a minute about why our store is closed on Sundays, which is because anyone who has ever been in downtown Detroit on a Sunday knows, it is fucking devoid of people. Anyhow, he expressed longing for his home city of Thessaloniki, Greece that crossed half the world from in his life. Feeling sorry and touched by his homesickness I told him I had a band from Thessaloniki awaiting a write-up this music blog and gave him the URL. So Greek dude, this is the Lazy Aftershow, straight from your hometown and a remarkable export of Greek music.

As I have implied, I very much enjoyed this album. It is an instrumental group that plays something between psychedelic and krautrock. The tracks are lengthier ones that allows for the evolution of sounds that is so integral to both these genres, and does provide the album with a post-rock sort of building quality. Tracks like "So We Joke About Death" and "No Mountain No Hope" have some heavier parts that make me recall that fantastic Austrian musician, Kanoi. Yet other songs like "Slap Happy Sun" are more upbeat and trippy with the use of organ. A competently done album that hits all the spots I want, and not in a routine manner. They also put of an EP last year that is still available for free called Siesta Moments. Totally check it out if you you've liked all the other Greek tunes I've been writing up, or should just wanna zone out to some psychedelia.

To be had here:
Lazy Aftershow -  Lazy Aftershow 12"

EP Grab Bag vol. 62

Tunes, dudes, new tunes. Here's a batch of shit right out of the inbox that seems just happily be a bunch of lo-fi for the most part.

To be had here:
Naysa - Troubled Heart EP (2014)

This a lovely EP from a Winnipeg band that reminds me of Bishop Allen, the Unicorns and Beulah in how they've composed a great set of song with joyful music and gloomy lyrical content. Just four tracks but the last track kinda sucked yet the rest was enough to show me that they are skilled at this charming sub-genre of sad sack indie pop. They thought to compare themselves to the Pixies, Tripping Daisy, and Superchunk but all the shit means next to nothing to me, but I get why it does to people, but as Public Enemy put it "Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant shit to me."

The Amphibious Man -  Fraternal Curses (2014)

From the Connecticut I have so recently fled comes this garage rock of a grimy sound with a retro aesthetic that is probably best compared to the Cramps. The tracks have audio sampling of hypnotism and other bizarre older spoken word dropped into their gloomy guitar and deeply croaking singing. Even sounds like they have that distinctively spooky theremin sounds, although I am not sure if it is synthetically produced or sampled. The songs are of a longer, brooding sort of horror punk but some promising garage rock overall.

Mr. Kito - Where Are the Lizards? (2014)

I found this to be a very strange EP. It is electronic music with lyrics in English and sung by a Frenchmen with a pretty heavy accent that now lives in South Africa. Not my usual sort of go to music but I think that perhaps that best thing about this blog other than getting to write puns for time to time is getting exposed things that I normally may not come into contact with. This is a prime example, and it is a pretty neat electronic EP from a man that clearly knows his sound very well.

The Social End Products - Ego Trip (2011)

Here we've got a Greek lo-fi psychedelic band, which is becoming a more common thing for me to type these days and I'd consider that progress. The tracks are on the garage rock side of the psychedelic spectrum, which as you can easily imagine is to my liking. They're raunchy, fuzzy and full of steadily pounding percussion. There's no way I won't be listening to this over and over again on my commutes to work, and perhaps whenever I can hid in the back of the piles of books and pop on some headphones. They also have a more recently full-length that could merit its own write up.

Suzy Blu - BLU (2014)

This is another submission from the rather well curated label Russian Winter Records with an international selection of artists, the same label that Mr. Kito is being release on and the Feel Bad Hit of the Winter. This is an EP from Leeds, United Kingdom and is a electronic pop/post-punk/psych pop admixture that is seems incredibly more adaptable to a dance floor than most of the music we post. Despite this club-friendly sound it is pretty damn rocking in a way I wish the shit I had hear in darkened, overpriced shitholes cost.

EP Grab Bag vol. 60

I am incredible sore from hauling what could not have been less than four thousand records (no hyperbole) from a hoarder's basement today. Thank god I moved back to Detroit in time for that mess, right? Anyhow, I found solace in some Coor's banquet and these EPs. Use them wisely, by like... listening to them, I guess.

To be had here:

The Feel Bad Hit of the Winter - The Feel Bad Hit of the Winter (2014)

Punk, garage and noisy indie rock from Kansas City. Their name is a mouthful but the tunes are far from being overly complex, which I say as a good thing considering the genres. No surprise that I am a fan of the simple, fast rock and roll, given my track record with lo-fi music. This band is on to something and they know how to play, and they do a great job showing off the guitar work, especially on the instrumental track "Chato." I'd say they're play even dips close to post-rock at moments just to hop back into garage-like fuzziness.

bm79 - Can't Stop It / Noisy Funkadelica (2014)

A couple of tracks from Patras, Greece played by the former bassist of the previously featured band, the Moofs. Each of the songs are instrumental, psychedelic rock jams that short and pleasurable. Show good potential show he care to pour the time into a full-length endeavor. He's also in a band with some other fellas that is in its infancy and without a real band name yet, but can be heard on soundcloud.

The H - Sewer Club EP (2014)

This is a collaboration of two Montreal electronic musicians the release music on their other projects Hobo Cubes and Noir. Sewer Club EP is being put out by Debacle Records as part of their Motor collective. Again, just two tracks but these add up to 16 minutes of otherworldly electronic sounds. I don't normally quote the press releases I get but whoever they've got writing their shit up dropped this tight ass description: "effortless blend of ambient sensibilities within techno-informed zones." Seems I gotta step up my game.

a Man and His Broken Piano - Demos and Demons Part II - Acid (2014)

Psychedelic garage folk coming out of Italy. I fucking hope the statement makes you as excited as it does me. The songs are brilliantly mesmerizing in their lightly done psychedelia and lo-fi folksiness. The songs are like if a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western was done with music a bunch of peyote in the mix. This is actually the second release of a two-part series of EPs from this outfit, with the first also highly recommended.

Evil Sons - I've Got A Knife​/​No Bad Luck (2013)

Again it is time for me to admit to my laxness as a blogger and share something wildly overdue for a glowing review. Can't believe I allowed these two songs to fall through my fingers back when I was sent them in January last year. It is a two-piece from Dublin and they made two absolutely rocking tracks that one could love about fast, sleazy garage rock, white dudes in collared shirts having a knife fight and dying young so as to leave a beautiful corpse. How about that writing, Debacle-promoter-I-respect. No new releases since then sadly, but I am gonna personally try to set a fire under these guys' asses.

Circassian - Hantse Guashe (2014)

What's this, more Greek music? Yeah, I wasn't lying when I said we've got a lot of in coming in lately, so here's another notable submission I ran across trying to thin the herd. When I read the name of this band and saw that they had tagged it "anatolian rock" I got excited thinking about stories by Mikhail Lermontov and my favorite Turkish band, Les Mogol. While I don't think conjuring those up will mean shit to most of you it gave me a chance to plug two things I greatly enjoyed. In a more genuine effort to summarize this band I will begin with saying they an Athens-based neo-psychedelic rock group, and in that much akin to the Moofs I recently posted about. However, the music has what the band itself refers to as "pseduocultured influences" worked in. So while bearing many of the attributes one could expect from the psychedelic sound, they did an excellent job at incorporating some elements of Asian and African music resulting a more unique tone to the album that gets rather close to krautrock at times. These guys have seemingly embraced their geographic heritage as a crossroad for cultures on the edge of Europe and the results are subtle and not overblown showiness, but a contained and self-aware reflection of that position. What I mean by that is that if I nor the band explained those influence you might have listened to it and just found it to be a fine release. If these Greeks keep impressing me so consistently I might just have to go there someday and check the place out.

To be had here:
Circassian - Hantse Guashe

The Moofs - Other Side Story (2002)

The Moofs were a band from Patras, Greece who have recently remastered their album and are sharing again. They played rather chilled out and psychedelic alt/indie rock. It is funny that they've got a track called "Xanax" as the album sounds like an much faster set of rock anthems drugged into a slower tempo, and it is pretty awesome. The vocals are dragged out just enough for this feeling to sink in and the bass thumps along at a sedated pace in the beginning of tracks. The tone is evocative of a warm summer evening by the sea just diddling around with some rock and roll, which is what I hope Patras is like ever so much. I am glad they chose to remaster and share this album, because even if they're not active any longer I enjoy sharing good albums like this on the site. Hopefully there are more albums laying around people will tell us about from their music-making experiences. Finally, there seems to be a trend of Greek and other Eastern European submissions and I just wanna say I think it is righteous to be getting the attention of so many artists from the other side of the globe and welcome those international submissions wholeheartedly.

To be had here:
The Moofs - Other Side Story

Lunarmare - Lunarmare (2013)

Here's is Greece's space program, at least it sounds that way. Lunarmare's self-titled release is an extraterrestrial concept album, and if David Bowie taught regarding concept albums, little tops outer space. If have read passed my puns, I'm happy to share with you that although I was eager to make those puns they are not why I posted this album. It is a genuinely intense and well conceived effort by these gentlemen to melt together the awesome industry, mystery and drama of the space race into a collection of songs that can run from heavily distorted, guitar drone laced rock to atmospheric ambient (or perhaps un-atmospheric is a better choice). They can take you on a voyage for sure, as several tracks are in the seven minute range, which I always find useful when trying to lose myself in songs of this sort. It is most certainly a jam band but one that does remind me of Silver Bullets, Wooden Shjips and any number of Godspeed You! Black Emperor related bands (Fly Pan Am,  Silver Mt. Zion, Set Fire to Flames) at their better executed moments.

To be had here:
Lunarmare - Lunarmare (2013)

Film Noir - Dreams Never End LP (1983)

Amazing new wave group from Greece, Film Noir's 1983 Never Ending Dream LP is a Post-Punk essential. There isn't much information about them on the internet, so if anyone can get a hold of another release by them, or some album art, let me know.

Six Tracks, 22 minutes long.

Film Noir - Never Ending Dream LP (1983)29.6MB