Saturday, February 23, 2019

Live: Preoccupations @ Six D.O.G.S (Athens, February 16th, 2019)


It's been almost four years since the last time we saw Preoccupations live in Athens, except then they were still called Viet Cong. That name caused all sorts of trouble to the band and by the time they released their second album in 2016, they had changed it to their new, perfectly inoffensive, moniker.


The Canadian quartet's tightly wound post-punk sound however remains the same and their return to the intimate surroundings of the Six D.O.G.S club gave us the opportunity to enjoy a strong set under much better conditions than the first time, when a combination of technical issues and heat made it difficult to enjoy the gig.


This time everything went rather fine (although the vocals were a bit buried in the mix at times) and Preoccupations executed powerfully and efficiently a set that encompassed all three of their albums, with their latest work "New Material" together with several selections from their excellent Viet Cong album dominating proceedings. They closed the set, just as they did the first time we saw them, with a cathartic rendition of the epic "Death", a song that along with "Continental Shelf" and "Bunker Buster" will always be good enough reasons to go see this band play live.


The evening opened with a highly satisfying krautrock meets post-punk racket by new local act $oft $kull. The quartet will soon release their debut album "Death $$" and based on what we've witnessed on stage we are very interested to check it out.

$oft $kull, live @ Six D.O.G.S (Athens, February 16th, 2019)

Have a listen below to "Antidote" and "Disarray", two new songs by Preoccupations off their "New Material" album, as they were performed on the stage of Six D.O.G.S last Saturday:


 Preoccupations - Antidote (live @ Six D.O.G.S, February 16th, 2019)

 Preoccupations - Disarray (live @ Six D.O.G.S, February 16th, 2019)

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Live: Algiers @ Temple (Athens, February 9th, 2019)


Exactly one year after their first performance in Athens, Algiers were back to Temple club for another incendiary dose of their rebellious gospel-punk.


Next to the familiar songs from their two previous albums, the band has added a few new songs to their set and their riotous sound suggests that we can expect another killer of an album in the near future.

The majority of the gig's set list was based on the band's latest LP, 2017' excellent "The Underside Of Power" and as was also the case in their previous gig here, the highlights included "Walk Like a Panther", "Cry of the Martyrs", "Cleveland" and the album's soulful title-track.


Hopefully next year Algiers will be here again to complete their hat trick and by that time they'll have unleashed their new album to the world. The signs are it's going to be awesome! 


Here's a taste of one of the new songs they played at their second Athens gig, plus "Cry of the Martyrs":


New song by Algiers, live @ Temple, Athens, Feb. 9th, 2019


Algiers - Cry of the Martyrs, live @ Temple, Athens, Feb. 9th, 2019

Algiers, live @ Temple (Athens, February 9th, 2019)

Sunday, February 10, 2019

February 2019 Highlights: Bob Mould, Cherry Glazerr, Ex:Re

Going through the releases of the first half of February we have singled out three albums that we want to add to our record collection as soon as possible. Check them out:

Bob Mould - Sunshine Rock




It's been forty years since Bob Mould started out with Hüsker Dü and here he is again with his 13th solo record, the rocking "Sunshine Rock". As the title suggests, this album is about turning towards the brighter side of life and focusing on the positive despite the troubles we are all facing.


Bob Mould - Lost Faith

Cherry Glazerr - Stuffed & Ready




Cherry Glazerr, the band formed by Clementine Creevy in Los Angeles about 6 years ago, returns after 2017's excellent "Apocalipstick" with another cherry bomb of a record, their third effort, titled "Stuffed & Ready". Think "Cherub Rock"-era Smashing Pumpkins jamming with Lush and let the sound of '90s alternative rock take over 2019!

Cherry Glazerr - Wasted Nun

Ex:Re - Ex:Re




Ex:Re is the solo project of Daughter's Elena Tonra and her debut solo release was inspired by the heartbreak of a bad breakup, the perfect record then to counter Valentine Day's schmaltz. Her beautifully melancholic voice is perfect for the subject matter while the soothing trip hop beats and melodies make for an ideal remedy for love's sorrows.


Ex:Re - The Dazzler