Record Reviews

APHRODITE`S CHILD ~ END OF THE WORLD ESOTERIC 2205 (Barcode: 5013929730540) ~ GREECE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2010 1st album by the brilliant Greek Prog band Aphrodite`s ChildFind albums by this artist, which was the first and to this day most famous band from that country to break the cultural boundaries and reach international audiences. Originally a quartet, the three group´s members: keyboardist and primary composer Evanghlos O. PapathanassiouFind albums by this artist (later to become the renowned VangelisFind albums by this artist), bassist and lead vocalist Demis RoussosFind albums by this artist and drummer Loukas SiderasFind albums by this artist, left their native country following the military coup d´état, which left Greece paralyzed artistically and culturally. The group wanted to reach the UK, but for various reasons got stuck in France first, where this, their brilliant debut, was recorded. A classic of the Psychedelic era and an early Prog attempt, this album remains to this day as a formidable achievement. Vangelis´ superb feel for melody and lyricism and Roussos´ extraordinary vocal abilities create a wonderful atmosphere, unparalleled by most other groups at the time. The group enjoyed a European mega-hit with the song "Rain And Tears", included here, but overall their music was not hit oriented and overtly much more ambitious that most of the hit songs of the era. It´s also interesting to emphasize the role of Greek folkloristic motifs present in their music, with the grand tradition of Rebetiko at the helm. Definitely worth discovering and a great trip down the memory lane sparkling with gems like this one!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

APHRODITE`S CHILD ~ IT`S FIVE O`CLOCK ESOTERIC 2206 (Barcode: 5013929730649) ~ GREECE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2010 2nd album by the brilliant Greek Prog band Aphrodite`s ChildFind albums by this artist, which was the first and to this day most famous band from that country to break the cultural boundaries and reach international audiences. Originally a quartet, the three group´s members: keyboardist and primary composer Evanghlos O. PapathanassiouFind albums by this artist (later to become the renowned VangelisFind albums by this artist), bassist and lead vocalist Demis RoussosFind albums by this artist and drummer Loukas SiderasFind albums by this artist, left their native country following the military coup d´état, which left Greece paralyzed artistically and culturally. The group wanted to reach the UK, but for various reasons got stuck in France first, where their brilliant debut album was recorded. They finally reached UK a year later to record this, their follow up. A classic of the Psychedelic era and an early Prog attempt, this album remains to this day as a formidable achievement. Vangelis´ superb feel for melody and lyricism and Roussos´ extraordinary vocal abilities create a wonderful atmosphere, unparalleled by most other groups at the time. The group enjoyed a European mega-hit with the album´s title song, but overall their music was not hit oriented and overtly much more ambitious that most of the hit songs of the era. It´s also interesting to emphasize the role of Greek folkloristic motifs present in their music, with the grand tradition of Rebetiko at the helm. Definitely worth discovering and a great trip down the memory lane sparkling with gems like this one!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

SOCRATES ~ PHOS ESOTERIC 2287 (Barcode: 5013929738720) ~ GREECE ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1976 Released: 2011 This is the 1st album by the great Greek Prog band SocratesFind albums by this artist, which alongside Aphrodite`s ChildFind albums by this artist was the most famous and successful band on the small Greek Prog Scene. The group, which started as a trio, recorded this album in London, where they were joined by keyboardist VangelisFind albums by this artist, who also produced the album. Although little known outside their country, they were truly great musicians and this album is still a minor masterpiece of the genre, losing nothing of its charm and depth over the years. A must to any serious collector of Prog albums, especially the more esoteric among those!

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend