In what maybe small news for the "ordinary" people but pure pleasure for the record collector nerds, I was - thanks to some stock clearance in Hydrahead warehouses - finally able to get into my hands a vinyl copy of the self titled EP by Mare.
Originating from Canada (and not to be confused with the Norwegian Black Metal band having the same name), Mare despite being classified as sludge metal it was thanks to their "uncommon" and (obviously) jazz influenced signatures that I have loved the music in this EP (which is actually the official release of one of their self-released demos - they never published any official full length album). The funny thing with the record is that despite that the label mentions that it plays in 33 rpm it actually does in 45 rpm !
I am not sure if this was a mistake of the pressing plant or if it was done intentionally but listening the EP in 33 rpm gives to it a different perspective (and appeal I would say). This reenforces my assumption that it was rather done intentionally leaving some "option" for experimental listening this time at the disposal of the listener...
Mare is for sure not an easy-listening album. But just like in the case of Canvas (I should probably write something about them as well) I adore not easy-listening albums...
Even though in Central Europe we are still technically (or seasonally) in summer, we still haven't seen much of it. We are going through the second year of the pandemic and music is one of the few things left to provide refuge to times which were more carefree. Nights Between Stations is one of the albums which are strongly connected with my background and origin. Being the documentation of a special night that was prepared by Carla and Chris together with local musicians from Thessaloniki scene as a compensation for a Walkabouts gig that has gotten cancelled in the previous year due to a soundboard disaster, it is actually a performance by musicians coming from different places of the world who had only rehearsed for some days before managing to become friends above all. This special "chemistry" and connection built within short time is perfectly captured in the album making you -the listener- think that you are actually listening to a band that has toured and played together for years.
ESSES - Bloodletting for the Lonely
The new album by ESSES is one of the few interesting new things that I have been listening to in the last weeks. Fans of post punk with gothic (or death rock) influences should not miss this one ! Despite belonging to a retro genre it sounds fresh and contemporary.
*The Blog post title is taken from the same-named song contained in the EP Mare by Mare.....
#Mare # Chris and Carla #TheWalkabouts #ESSE