Music finds a new place: The Music Chronicles

Since music always takes some space over design here ( and it should not), I decided to give it a new home: from now on, everything that has something to do with music and me will be posted in The Music Chronicles. I have already transferred all the posts regarding my Poplie radio shows there (and the download links too) and will keep it informed with album reviews I will be writing for a free press monthly and presenting music that I like from time to time, concert reviews etc. So join me there if you like music and want to see what I like about it!

Partytime: Poplie is having a party tomorrow and invites you all!

Tomorrow night at Higgs bar in Athens, Poplie radio is having a party celebrating six months of broadcasting on the Internet - some of the station's DJs will be handling the music of course! Do not miss this if you are in Athens!

Poplie radio show, 17th of January 2010

Travelling again to Vienna meant spending some time with the local music scene artists - what more natural than featuring them on our Poplie radio show? Trouble Over Tokyo, Paper Bird, Chris and The Other Girls (also a graphic designer) and Across The Delta have two tracks each in the playlist. Download the show as usual from the right side of this blog.

Poplie radio show, 10th of January 2010

This Sunday's show was, in contrast to the previous dance-electronic one, more acoustic pop. You can download it from the right side of the blog. Enjoy!

Photo by Brock Davis.

Poplie radio show, 27th of December 2009

Last radio show at Poplie radio for 2009. Lucky enough I have finished already with the year's review and countdown, so I felt free to play anything! An eclectic mix then, ranging from eastern melodies to trip-hop and dubstep. I hope you enjoy the show and see you on the next one on the 3rd of January! Feel free to download the show from the right hand column of the blog!

Background illustration by JACK

Top 20 Countdown for albums of the decade - final list

As promised, here is the comprehensive top-20 list voted by 77 Greek bloggers.

No.20. Last Shadow Puppers – The Age Of The Understatement - 2008 (160 points – 12 bloggers) - my no.7

No.19. P.J. Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea - 2000 (175 points – 15 bloggers)

No.18. Daft Punk – Discovery - 2001 (181 points – 14 bloggers) - my no.8

No.17. Sufjan Stevens – Illinoise - 2005 (200 points – 16 bloggers)

No.16. Κόρε Ύδρο – Φτηνή Ποπ Για Την Ελίτ - 2006 (216 points – 13 bloggers)

No.15. White Stripes – Elephant - 2003 (210 points – 12 bloggers)

No.14. Primal Scream – XTRMNTR - 2000 (226 points – 18 bloggers)

No.13. Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - 2002 (229 points – 13 bloggers)

No.12. Portishead – Third - 2008 (256 points – 15 bloggers)

No.11. Radiohead – In Rainbows - 2007 (258 points – 15 bloggers) - my no.13

No.10. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven - 2000 (268 points – 17 bloggers)

No.09. Burial – Untrue - 2007 (324 points – 20 bloggers) - my no.2

No.08. LCD Soundsystem – Sound Of Silver - 2007 (341 points – 21 bloggers)

No.07. Antony & The Johnsons – I Am A Bird Now - 2005 (358 points – 15 bloggers)

No.06. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand - 2004 (365 points – 27 bloggers)

No.05. Sigur Ros – Agaetis Bujurn - 2000 (UK) (366 points – 19 bloggers)

No.04. Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights - 2002 (479 points – 18 bloggers)

No.03. Radiohead – Kid A - 2000 (524 points – 25 bloggers)

No.02. Strokes – Is This It - 2001 (669 points – 37 bloggers)

No.01. Arcade Fire – Funeral - 2004 (987 points – 38 bloggers)



I had four albums in the top-20 (and two more in the 40-21 list), I did not expect to coincide more with my fellow bloggers! Enjoy the music!

Top 20 Countdown for albums of the year - final list

If you have been following my blog album countdown this month, here is the final list as compiled by Gone4sure from the votes of 73 Greek bloggers:

40. Editors – In This Light And In This Morning (99 points - 7 bloggers)

39. Black Heart Possession – Six (101 points – 8 bloggers)

38. Muse – Resistance (103 points – 7 bloggers)

37. Soap & Skin – Lovetune For Vacuum (103 points – 8 bloggers)

36. Passion Pit – Manners (104 points - 9 bloggers)

35. JJ – JJ2 (109 points – 11 bloggers)

34. Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue (110 points – 10 bloggers)

33. Dead Weather – Horehound (112 points – 7 bloggers)

32. Big Pink – A Brief History Of Love (114 points – 14 bloggers)

31. Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You (115 points – 8 bloggers)

30. Memory Tapes – Seek Magic (116 points – 8 bloggers)

29. Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones (116 points – 10 bloggers)

28. Broken Records – Until The Earth Begins To Part (121 points – 6 bloggers)

27. Archive – Controlling Crowds (123 points – 10 bloggers)

26. Κόρε Ύδρο – Όλη Η Αλήθεια Για Τα Παιδιά του ‘78 (125 points – 7 bloggers)

25. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse (140 points – 9 bloggers)

24. Sonic Youth – Eternal (154 points – 12 bloggers)

23. Kasabian – Wesr Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (161 points – 9 bloggers)

22. Atlas Sound – Logos (171 points – 14 bloggers)

21. Royksopp – Junior (173 points – 14 bloggers) - my no.10

20. Florence & The Machine – Lungs (176 points – 15 bloggers) - my no.19

19. Antony & The Johnsons – The Crying Light (177 points – 13 bloggers)

18. Fever Ray – Fever Ray (177 p[oints – 15 bloggers)

17. Jack Peñate – Everything Is New (184 points – 15 bloggers) - my no.5

16. Antlers – Hospice (191 points – 12 bloggers)

15. White Lies – To Lose Myself (191 points – 16 bloggers)

14. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers (232 points – 15 bloggers)

13. Girls – Album (245 points – 21 bloggers)

=. Fuck Buttons – Tarrot Spot (253 points – 17 bloggers)

11. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug (253 points – 17 bloggers)

10. Boy – Please Make Me Dance (281 points – 16 bloggers)

09. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns (305 points – 28 bloggers) - my no.1

08. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz (320 points – 24 bloggers) - my no.12

07. A Place To Bury Strangers – Exploding Head (337 points – 23 bloggers)

06. Flaming Lips – Embryonic (408 points – 27 bloggers)

05. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest (414 points – 25 bloggers)

04. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – S/T (421 points – 30 bloggers)

03. The Horrors – Primary Colours (432 points – 30 bloggers)

02. The XX’s – XX (611 points – 34 bloggers) - my no.6

01. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion (784 points – 37 bloggers)

I did not like the no.1 album but that is not the point! Had a great time doing this and will do it again next year! And I hope you got some ideas about new music this year. On another post, the best albums of the decade.

Top 20 Countdown - no.1

For 2009

No.1 - Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

I said it all before... she's amazing!

For the 00's

No.1 - Feist - The Reminder

Incredible album, incredible artist. Feist is someone I cannot get enough of. I had picked this one as best of the year back in 2007 - I must say it ages like good wine.

Top 20 Countdown - no.2

For 2009

No.2 - Tori Amos - Abnormally Attracted To Sin

Her best album for quite a while. See my post about it in the top-20 for the decade. She is in top form again - if only someone can tell her that she does not have to fill all the available cd space.

For the 00's

No.2 - Burial - Untrue

The soundtrack of our times, the sound of the decade, otherworldly music but yet so urban, so close to being the music that plays all the time in our minds, in the air, everywhere. And an archangel behind me at all times.

Top 20 Countdown - no.3

For 2009

No.3 - Kleerup - Kleerup

Released last year in his native Sweden, but only this year everywhere else, Kleerup's self-titled debut album is clearly one of the best albums of the year. An intoxicating mix of electronic instrumentation and great vocals (by the usual suspects: Robyn, Lykke Li, Titiyo, Marit Bergman and Linda Sundblad), it is full of gorgeous songs that stick to your mind and heart no moatter what. He raised the bar quite high.

For the 00's

No. 3 - Kate Bush - Aerial

"The witch is back". Indeed Kate returned with a vengeance, back in 2005, after a 12 year hiatus, to assure us that, mmm yes, she is indeed alive and kicking and in top form. Offering us a masterpiece that few artists can reach, in a way that is inimitably Kate. I hope she does not take that long again for the next one.

Top 20 Countdown - no.4

For 2009

No.4 - Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

This English group releases it's second album (last year's incredible Limbo, Panto is their debut) and managed to outdo themselves. The two singers of the group manage to convey a myriad of emotions infused with rock and funk in a unique way. More!

For the 00's

No.4 - Muse - Absolution

This is their masterpiece. So much beautiful music here, it drives you nuts. And yes, if they have done an album like this one, I can forgive them this year's unimaginative release.

Top 20 Countdown - no.5

For 2009

No.5 - Jack Peñate - Everything Is New

Jack manages to make a brilliant album, with more influences than one can count. Much better than his début, this one finds him at his best, weaving magical rhythms and melodies that keep you wanting for more. I'd love to see him live!

Jack Penate |MTV Music

For the 00's

No.5 - Mark Ronson - Version

Who could have thought that one could release an album of re-recorded old hits from various decades and make a work so original and coherent as this album. Mark Ronson hit the jackpot and became one of the most celebrated producers of the decade.

Top 20 Countdown - no.6

For 2009

No.6 - The XX - XX

Great album from this incredible group - from the Intro their music grabs you and does not let you go until the very last track. Playing this over and over without getting tired of it. Dream pop mixed with indie rock to maximum effect.

For the 00's

No.6 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black

The seminal album for a whole generation, it brought back old-fashioned good singing to a music industry harangued by flashy fame addicts and the hunt of the next big thing. If she manages to escape her own addictions, we will have a living legend to listen to for the next years - looking forward to it.

Top 20 Countdown - no.7

For 2009

No.7 - Scott Matthew - There Is An Ocean That Divides

Scott does it again: a heart wrenching album, full of eloquent, elegiac songs that do not want to leave your mind and your heart. And that voice.

For the 00's

No.7 - The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement

Best album of 2008, one of the best of the decade. These guys sure know how to make great music and pick great producers. And that cover.

Top 20 Countdown - no.8

For 2009

no.8 - Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream

Weird band this one, one of the two founding members does not even go touring with them! Even if it lasts only for this album though, it is sure one of the best this year, full of catchy, dance and pop tunes. Endless fun!

For the 00's

no.8 - Daft Punk - Discovery

The album that changed dance music in the past decade, the group that launched a thousand imitators. French do it best - mais oui!

Top 20 Countdown - no.9

For 2009

No.9 - Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much

He does indeed know too much! This guy is amazing! He managed to release an album much better than his first one, full of feel-good tunes that keep you humming and feet-tapping for ever! Let it Rain then!

For the 00's

no.9 - Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

Natasha Khan released her second album this year. It speaks to the heart and the mind with equal strength to the point of possession. I am certain we will be listening to even greater stuff from this lady.

Top 20 Countdown - no.10

For 2009

No.10 Röyksopp - Junior

Röyksopp's "Junior" is not the best electropop album of the year (that honour goes to another one later on the list) but very very close to it. Brilliantly combining elements of their previous work and with the perfectly fitting voices of Robyn, Lykke Li, Karin Dreijer Andersson and Anneli Drecker, they move forward by making their sound fuller, more upbeat and precise than ever before.

For the 00's

no.10 - Morrissey - You Are The Quarry

Moz has been productive since 2004 in this decade, releasing a string of albums that keeps affirming his exalted status in music. This one though is the best of the bunch. And it contains some of his best songs, like I'm So Sorry, Let Me Kiss you, First Of The Gang to Die... absolute genius.

What about the covers? no 11

For 2009 - Montt Mardié - Skaizerkite

Patrik Berg designed this one. The title means a person suffering from hybris and was also the name of a New York gang from the 40's (aka Sharp Boys). Both definitions fit with Monty's image of course. The design is simple and minimal, with the photograph of the front cover standing out. The packaging is a gatefold carton.

For the 00's - No.11 - The Organ - Grab That Gun

This cover reminds me a lot of Piet Mondrian paintings. The graphic design is by Randy Iwata, Jenny Smyth (group member-organ), Mo Salemy, a Vancouver-based artist and David Cuesta, a Canadian designer.

Top 20 Countdown - no.11

For 2009

No.11 - Montt Mardié - Skaizerkite

Unfortunately his best and most coherent album to date is his last as a solo artist. Montt Mardié (aka David Pagmar) will be a member of the group Monty from now on. But that does not stop me from enjoying this precious collection of gems. He's Swedish of course.

For the 00's

No.11 - The Organ - Grab That Gun

They made only one album and then called it quits. But what an album! Brash, combining pop and new wave elements with modern music sensibilities, it manages to sound superb despite a seemingly monotonous palette of strong guitars and droning organ sounds. Canadians...

Top 20 Countdown - no.12

For 2009

No.12 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

Karen O and her group deliver their poppiest album to date and hit gold. Keeping everything that is Yeah Yeah Yeahs and infusing it with pure pop with a twist of dance in it, they make an album that is at the same time familiar yet new and unknown.

For the 00's

No.12 - Underworld - Oblivion With Bells

The emperors of electronica returned with a vengeance with this one, putting to rest any doubt about their creative streak being strong. It is a record I have danced with many times and will keep on dancing with it for years to come.