Top-20 Countdown - No.17

Stratos: No.17 - David Byrne & Fatboy Slim - Here Lies Love

If somebody told me a year ago that I  would e posting a photo of Imelda Marcos in one of my blogs I would tell them they're crazy. But here it is. She is the concept of this album (actually her relationship with one of her maids) by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, two very creative music artists. I love this because they picked incredible singers to sing their stuff, some of them real favourites: Sharon Jones, Camille, Róisín Murphy, Candie Payne, St. Vincent, Shara Worden, Florence Welch, Allison Moorer, Cyndi Lauper, Tori Amos, Martha Wainwright,Natalie Merchant, Sia Furler, Santigold, Charmaine Clamor, Nicole Atkins, and Kate Pierson among many others, alternately playing the roles of Imelda Marcos and Estrella Cuempas. 

I love most of the songs, many of them make the singers "play" against type with great results. For my biased ears, Róisín and Tori come as the winners from all of them here, Tori having to sing a duet with Cyndi Lauper apart from her solo. I have played many of them in my radio show and will keep on listening to this for years to come. 

Giannis: No.17 - Spoon - Transference

Top-20 Countdown - No.18

Stratos: No.18 - Zola Jesus - Stridulum II

I knew Zola from last year's album, The Spoils. I liked her voice more than I did her music. She reminded me of Siouxsie, so it made her songs sound familiar to my ears. This year she has an exceptional song in this album, Night. But she still needs lots of work to make a clear point of what she wants to do with her music. She still sounds to me like someone else, not herself. But she sure gives many signs that she's on the right track. Hope she lives up to my expectations - cause it seems for others she has already fulfilled them.

My review from Screw magazine, issue 22:

Nika Rosa Danilova was "baptised" Zola Jesus to make a career in music beyond the opera she begun to study. Aged just 21, from Winsconsin USA, she is part of a small team that brings back the Goth aesthetics at the forefront, visually as well as sonically. Obviously influenced by the priestess Siouxsie (even her voice reminds of her a lot), with the guidance and support of James Stewart of Xiu Xiu fame (with whom she makes up the group Former Ghosts), Zola writes epic compositions, with stirring vocals, her music impressive and evocative at the same time, dark, menacing, rhythmic but also romantic, in a hellish, cursed way.  

Selections: Night, I Can’t Stand, Lightsick.

Giannis: No.18 - Of Montreal - False Priest

Coming on Sunday: A tribute to The Temptations

I grew up listening to their music, thanks to my uncle who is a great fan. I had the luck to see them play live in my home town, Thessaloniki, back in the early 90s, a concert I will never ever forget. So join me this Sunday at The Sandman Chronicles on-air at Poplie radio, for a tribute to this amazing group.

Top-20 Countdown - No.19

Stratos: No.19 - The Divine Comedy - Bang Goes The Knighthood

This one was a favourite right from the start. I was so certain I would see them live in Edinburgh's Fringe Festival this year I kept listening to it again and again, wanting to learn all the lyrics so that I cloud sing along with them during the concert. Alas it was sold out months before (the cheap price of 20 GBP was a major factor as well as them being, well, THE Divine Comedy) so I did not have the chance to sing this wonderfully theatrical ditty:

Giannis:  No.19 - The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

Top-20 Countdown - No.20

• Stratos: No. 20 - Beach House - Teen Dream

And it begins with Beach House, an American duo from Baltimore, with the native Alex Scally (love that name) and the French-born Victoria Legrand (niece of the composer Michel Legrand). Dreamy pop with a proper dosage of dynamism and intensity, it fills your ears with joy and a sense of satisfaction. Victoria's husky vocals are seductive, finding the perfect match to Alex's guitar. Brilliant third album, their best yet, easily surpassing this year's Vampire Weekend's "Contra" - they were the latter's opening act in their tour.

• Giannis: No.20 - Metaform - The Electric Mist