AKRITAS

The early 70's was a very difficult period in Greek history ,politically and socially and this was reflected in the local music scene. I can't stop admiring the people that in these troubled times managed to create progressive or rock music, almost an heroic achievement, regarding the circumstances. And don't forget that Aphrodite's Child, the best and most succesful greek band, left Greece and moved to France to start their carreer. Anyway, Akritas released this album in 1973 and I suppose (I wasn't born yet) that it was a commercial failure, even though singer/bassist Stauros Logarides was very well known from the flower power band POLL. That doesn't mean that it was not a good album, on the contrary, it was a great album in the wrong time and place. It lasts only 33 minutes, most of the 13 tracks are very small but you can find numerous influences from many different styles and genres. From balcan folk and traditional greek scales and grooves to jazzy parts, classical arrangements and psychedelic verses. Everything is happening very fast, keeping the listener in a state of alert and making the album an adventurous journey. All different directions and arrangements are tied together by Logarides' few but wonderful, delicate vocal lines (something like the greek Greg Lake). Lyrics are in greek so I guess very few can understand them but I can assure you that they are very poetic, meaningful and wisely put into the right parts. To conclude, Akritas is a very unique album, doesn' t remind me of anything in particular and I strongly recommend it to the passionate collector ,not only for its folk or historical significance but because of its excellent and wide progressive music.