Popi Asteriadi with Lakis Pappas-Another Sunday Gone (Psych-Acid Folk, Greece-Rare 1969)

Popi Asteriadi and Lakis Pappas recorded Another Sunday Gone during a peak moment of creativity in late 1960s Greece. Their sound was part of the Neo Kyma (New Wave), a style that blended the acoustic guitar-based psychedelic folk of France and England with the traditional bouzouki music of local Greek fishermen's bars. A lovely girl in her early 20s, Popi Asteriadi sings on about half these songs, accompanied by guitarist Lakis Pappas, who sings on some of the other tracks by himself and in duets on others. There's purity and tenderness inherent in both of their voices, with the evocative beauty of the Greek language transcending the need to comprehend the lyric's meaning. A sense of wide-eyed and wondrous discovery pervades the album-to be young, beautiful, and in love in Greece. All is perfect, yet the ache of the heart remains; no amount of earthly beauty can satisfy them. The title track finds Asteriadi singing a soft ballad over the gentle acoustic picking of Pappas, who then takes a vocal turn on the next track, "And You Dare Talk to Me," (Kai ustera mou milas) aided by an unabashedly romantic string section, tinkling piano, and drums, his voice a sweetened, husky, romantically tortured croon. "Wild Bird" (Agriopouli) features recognizably "psychedelic" orchestration, with clavichord, piano, electric bass, and flute, as well as Pappas' flickering-candlelight vocals. The album progresses rather like a magical third date, as the sweetly romantic confessions and wistful stares give way to passionate dancing and merriment, with cafι tables pushed back to make room for dancing and celebration. More traditional Greek melodies get dusted off along with the bouzouki and tin whistle for tracks like "Not Our Wine," (Den einai aspro to krasi mas) with Pappas adding vibrato to her voice as she harmonizes with Asteriadi. The sound of this Neo Kyma album is elusive-at some level it's like Mexican mariachi music, at other times sweet folk ΰ la Nick Drake. With its mix of melodies old and new, rich tradition merges with a global movement of youth, and no one leaves until the sun comes up, even though they know with that sinking Sunday feeling that their boat's leaving at 9 a.m, by Daily CD.

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"Agriopouli" is the best song for me..

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