Friday, September 28, 2012

V/A - Bed of Pain: Rembetika 1931-1955

The deep, dark hybrid music born in the urban slums of Greece, rembetika is often referred to as "the Greek blues," for its heroic, blunt truth-telling in the face of suffering. This collection of heavy songs from the style's "golden era" in the years surrounding WWII includes many of the "heavy-hitters," great and revered singers and composers, but also includes many obscure artists, including several from the influential American diaspora. For fans of the style, if offers brilliant lesser-known pieces and for the uninitiated, it cuts to the heart of rembetika's no-bullshit swagger, grief, and fierce beauty.

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