Xylouris White

Lots of chatter about this band on various threads but no dedicated thread, so here we go

New album is excellent, but am I the only one who (slightly) prefers the EP? Informal irl consensus tells me yes

is there an EP? or do you mean Goats (the first one, can't remember how long it is, but thought of it as a full album).
anyway, these guys are fantastic -- best thing so far for me was seeing them live, but I love the recordings as well.
worth checking out: xylouris' previous band. different, but awesome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U33Dbhgo25E

I did mean Goats, which I never actually owned, but I remember it being short! Maybe it was one of those 34-minute "full lengths." Anyway, I loved that one. New one's good but still growing on me

yeah, the new one might not be quite as *exciting* as Goats, but I think that's because I didn't really understand what was going on with that record. but I think Black Peak is pretty incredible in many places. just an amazing overall sound these guys can conjure up.

The new one hits me much harder than "Goats", this one feels closer to what they are like live.

Great band!

I have yet to see them live but that's something I plan to rectify in 2017, god willing! I'd love to see them in a headlining spot (as opposed to supporting a band I care nothing about or at a festival I would never, ever attend).

the show i saw was pretty interesting -- it was booked by the owner of a local Greek restaurant and it seemed like the entire Greek emigre community in Denver was there (which adds up to a couple dozen people haha). but they were super into it, sometimes even singing along (on what I gather was an old nikos xylouris song).

Ah, that sounds incredible! Jealous.

were great live, saw em open for Godspeed

Played a headlining gig in SF a month or so ago and it was excellent. Emmett Kelly opened and joined them on the final jam. And yes people were dancing in the aisles and singing along and generally raving it up. They really are a live band.

totally -- i love hearing jim white play the drums, but *seeing* him play the drums might be even better.

Definitely! He's been one of my favorite drummers to listen to for a while -- Dirty Three and especially his amazing record with Nina Nastasia. But seeing Xylouris White last year was something else. I came away with a new level of appreciation and understanding of what he's actually doing when he plays. He's almost like a dancer, his relationship to the drumkit is intimate and devotional, and so much fun to watch.

(Totally dug Xylouris too, but White is the key for me.)

Jim White is my favorite living drummer

his amazing record with Nina Nastasia

so good, i'm afraid she's gonna pull a vashti bunyan and disappear, been a minute since her last

Yeah I've been waiting. I love all her albums, but that Jim White one is really one of my favorite things.

I hadn't heard of any of this. So far it sounds like it's going to be catnip for me.

Is anybody going to nominate this album for our poll, or aren't people that into the album as such? I might do it myself if nobody else does, just to draw attention to it and have the option of voting for it. Listening to it now.

please do!

I think I should finish a first listen before, just to keep things honest.

I saw them a few weeks ago under circumstances similar to Tyler. In a small room in Glasgow with about 30 people there about half of whom were Greek. Really nice vibe. That this was maybe the 5th time I've seen him play so I was more focussed on Xylouris this time.

Ελληνική μουσική είναι το μόνο πραγματικά αυθεντική μουσική.

Sadly, I'm not into the vocals, especially all the Greek sprechstimme. Like the overall sound and the rippling guitar and bazouk (? I guess).

yeah, same. The first album is mostly instrumental, check it out

i'm all about Greek sprechstimme

Saw them tonight in a room with maybe 80 people. Overwhelmingly intense and beautiful. In tears even though I don't understand a word - quite an achievement. Room was around 30-40% Greeks living in Glasgow. God these guys SHRED when they get going tho, you can't believe how much noise they are making. Based on the expression on Jim White's face he's living his best life rn.

Saw them again last night - amaaaaaaaaazing alchemy between them. Extremely my jam in every way. Need to get the new record!!!

Latest record was sorta buried by end of the year lists and stuff but just getting around to it now and it's really good!

Oh I didn't even know they'd released one last year. Thanks for the heads up.

It's so great!!
there's a live album too https://xylouriswhiteshop.bandcamp.com/album/xylouris-white-zebulon-april-22-2019

seeing them play together was a treat of the highest order