Outlandish Rec.
Burgundy Grapes (GR,2005)****' (=must have)
Burgundy Grapes originally was a trio with two guitarists, George Kolyvas, who plays classical / acoustic / electric / slide guitar, accordion, mandolin, and Alexandros Miaoulis who plays classical / acoustic / slide guitar, mandolin, electric bass, metallophone, accordion, percussion, melodica and Alexis Papaionannou. Delicate, acoustic and melancholic compositions were formed and homerecorded. Papaioannou who contributed more radical songwriting ideas was diagnosed as having leukemia and fought for 5 years with it until he sadly passed away. After a long hold during their friend’s developing ilness the core duo guitarists, after a while, continued this project, somewhat as a sad tribute to their friend as a musical testament of perfection, evolving their music to a beautiful atmospheric, and chamber-like form. Guest musicians for the final recording are Vassiliki Papandonopoulou on violin, Nikos Veliotis on cello, Giorgos Tsiatsoulis on accordion, and Nicholas Miaoulis on Jew's harp.
The music is an inner balanced, reflective and inspired piece of chamber music lead mostly by acoustic guitars or other guitars. These guitars have a serious minimalistic genre related influence in their picking evolution. Especially in the first half there are also some cello, and more classical arrangements. Elsewhere the accordion leads the compositions or the slide guitar sets a slightly different tone. The whole composition is very alternated and sounds like a movie on its own. The label mentions references of influences varying from post-rock, the minimalism of Yann Thiersen, road movie guitar music, alternative country and film music, with some inspiration of Ionian Islands-influenced balladry. All these aspects are somewhat vaguely there, in its own new and splendid blend. Recommended !
Nowadays the group again plays live as a trio, joined by their early collaborator, accordionist Giorgos Tsiatsoulis.
