The Inner Ear imprint has kept us up to date on all the up and coming artists and groups from Athens, Greece; presenting us today with the debut track, “Sweet Girl”, from A Victim of Society. The duo team of Vagelis Makris and Fotis Ntouskas have coupled the outsider attitudes with the derelict drifter mindsets of outlaw rock as they prepare to release their album, Distractions for Inner Ear at the end of April. Managing to pack all the tumultous socio-economic-political conditions Athens has experienced in recent years through a tribal rawness, AVOS mixing the sweetness with sour grapes, sardonic sneers, and a harder proof.
The floor toms on “Sweet Girl” begin things with a howling shout to the moon. The drums urge the entire track to gallop fast and forward, keeping the guitar and bass chords on their mean side. Items pertaining to permanence are threatened by disruptions of the temporal, as the two hold tight to the last remnants of steadfast sentiments and statements that stick around “until the end.” Deficits up the stakes and promise little to nothing in return on manic lines like, “well I hope it's the end, because there's nothing left,” as roaring guitars bombard the absent feelings and fill the vacant void. The bass progression aligns itself with the alliance of the drum's unwavering and pummeling beat, as Makris and Ntouskas plod and plot their way ahead with the uncompromising statement of, “I'm not afraid to die”, that refuses to back down without putting up a damn good fight.
The AVOS duo of Vagelis and Fotis shared words about the Athens scenes, making their upcoming album Distractions, and their new singe, “Sweet Girl”.
How do you all make those thunder storms of guitars like on “Sweet Girl”?
We used a Moog Ring Modulator, that a friend had left at the studio the days we were recording the album, and a wah pedal, along with all the overdrive, reverb and delay. We tried to make the guitars bring out the rawness of the tribal drum beat.
What were the diversions and distractions that contributed to your upcoming album Distractions?
Actually it was life itself. Living in Athens, this city that in the past 5 years has undergone 20 years worth of change and not always in the right direction, made us the way we are, and that has passed on our music.
What notes can you both share from the Athens scenes?
Athens is an ever changing organism. It is full of musicians making every kind of music, from experimental electronic music and dream pop all the way to new wave and kraut rock. Every night in Athens there is a different gig. People have a strong need to express themselves.
You all have had a busy few years, recently playing with Dirty Beaches, The Black Angels, Moon Duo, etc, what does the rest of 2014 look like for the two of you?
Hopefully we wish we will play live as much as possible. Performing this album live is something we are really looking forward to, and playing with these bands helped us realize that this is the best way to make more and more people listen to your music, which is kind of the point of what we do.
Who are you all listening to these days?
These we are going back and forth, from Dr. John and James Booker to Wooden Shjips and Les Rallizes Denudes. We found also very inspiring and intriguing the discography of Pram and Ninsennenmondai.
A Victim of Society's upcoming album, Distractions will be available April 28 from Inner Ear Records.
AVOS will also be playing the Plissken Festival on June 6.
