Recorded over three days in Greece, Varvakios is an odd yet perfect sound travelogue of sorts. Cold, intense, monochrome, guitar-based instrumentals—some with an almost Balkan atmosphere—alternate with field recordings perhaps in markets or auctions. The overall feeling is of urban industrial-tribalism amid an exotic, humid, foreign landscape.
"The Ivory Coast," from the 1982 album Tragic Figures, made me conjure up my own image of Savage Republic as a raincoat clad post-punk group from Northern England who possibly did a couple of records while they were at art-school. The Los Angeles based group have actually recorded numerous albums throughout the last three decades, but this 2012 recording could easily be mistaken for something of that earlier time period. Joining the group this time in the ever-changing lineup is Greek resident Blaine L. Reininger of Tuxedomoon, playing violin on a few pieces, adding an almost East-European folk aspect to Varvakios.
Savage Republic has a history with Greece. The flipside of their early "Film Noir" single covered "O Andonis" by Mikis Theodorakis. I can assume the Californians considered it a beautiful song but didn't realize it had been banned as "revolutionary" in the 1960s. As a result, the band became more popular in Greece than anywhere else in Europe! After four albums between 1982-89, Savage Republic fell silent, although their sarcastic "Real Men" from Tragic Figures, is on the soundtrack of Jonathan Demme’s 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs, heard during a scene in Buffalo Bill's cellar.
Varvakios is the first Savage Republic release since 2007. The percussive, self-taught, whole-is-greater-than-the sum-of-its-parts approach makes for powerful and aesthetically pleasing music. I assume the sleeve art is by founder member Bruce Licher well-known for his beautiful creations using the letterpress on chipboard design process. This art mirrors the group sound: very simple yet iconic and distinctive. They are touring in 2013.
 
 
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