For Monika, Exit was a great challenge, due to the unexpected success of Avatar. If I had to choose some songs from it, those would be Yes I do, her first composition accompanied by bouzouki and baglamas, Away from my land and Run to ruin. She should be congratulated for releasing a second album that is better and more integral than the first one and threw it in the face of all her awaiting attackers. You can read more here.

We met the Drums last year with their really good EP Summertime and the great hype around them. Their first homonym album - besides the super happy surf song  Let’s go surfing  and Down by the water, which as I read is reminiscent of the Shangri – Las recordings for Factory, tracks that had also been included in their EP - contains several pretty songs. Their new single Forever and ever Amen, Best friend, Me and the moon etc.

In June we also listened to the third and very good album by the Holy Fuck from Toronto entitled Latin. The band does not use pre-recorded material and laptops to produce their sound and they are famous for their amazing live performance, which we saw for ourselves at the 2008 Synch festival. I mostly enjoyed Stay lit, SHT MTN and Stilettos.

One of the top pop band at the end of 80s – beginning of 90s, Crowded House, released their sixth studio album entitled Intriguer, the second one after their reunion and Time on earth in 2007. I enjoyed Either side of the world, Isolation, Twice if you re lucky and the first single Saturday sun.  The album is produced by Jim Scott, while the recording took place at Neil Finn' Roundhead Studios in Auckland.

James, after  having successfully visited  several Greek cities  - I am sure next year they will visit even more -  released The night before, while we also await The morning after, which does not add up to their discography so far. But most definitely, these releases are gladly accepted by their numerous Greek fans and songs like Porcupine and Shine will become popular.

Broken Social scene are the second, after New Pornographers, great collective from Canada. The band is comprised, at times, of 9-25 members, while some of them are also members of Do make say think, Metric, Stars and other Canadian bands. I mostly enjoyed Forced to love, All to all and Texico bitches.

I liked the new album by Jamie Lidell entitled Compass released by Warp. The album includes the participation of Chris Taylor from the Grizzly Bear, Pat Sansons from the Wilco, Feist and Beck. A modern soul with distorted vocals reminiscent of Prince and Rick James. I mostly enjoyed I wanna be your telephone, the single The ring and You are waking.

ALBUMS

MONIKA – Exit
THE DRUMS – The Drums
HOLY FUCK – Latin
CROWDED HOUSE – Intriguer
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE – Forgiveness rock record
JAMES – The night before
JAMIE LIDELL – Compass
TEENAGE FANCLUB – Shadows
EXPERT MEDICINE – Expert Medicine
OASIS – Time flies 1994-2009

SINGLES

THE DRUMS – Forever and ever Amen
CROWDED HOUSE – Saturday sun
WE ARE SCIENTISTS – Nice guys
MONIKA – Show me, come on
LOSTBOY! AKA JIM KERR – Shadowland
WHITE RABBITS – They done wrong
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE – Forced to love/All to all
TEENAGE FANCLUB – Baby Lee
GASLIGHT ANTHEM – Boxer
JAMIE LIDELL – The ring