Acid Baby Jesus: Discography (3 Albums) 2011 - 2017

 

Garage Rock/ Psychedelic Rock band formed in March 2009 in Athens, Greece by young friends Noda Pappas, Otto Mentis (departed 2014), Markos Mazarakis and Tili Stronis.
             

Acid Baby Jesus signed with Slovenly Recordings in 2010. In 2011-2013 they toured North America

with 'Hellshovel' (featuring Jeff Clarke of 'Demon's Claws'). In 2014 they recruited Hellshovel’s Dox Grillo on guitar and in 2015 they toured Australia, Japan and Singapore. They released their third LP on Fuzz Club Records in 2017, performing in Europe in 2017 and 2019.
Their style merges various influences from Greece’s folk music roots, to western psychedelic pop, rock n roll and country, all expressed with a sultry 60s swagger.
                    

Their influences include great and not-so-great "masters", aka The Beatles and The Rolling Stones,

various others such as the Velvet Underground, the Sonics and Joe Meek and reach the sound of rebetik, composing a unique patchwork of sounds that is reflected in the specificity of their music. Their sound has something psychedelic and at times otherworldly, a mixture of instruments that you touch hedonistically and with too much enthusiasm and screaming voices driven by a youthful madness, along with a heavy dose of magic.
                      

The first live takes place in Thessaloniki and then in Skopje. In the fall of 2011 they took part in a festival in Sardinia which turned out to be their lucky one. There they meet Pete Menchetti, an

American, who owns the record company Slovenly Recordings. He offers them cooperation. Accept. They start. And from that point on, the live shows intensify. Single appearances turn into tours. At first in Europe, then in America, even in Israel. By the spring of 2012, they already have several tours in Europe and three in America.
                 

What’s impressive about this psych-garage band from Athens, Greece, is that apart from the overall

psychedelic backbone there is a lot of richness to their sound. Acid Baby Jesus prove this while juggling with oriental/Mediterranean flair, the hazy landscape of ‘60s psych pop and the frenetic rock n’ roll hedonism; if you add to that the electrifying production… there! This is the reason they have been championed so highly in the European scene and performed almost everywhere in the world (just think that in 2017 they toured Europe for the tenth time).
                   

A break of about a year follows and the quartet returns, with a difference in composition. The place of Othon - who in the meantime became a farmer taking care of cacti and almonds with too much love and

naturalism - has been taken by Dale, a Canadian guitarist, who lives permanently in Berlin, playing music with two other bands and touring the world.
In the present, the ABJs have just returned from a tour of Northern Europe. So far they have released one cassette, two 7-track vinyls and two records, the first in 2011 and the second a few days ago. They mainly record by themselves but also with the help of recording friends.
                       

Conventional in their basic rock ’n’ roll foundation, the tracks are steeped in layers of organ, Jew's

harp, bongos, gongs, and a nice assortment of other instruments of the onomatopoeic persuasion. This use of eclectic instruments and minimal lyrics packed with mythical and literary allusion create an atmospheric sound that is authentic to Acid Baby Jesus, who manage to avoid the echo box and lava lamp cliches of the brand of "psych" that is omnipresent on the scene today. They have toured extensively across Europe, America, Asia and Australia.
                     

Οι επιρροές τους περιλαμβάνουν μεγάλους και μη εξαιρετέους “δασκάλους”, aka The Beatles και The Rolling Stones, διάφορους άλλους όπως τους Velvet Underground, τους Sonics και τον Joe Meek και

φτάνουν μέχρι το ήχο του ρεμπέτικου, συνθέτοντας ένα μοναδικό patchwork ακουσμάτων που αποτυπώνεται στην ιδιαιτερότητα της μουσικής τους. Ο ήχος τους έχει κάτι ψυχεδελικό και πολλές φορές απόκοσμο, είναι ένα μείγμα από όργανα που τα αγγίζεις ηδονιστικά και με περίσσιο ενθουσιασμό και φωνές που κραυγάζουν οδηγούμενες από μια νεανική τρέλα, μαζί με μπόλικη δόση μαγείας.
                     

Το πρώτο live γίνεται στη Θεσσαλονίκη και μετά στα Σκόπια. Το φθινόπωρο του 2011 παίρνουν μέρος σε ένα φεστιβάλ στη Σαρδηνία το οποίο από ότι αποδείχθηκε ήταν το τυχερό τους. Εκεί γνωρίζουν τον

Pete Menchetti, Αμερικάνο, ο οποίος έχει την δισκογραφική εταιρεία Slovenly Recordings. Τους προτείνει συνεργασία. Δέχονται. Ξεκινάνε. Και από εκείνο το σημείο πυκνώνουν τα live. Από μεμονωμένες εμφανίσεις γίνονται περιοδείες. Στην αρχή στην Ευρώπη, μετά στην Αμερική, μέχρι και στο Ισραήλ. Μέχρι την άνοιξη του 2012 μετράνε ήδη πολλές περιοδείες στην Ευρώπη και τρεις στην Αμερική.
                                  

Ακολουθεί διάλειμμα ενός περίπου χρόνου και η τετράδα επανέρχεται, με μια διαφορά στη σύνθεση. Τη θέση του Όθωνα – ο οποίος εν τω μεταξύ έγινε αγρότης φροντίζοντας με περίσσεια αγάπη και

φυσιολατρία κάκτους και αμύγδαλα- έχει πάρει ο Dale, Καναδός κιθαρίστας, ο οποίος μένει μόνιμα στο Βερολίνο, παίζοντας μουσική με άλλες δύο μπάντες και γυρίζοντας τον κόσμο.
Στο τώρα, οι ABJs μόλις επέστρεψαν από μια περιοδεία στην Βόρεια Ευρώπη. Μέχρι στιγμής έχουν κυκλοφορήσει μία κασέτα, δύο 7άρια βινύλια και δύο δίσκους, τον πρώτο το 2011 και τον δέυτερο πριν λίγες μέρες. Ηχογραφούν κυρίως μόνοι τους αλλά και με την βοήθεια φίλων ηχοληπτών.
                   

Συμβατικά στη βασική τους βάση του rock 'n' roll, τα κομμάτια είναι γεμάτα με στρώσεις οργάνου, εβραϊκής άρπας, μπόνγκο, γκονγκ και μια ωραία ποικιλία από άλλα όργανα της ονοματοποιητικής

πειθούς. Αυτή η χρήση εκλεκτικών οργάνων και ελάχιστοι στίχοι γεμάτοι μυθικές και λογοτεχνικές νύξεις δημιουργούν έναν ατμοσφαιρικό ήχο που είναι αυθεντικός για τους Acid Baby Jesus, οι οποίοι καταφέρνουν να αποφύγουν τα κλισέ echo box και τη λάμπα λάβας της μάρκας "psych" που είναι πανταχού παρούσα στη σκηνή. σήμερα. Η αληθινή ψυχεδέλεια αφθονεί σε μια παράσταση των Acid Baby Jesus.

KABOOM (https://kaboomzine.gr/acid-baby-jesus/)

ALBUMS

                   

Acid baby Jesus (Cassette, Album) Not On Label 2010
Acid Baby Jesus LP  (Slovenly Recordings) 2011
Selected Recordings (Slovenly Recordings) 2014
Lilac Days (Fuzz Club Records) 2017

MEMBERS

Noda Pappa (vocals, guitar),
Tili Stronis (bass),
Markos Mazarakis (drums),
Otto Mentis (guitar, 2009-13),
Dale MacDonald (guitar, 2014-present)

1. ACID BABY JESUS - ACID BABY JESUS LP  2011

                        

Really, really good fried-outta-yr-mind psych-punk from Athens, Greece. I don't really know what else to say about it other than tons of bands are doing this style (Black Lips, Thee Oh Sees, etc.), but I was still pleasantly surprised at how well Acid Baby Jesus do it. The best garage rock record of 2011, without any doubt! An impressive mix of psychedelic garage rock Black Lips-style, which sounds raw and pop at the same time!
Fucking brilliant!!!
                            

Acid Baby Jesus – Acid Baby Jesus
Label: Slovenly Recordings – 702-111, Slovenly Recordings – 702111
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 2011
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock

SIDE A.

                        

A1. Tomboy    2:28
A2. Android Robot    2:22
A3. Fingerpainting    2:04
A4. Tyrannosaurus Rex    2:36
A5. Mesmerized    3:12
A6. Why Aren't You Laughing Now?    1:58
A7. Old Fart    2:24

SIDE B.

                         

B1. Tooth To Toe    3:32
B2. Homo Sapiens    3:19
B3. Oh, Aurelia    2:26
B4. I'm A Baby    2:04
B5. Horse    3:47
B6. You Had It Coming    2:17

Recorded at Katarameno Syndromo Athens, Greece in March / July 2011.
Mixed At – Kiwi Sound Studio
Lacquer Cut At – Prairie Cat Mastering
Lacquer Cut By – MJR
Mixed By – Nikos Lavdas
Recorded By – John Vulgaris

MP3 @ 320 SIZE: 87 MB
FLAC  SIZE: 256 MB

2. ACID BABY JESUS - SELECTED RECORDINGS  2014

                      

Deeper and deeper into the sonic soil they burrow, harvesting fresh, organic ingredients for their psychedelic salad… ACID BABY JESUS returns unbruised from a dirty rumor or two of their expiration. Slovenly Recordings has clipped nary a coupon and once again presents a tasty plate of our heaviest lysergic recipe. Drenched in a complex dressing of luxurious Mediterranean flavours, this new "Seleted Recordings", provides just enough nutrition to keep you satisfied, but never full.

Acid Baby Jesus – Selected Recordings
Label: Slovenly Recordings – 702-155
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: Nov 18, 2014
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRAXS

                       

01. Diogenes   4:29
Bass – M. Mazarakis
Organ [Hammond] – T. Stronis
Percussion, Drums – C. Chondropoulos
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
02. Row By Row    3:36
Bass – M. Mazarakis
Organ [Hammond] – T. Stronis
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus, Dox Grillo
Synthesizer [Korg Ms-10] – M. Theodoropoulos
03. Night Of Pan   3:30   
Bass – N. Pappas
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
Synthesizer [Pro-One] – M. Mazarakis
04. Ayahuasca Blues (Unmanned Drone)   4:05
Organ [Hammond] – T. Stronis
Percussion – C. Chondropoulos
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
Tambora [Tanpura] – M. Salahari
05. Who's First   2:21
Bass – M. Mazarakis
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
Synthesizer [Korg Ms-10] – N. Lavdas
Synthesizer [Pro-One] – N. Pappas
06. Vegetable   2:42
Percussion – C. Chondropoulos
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
07. Trouble Maker   3:29
Saxophone – S. Marteau
Songwriter – Chrissy Zebby Tembo, Ngozi Family
08. I'm Becoming A Man   3:28
Organ [Hammond] – T. Stronis
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
Synthesizer [Juno 6] – M. Mazarakis, N. Pappas
09. Omonia   2:45
Percussion – C. Chondropoulos
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
10. You & Me   2:42
Mellotron, Bass – M. Mazarakis
Recorder, Percussion – N. Pappas
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
11. All Of Your Love   2:49
Harp [Mouth] – O. Mentis
Pedal Steel Guitar – M. Moschoutis
Songwriter – Acid Baby Jesus
Synthesizer [Pro-One] – N. Pappas
Synthesizer [Pro-One], Bass – M. Mazarakis

LINE - UP

Bass – T. Stronis
Drums, Percussion – N. Baskozos
Guitar, Percussion – O. Mentis
Guitar, Vocals – N. Pappas
Lacquer Cut By – Kr
Mastered By – Emanuele Baratto (tracks: A1), Nikos Lavdas (tracks: A2 to B6)
Organ, Drums, Vocals, Percussion – M. Mazarakis
Recorded By, Mixed By – Acid Baby Jesus, Nikos Lavdas

MP3 @ 320 SIZE: 88 MB
FLAC  SIZE: 332 MB

3. ACID BABY JESUS - LILAC DAYS  2017

                   

After two official albums, LP (2011) and Selected Recordings (2014), and several EPs, ABJ released in 2017 their third and latest album, Lilac Days – their first on Fuzz Club Records. Though it’s much more pop and lighter than their previous recordings, it explores the same dimensions with lots of spacey mind-melting sounds. On the whole, ABJ’s music is a paradigm of effortless and somehow raw perfection: a well-molded melange of melody, diverse turns and twists, accessibility and complexity; all at once. They go for a more psychedelic pop/rock sound. And it also sounds great.
                      

Acid Baby Jesus – Lilac Days
Label: Fuzz Club Records – FC71CD
Format: CD, Album
Country: UK
Released: Sep 29, 2017
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock

TRAXS

                              

01. Lilac Days    3:24
02. Faces Of Janus    3:24
03. No Such Thing As Twice    2:03
04. Down The Ley Lines    3:25
05. Me & Panormita    3:52
06. Birth    4:17
07. Guide Us In    2:47
08. Vile Man    4:13
09. Love Has Left My House Today    5:31

LINE - UP

Bass, Vocals, Keyboards – Tilemachos Stronis
Composed By – Acid Baby Jesus, Xanthos Papanikolaou (tracks: 1)
Drums, Vocals, Keyboards – Markos Mazarakis
Guitar, Vocals – Dale MacDonald
Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards – Noda Pappas
Percussion – Kostadis Michail
Trombone – Jason Liebert
Trumpet – Fabian Engwicht

MP3 @ 320 SIZE: 80 MB
Flac SIZE: 219 MB

A friend of mine gave to me these 2 "7' EPs in MP3

1. HOSPITALS     (Vinyl 7", EP)  2011

                        

A1. Hospitals    2:36
A2. It's On Me    1:53
B1.  Losing It  3:06

MP3 @ 320 SIZE: 22 MB

2. VEGETABLE (Vinyl, 7", EP, Limited Edition)  Sep 9, 2014

                     

A. Vegetable    2:42
B. Brain Damage In Athens City    2:57

MP3 @ 320 SIZE: 19 MB