The first moment you encounter the music of Coti K.,“The Man From Managra”, a Greek guy form the Island of Tinos, you would be hard pressed to say what kind of connection it has with Greece or Greek musical tradition. That is, unless you count the fact that some songs on his second album, “Half A Century Sun”, like “sailor” and “Paddle Away” involve one of ever-present factors in Greece, the sea.
Cot K. is one of those guys whose music should have come from anyone and anywhere who has assimilated old the influences of good singer/songwriters, or bands that are purveyors of of a more gentle laid-back sound. Maybe there’s the connection with the sea or a more balmy climate Coti K. lives in.
The fact is that the music “The Man From Managra” came up with is a good amalgam of all the influences Coti has picked up, without really expressing any particular preference or miming of artists you like. Obviously, his first self-titled album from 2014 has made an impression, at least in musical circles, since for this second album he was able to engage the services of Dirty Three drummer Jim R. White and Tuxedomoon lynchpin and multi-instrumentalist Blaine L. Reininger.
There is a little bit of everything here weaving through the music, Lambchop, Thurston Moore’s gentler moments, even Slowdive (including Neil Halstead’s solo albums), and more. All sounds like none of these and all of them at the same time, somewhere in the vicinity of the records produced by Bedhead’s David Pajo on albums like “Whatever, Mortal”. Pick any tune from this album: they are all well crafted, melodic and something you would always be glad to hear sitting in a shade on a beach - on an island.
Dominos are still a very popular game on Greek islands, and what Coti K. has done is reshuffled the musical dominos he likes to start a new game. By the sound of this album, he’s bound to win.
