MANOLIS LIDAKIS
‘Afstyros Laikon’ He has never really turned to the promotional tricks of the showbiz trade, nor shown arrogance over his success. Manolis Lidakis continues to run purely on his love for music. Which is why I’ve overcome the initial surprise that struck me – complaint, if you like – as a result of Lidakis’s decision to sidestep new work and release versions of older material. This avenue, presumably, is a safer bet amid these perilous times for the music industry. As declared by the album’s title, this CD contains popular Greek («laika») songs, both old and more recent, from the old-school acts Vassilis Tsitsanis, Apostolos Kaldaras and Yiannis Papaioannou, as well the contemporaries Orpheas Peridis, Socrates Malamas and Dionysis Tsaknis. Lidakis’s wonderful interpretations of their songs sweeps aside any sense of doubt.
