EL EFECTO

"Work! Winding up this stupid gear [...]

Come that it's time, don't mess up, don't delay

Not to be left out of the sacrifice line

The train is heading towards the cliff..."

Now let's catch up to the musical review of this work. It starts with a call on vocals, followed by the cavaquinho (some terms or instruments are untranslatable), which is a small acoustic guitar, that along with the piccolo, the acoustic guitar and percussive instruments, are there to present some musical phrasings between the vocal parts. Another instrument that will eventually come along is the cuíca, that is a very important part of the samba guilds/societies. Here they're mixing latin rhythyms woth rock. Nonetheless, vocals are the priority of this composition, with excellent key signatures and fluidity. The instrumental parts get more full-bodied, with the slight participation of a spanish acoustic guitar, before they calm down. The key signature gets slower, a bit romantic, like a pop french tune, with a bit of a jazzy edge. But their making some sarcasm, because the lyrics are telling that all that poetry about a cup of coffee in Paris hides a story of slavery or semi-slavery on the fields of the colonies that provided (and provides) the grains to Europe. They change to a heavier musical cuisine, and the finale has a foot on the symphonic pop-rock.

The second track starts with a cavaquinho on samba style, but more accelerated than we're used to. Vocals keep on being the priority, fortunately they keep up with the inventive and stimulating key signatures. Suddenly they get very hard-rock, but shortly, when they go to a pagode (a musical style, which came from samba) oriented execution, including tambourine, and a bit of chorinho (another musical style). Some moments after this, the rhytmic section becomes more robust, crossing capoeira, jongo (a musical style) with rock. The interpretations of the lyrics become theatrical, and this becomes the maximum priority. They alternate narration with complex vocal harmonies, dialogues, leading vocals with chorus... the metrics of the lyrics are quite impressive. The song grows, rocking, and turns on to a hopeless march. An unassuming song begins, with small participations from the cuíca, banjo and trumpet, all very soft, so as not to overwhelm or compete with the vocals. They g back to the rocky playing, before ending with a hard-rock touch.

There's some maracatu and coco (both musical styles), in a somewhat cheesy interpretation, on the next track, mixed up with a bit of axé (a musical style from Bahia, Brazil). They continue presenting incredible vocal harmonies, and the lyrics refer to the Latin-American Women's Day, as well as the Favela's Day. On it's final moments, this song makes a slow axé, which is brilliant, because here at Brazil we're so used to here it only on an accelerated way, that it's refreshing to capture it in another proposal.

The oriental beginning of the 4th track has everything to do with it's title, "The monk and the business executive". Here's a part of the lyrics:

"A business executive iluminated by the seed of inovation

Calculated that the elevated spirit boosts production

14 hours daily journeys at the sound of tibetan mantras

A way to control anger, sustaining the Empire(s) [...]

Crossing martial arts with noeliberal ideas

To aniquilate the rivals on the capital markets [...]

Very oriental, a white fake tale".

Musically, smooth fingerings on the instruments, and a moderate percussion establish the first third of the composition. Therefore they change to some reggae-rock. And the type of singing gains speed, remembering, for me, rap elements. With some subtleties on cadences and key signatures. Well, after that they mix up all these elements with some pop too.

Melancholic melodies on acoustic guitar and chant are an all of the next song. Clarinet, clarone (very similar to clarinet) and flute create an intimate and gloomy mood. A soft jongo, on a slow cadence, is carried on. Some classical music tunes are performed on the clarinet. Nothing new when I say that the vocals are the main aspect of the composition, and the music is serving them.

I couldn't identify which rhythym opens the 6th track, but I'm sure it's afro-brazilian. This time they don't vary much the key signatures, cadences and arrangements. So, IMO, it soon becomes repetitive. Otherwise, on it's last third, some key signatures become crimsonian, before they change to an accelerated samba-rock. On this part vocals are narrated and dramatic.

A fast-paced, almost prog-metal, playing, is the introduction of the last track. A heavily pachydermic bass, the hard kicking of the bass drum and the almost-yelling vocals, guarantuee this sound. The guitar is nervous. Unexpectedly they stop, and in their place velvety vocals appear. Calmly the sound mass grows, with the help of the cymbals. Percussive elements are fabulously added. And it turns up that they return to the prog-metal vein.

So much musical languages gathered together is admirable, specially because its full of great arrangements, showing a very mature musicality, and an encyclopedic knowledge of rhythyms. However, at least for me its confusing and stands two or three degrees below on cohesion. I also don't like works that submit the instrumental too much to the vocals. My final note is 3.7. On the other hand, I don't want to be unfair with this effort. So, as a matter of justice, I'll share with the reader that this album received the prize of best album of the year, according to some specialized magazines.

Musically, it begins with a romantic path, that quickly expands to a Forrock (it's how brazilian people call the cross between rock and forró, a traditional kind of music from northeast of Brazil), like a heavier Alceu Valença, with guitar, triangle, acoustic guitar and flute. The bass contributes wonderfully to the composition. The vocals are like a call, a cry. A little of swing can be felt throughout all the instrumental parts. A spectacular acoustic guitar sews the other instruments on the smoother parts. The brief interventions of the guitar are precise, and there are some delicious moments that reminds Alceu Valença's interpretations for frevo (a musical brazilian style). The lyrics are simple but genius. Starts narrating that many cangaceiros are together, and

"Suddenly a fuss bothers the whole group [ver se vai ser o caso de eu substuituir group por outra palavra]

A train crosses the sky and lands on the ground

From the big tin vulture, sorrounded by many men

A foreigner and his tie descends speaking on the phone

The gents all in black, future sending a plague"

The security guards threaten to run them away. Eike intervene: "- Forgive the rudeness of my employee

I'm a civilized man, abhor agression

I bring a signed paper, value for transparency

The land is in fact mine. The government held an auction"

Eike offers an indemnity, and behold Lampião retorts: "If you like X, one more X you'll take on my 'whixper' that says XISPA (RUN)!

And the folks with their ties ran away

Got in the tin vulture and took thy shadows very far"

Some more untranslatable and brilliant rhymes are sung. Musically, they execute a tenebrous xote (a brazilian musical genre). This song also seems to me as an irrefutable homage to a profession in Brazil called repentistas, artists who duel themselves improvising verses and songs. This is a trully memorable track! By far the best of the album.

The following track opens with reggae, and quikly develops to a hard-rock, engrafting some elements of coco. Clarinet makes great short interventions, and the guitar exhibits gorgeous phrasings. Robust and complex vocal and poli-vocal harmonies are also present, which are enrichened by some tape effects. More to the end a sensual trumpet reminds me a bit of tango. And before its closure there is this consistent alternation between reggae and rock, with some pieces of maracatu (a musical genre) and calypso.

Third track is very melodic, with a soft-pop-jazz interpretation. They make a bright, biting and impactful use of evangelical/catholic clichés that circulate among the humble common people. This is this song's biggest triumph, along with the outstanding alternation between vocalists, and the precise choose of the moments with backing vocals and/or chorus. On its middle there is some rock, but generally the musicality is more towards a ballad vibe. There are moments when the vocals produce some singing expressions similar to the way brazilian evangelical pastors adress the faithful, almost shouting, or shouting, phrases of impact taken from the Bible. Once again, about the sound, on its second half there's a bit of MPB.

A lullaby sustains the introduction of the 4th track. A very heavy bass is on the next part of this music, with unexpected key signatures. Reminds me a hard mangue-beat (a brazilian musical subgenre). Suddenly they go back to the lullaby. Velvety vocals participate, what makes a contrast with the pachydermic bass. A firm march marks the transition to another part, that seems to me as a Gentle Giant with an acoustic mood.

Prelúdio em HD, a short one, is on african vocal style (I can't identify more precisely the genre).

The following track has reggae and specially calypso. The bass playing delivers superb pulls on the strings. Somewhere it gets a bit heavier. And on the second half, kind of rocky. The lyrics aren't so inspired now. Very close to its shutdown, it turns to a considerably more energetic performance.

Rock is the main musical style on the 7th track. But its full of stops, on a way that the composition gets confusing, and it doesn't mesh. This is the weakest song of this disc, because the lyrics are also faint.

Next track has a gentil and symphonic suit of brass section. The title, "Spring Consecration", may suggest something linked to Stravinsky, but I didn't identify no connection. Ironically, for my audition, the impression is that, with exception to the start, the phrasings don't fit one to another, and when it looks like it's going to get better, it doesn't.

The last song has a firm rock, with a celebrative spirit. Nice riffs on guitars, and consistent vocal harmonies. Some serene passages, kind of soft-pop, are delivered. More to the ending it turns to a more circus-oriented mood, it's the moment when they play a tasty swing, with jestful rhytmic guitar, trumpet and trombone. Lyrics have some bright snippets.

This effort may please a lot a bunch of rock fans, at least the ones who appreciate the eclectic side of this musical genre. And it will definitely captivate those who enjoy the cross between rock and latin-american music. It's not my case, I'm into prog rock and some hard-rock. This is why I'll give it a 3.3.