ACIDENTE

Very good!!! Instrumental, but very memorable , even CATCHY prog from South America. Reminding me of DREAM THEATER and GENESIS sometimes - not much bombastic and professional ,but sincere and emotional. Some national flavour is added in 6th track due to ethnic percussion. Syncopation in closing track is so driving!!! The longest track ("Factotum") has several awesome bits - I dare to regard them as classical ones for a Prog fan. Proggers should not miss this album!I wonder why it is in Prog- Related category - this is superb Art-Rock record, Sympho Prog meets Hard Rock I'd say! Highly recommended to any Prog fan; almost the same way beautiful as QUATERNA REQUIEM - another South-American highlight and a recent discovery of mine!!!

There were two different versions of this Brazilian band, ACIDENTE. The first version, from its 1978 formation (although their debut was released until 1981) until its 1987 breakup, was said to be a straightforward rock band. Then the second version was from 1989 onward, in which they went the prog rock route. The only thing these two versions had in common with is keyboardist Paolo Malária (that really is his name, I'm not making it up!).

When the band reunited in '89, Malária recruited bassist Jarbas Loop, guitarist Zunga Ezzeat, and drummer Bruno Mega, and the result is this album, "Em Caso de Acidente Quebre Este Disco" (Portuguese for "In case of accident, break this record), released early in 1990. This band was obviously trying to recapture the glory of the '70s prog scene, but there are a few problems too. Malária's keyboard setup is crap, for the most part, it mostly sound like a bunch of plastic toy keyboards with such a ridiculously thin sound, not to mention he's apparently using a digital piano rather than a real one. But at least the band still tried to make some pretty decent '70s style prog that won't offend '70s fans (aside from third rate keyboards).

Nothing really original or mindblowing, or complex, but its effective for what it is. But of real special interest in bassist Jarbas Loop. He applies the slap bass technique in a prog rock context. It's a little unusual to hear slap bass in prog rock (other than, occasionally, Klaus-Peter Matziol's work with ELOY, such as parts of "Ocean" and "Planets"), one usually associate it with Flea of RED CHILI PEPPERS, Larry Graham from SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, and various assorted other bassists from funk groups, or groups influenced by funk (like RED CHILI PEPPERS, PRIMUS, FAITH NO MORE, etc.).

Anyway, it's nice to see someone using the slap bass technique in a genre of music not generally considered funky. I am certain that "Em Caso de Acidente" is not one of Brazil's better prog rock albums, but its decent enough, despite the shortcomings.