CRIATURAS DA NOITE

This touted classic of Brazilian prog is actually a mixed bag of rock styles of the day, from heavy to psych to folk to symphonic, none of which sound very distinctive or committed to my ears. The group enjoys altering course frequently within these mostly short pieces, but it's much like taking a walk on a sandy beach in bare feet. It's uncomfortable, and for all the shifting you know where you are going to end up anyways..

The strongest material, mostly appearing in the latter half, couldn't be more diverse. While the title cut and "Jogo Das Pedras" successfully ply the sophisto-pop style to be perfected by the yet unformed 14 BIS, the sprawling symphonic epic "1974" is a flawed yet ultimately worthwhile piece that works as a summation of the sub genres triumphs and excesses to that point. True, the earlier and later themes may have been more effective had they been reversed, but it's definitely worth a listen. Comparison points apart from the bigwigs include NEKTAR or even EELA CRAIG.

While even the best on "Criaturas" is far from stellar, the worst isn't all that bad, so, for fear of angering creatures of the night or their fans, I'll round up to 3 stars and say the rosary.