AS CRIANÇAS DA NOVA FLORESTA

"Recordando o Vale das Maçãs" (Remembering Apples Valley) is a brazillian band from seventies. It is destinated for symphonic and folk progressive fans. According their website, this album is called "As Crianças da Nova Floresta II" (The children of the New Forest). It is first edition (1977) plus two singles from 1982. The music sounds like country- rock sometimes with violin and flute, but always progressive. Hear the second track, for example, I do like that song. The lyrics talk about country life, simple way of life to find freedom and happiness, and you will find humour sense there too. The longest track (As Crianças da Nova Floresta) is very close to another brazillian band in the begginig, Azymuth, but soon comes a long flute solo until keyboards, violin and others instruments are added. This song talk about introspective feeling, child vision. In the end, the lyric is sung something like this: "unam suas maos e venham conhecer essas crianças porque essas crianças são vocês" (join your hands and come to know that children, because that children are you), and a female vocal is added..na na nanananana... beautiful! I didn't hear their second album yet. But I know it is more instrumental than this one. Three and half or four stars to this album!

Latin America in general, and Brazil in particular, sported its own back to the earth young folks back in the early 1970s. The vicissitudes of communal life and the music industry being what they were and are, their ideas often were not committed to vinyl until later in the decade or beyond, at which point their sunny optimism was swallowed whole by the prevalent cynicism of the time. One must be careful to judge the whole of the effort independent of its time while still acknowledging the conditions that inspired the artists on their quest. RECORDANDO O VALE DAS MACAS (Memory of Apple Valley) only produced one album in their day, to which several later tracks were added on the CD reissue currently under discussion. It's assuredly a trip back to an era long past, but with timeless virtues to be appreciated in any era - acoustic instrumentation and occasional flourishes, sprightly melodies, and gentle harmonies.

The centerpiece here is "As Crianças da Nova Floresta" which closed the original album, and might be of greatest interest to readers here. However, while it is often brilliant, it is also a bit too much of a collage rather than a suite or an epic, and accentuates how the group was first and foremost a more simple folk/country act with progressive touches. The flutes of guest Domingos Mariotti are worth highlighting, as are the jointly shared vocals, which are lovely in both genders. While linguistically apart, this work recalls the Argentinian 1970s group MAGMA in its deceptive gentility.

The band's strength lay in the less brocaded material, especially the stunning "Besteira", apparently rescued from a trash bin after a moment of frustration. Its twists and turns, flutes, fiddles, and arresting chorus come closest to capturing the coda to a generation. I even hear some Eastern European rhythms. It is the only cut that fully works for me, although everything but the rather disinterested "Olhar De Um Louco" is worth hearing, and the flourishes of a Brazilian country music style in the album opener and the closing bonus track work well. Keyboards generally represent background accompaniment but are clearly informed by the progressive rock of the day.

Recommended for prog folk fans and gentle Latin tinged world music fans, Recordando is a thankfully resurrected memory worth retaining, even if it might not be as essential as your daily apple.

RECORDANDO O VALE DAS MACAS were from Brazil and a fairly large seven piece band at the time of this release back in 1977. Lots of flavours here as we get violin, flute and a variety of keyboards besides the usual instruments which include acoustic and electric guitars. Yes two guitarists here both playing 12 string but one plays acoustic the other electric and we get lots of acoustic guitar on here. In fact this recording comes off as a Folk/ Symphonic affair with male vocals in Portuguese. We get a guest synth player who is on all the songs plus a female singer who is on the final two tracks and she adds a lot. That closer by the way is a side long 18 plus minute suite.

I love how some South American bands bring RPI to mind with those vocals. I really like the male singer here and this is a consistent recording for me with only that third song "Olhar Do Um Louco" bringing me down with it's ballad-like style. The rest make this a strong 4 star record. The opener shines with the acoustic guitar and vocals standing out especially along with the flute. We get violin and flute early on "Besteira" as multi-vocals join in. Again acoustic guitar stands out and we also get piano here.

The final two tracks are my favourites. "Raio De Sol" has the female singer I really like and she's just on the end of the closer as well, so here we get a great listen to her voice. This is so uplifting! Clavinet too! The closer is like I said over 18 minutes and is quite uniform with repeated themes and the style stays the same. Again some uplifting, feel good moments here but man lots of time to stretch out and change tempos etc.

I'm a big fan of this one and it's a solid 4 stars in my book.