MATT ELLIOTT - The Mess We Made (2003)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Alex Alex

Labels such as “incredibly sad” or “probably the saddest album ever” were stuck upon The Mess We Made like they’ve been welded. The album was also labeled as an electronic music album by a dark folk guitarist and singer from England. Too many labels, huh? And pointing to the same sad thing. I braced myself. 

“Let it play, already!”  - My mind screamed.

However, when I first listened to the record, I didn’t find it as depressive as it seems. Strange. It was the right moment, the mood was there. After waiting for a while, I opened a beer at a particularly cloudy dawn. 

“Let it play, again!” - I needed to try once more.  And I did. 

Matt Elliott’s oeuvre is an amazing piece of art. Technically, he’s amazing. Complete instrumentals, be it either creative riffs who never get too much repetitive or cohesive melodies whose progression and tempo flows like a cold winter breeze. Yeah, the labels were kinda right. It is, by all means, a completely sad record. It was imagined that way, designed that way, recorded that way. I can picture Mr. Elliott reminiscing at a particularly cloudy british day, lazily strumming his guitar and getting ideas for those melancholic riffs and vocals. Lyrics point to the same place as well, always full of loneliness and regret but, as every sad album should have, there’s the “light at the end of the tunnel” in the track “The Sinking Ship Song”.

Full instrumental tracks, distorted vocals, melancholic lyrics and melodies are the labels I give to The Mess We Made. Strangely, a potential candidate to “the saddest album ever” didn’t made me sad. Instead, I found myself thinking about what inspires Elliott to compose like this, to express himself that way. I checked some of his other works and these moods were there over and over again. Regardless of the themes, his contemplative melancholy seems omnipresent like he is a man with one single intention, to pass these feelings on. After all, art is supposed to make you feel something, right? 

ANGRA - Aqua (2010)

Reviewed by: Schuyler L.

Assigned by: Victor Guimarães

It’s November the 9th, 11:48 AM, and I’m listening to sounds of “Aqua” by the band Angra. It’s raining, I have a lurking feeling of nausea that won’t go, and this sincerely feels like the worst day possible to be living in the free country of U.S.A.

According to Wikipedia, Angra plays a mix of power and progressive metal and are from Brazil, so hats off (to Roy Harper), ‘cause they must have really cornered the market in that area. This is ostensibly a concept album, but fucked if I know what’s going on here. 

The music is loud, with barely any correlation between various sections whatsoever, and not the kind of thing I would listen to on any given day. Basically, we have this formula: brief sound collage-ism -> loud ‘n’ fast -> piano ballad motif -> more loud ‘n’ fast -> some namby-pamby constipated on the toilet -> acoustic guitar -> even more loud ‘n’ fast -> choral motifs -> WAIT, A FUCKING SITAR FOR A SECOND????

So it’s pretty much self-evident that, despite a few nice parts (the instrumental bits where they don’t focus so much on loud 'n' fast), this is not a good work in my view – and this has nothing to do with my foul mood at the present moment in time, I assure you!

Yes, despite some indubitably excellent drumming, bass-playing, and guitar noodles, I am very sorry to say that this recording sounds like dog shit. The cymbals are always floating away into the ether, the toms and snares sound incredibly brickwalled, the singer’s voice is placed obnoxiously at the forefront of the mix…

In fact, there’s such an alarming lack of studio ambiance I’m tempted to believe it was recorded in the singer’s asshole.

Still, there is an inspiring quote to be found in “Rage of the Waters”, the fifth track, which sort of stuck out a bit more than any of the other lyrics did, to my highly distracted and suggestible mind:

“So long, it took me to learn

Surging waves can take all your hope

But when the torment ends, comes the calm

There's no reason to despair, no!”

Well, that really just popped my cherry. And now we’ve got a president who does that without people’s permission, ha-ha! I’m actually looking forward to it, four or more years of people screaming their heads off and getting all naked and free and united and kissing and loving and enjoying each other and LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS AND ASS AND LIPS

THE MICROPHONES - It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water (2000)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Alex Smith

The Microphones is that kind of experimental band that would not be easy to find, even in experimental circles. Phil Elvrum, the creative genius responsible for this madness, is definitely something out of the ordinary — for whatever reason one may consider, be it a positive or a negative reason. 

But as I want to be objective tonight, It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water is a big art, experimental rock album. It sounds great, it never gets boring, but ok, it could be tiring, even if just a bit. The listener can appreciate some of the basic rock song structures, with guitars, basses and drums, while getting amazed by Phil’s musical idea of telling a story. Yeah, conceptual for you. Or it seemed so to me. The album flows smooth, full of lyrical metaphors and their corresponding sounds, creating a hazy atmosphere orchestrated by elements as different as electronic beats, synthesizers and organs, plus his very nice voice, dual male/female vocal parts, production-added traits, such as the distinctive sound of wind blowing, and noises, noise-pop style. The main song structure is very good as well. Good melodies, smart riffs, yadayada. 

After listening to it once, I dug a bit and found that there are some noticeable tributes to Eric’s Trip and other minor inspirations from many other sources. For me, the album sounded quite original and I got the feeling the big Phil added his touch to everything. I respect his way of doing things. And I may say I admire his work. And maybe his madness. Anyone around who’s got the same liking for a well-organized musical journey, in a progressive, creative fashion could take the bait and listen to Elvrum’s insanity. It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water is a good way to start.

REGINALDO ROSSI - Mon Amour, Meu Bem, Ma Femme (2012)

Review by: Ed Luo
Album assigned by: Victor Guimarães  

 

 

So as this record showcased here is a little outside my boundaries, this review's going a be a tad short. Reginaldo Rossi was known in Brazil as the "king of Brega" - a style of Brazilian popular music characterized by a sense of melodramatic flair in the singing and its particular appeal to the lower-class population. This compilation album, which presumably covers Rossi's most well-known songs (most of them released in the 1980s), is a nice collection of assorted three-to-four minute mini-dramas, mostly of the romantic nature guessing by some of the song titles. Musically speaking the songs vaguely remind me of early-to-mid 1960s European mainstream pop, with rock-style instrumentation, occasional orchestration and a singer in the forefront giving their all. I don't feel I'm exactly qualified to choose any highlights, but the title track (coincidentally the earliest song in this album, released in 1972) seems like a prime example of this sort of music.

THE FLAMING LIPS - Clouds Taste Metallic (1995)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Syd Spence

“So, it was a warm spring evening when I arrived at Oklahoma City to see its most famous band: The Flaming Lips. And in this hometown-comeback concert, they’re playing Clouds Taste Metallic in full! Wow, can’t wait for that!”

Gods, I surely wanted to have said that sentence just above. And to have lived it as well - you know what they say about the amazing experience that is a Lips concert? Something like 50 bands to see before you (or they) die. But, unfortunately, all that I got was the pleasure of restraining myself to online streaming players. Damn! 

Ok, everyone knows the band, right? Americans, heavily inspired by psychedelic culture and known for their sound experimentations from the 80s to this day. Cool, huh? Clouds Taste Metallic is their seventh album, the last to feature guitarist Ronald Jones, and the last guitar-oriented, traditional rock based album. So, expect lots of good rock songs, all of them as short as 4 minutes, and all sporting great spirit. Expect well-thought melodies, those whose drum tempos, bass lines, guitar solos were precisely orchestrated to fit in together with the smart free-verse singing and bring specific emotions to the listener. Now, add the spaced, poetic, metaphorical lyrics and you’ve got the recipe for a great album.

Well, no one is expected to be spared from criticism, right? I could say the songs are too short, that they could’ve been done in a better, most complex way. Or that the lyrics are, in its majority, too metaphorical, too indirect, in such a way that a full comprehension will require some mindwork from the average listener. No, it’d all be wimpy criticism. One could also say the album is too simple. Come on! They are the 'good simple', with discrete touches of geniality all over the album. For me, those small, discontinuous, but ever-present displays of great ideas is exactly what (and one of the many ways that) distinguishes a great composition from a good one. But even with all that praise, I still got the feeling that there was something amiss in Clouds Taste Metallic. As I write those final lines of this review, after listening to the album a couple of times, I still hadn’t figured out what I think they missed. 

At last, don’t fool yourself with doubts or second thoughts: great album from a great band. What more could I say? I wished I’d seen ‘em live!

LIMP BIZKIT - Results May Vary (2003)

Review by: Eric Pember
Album assigned by: Victor Guimarães

I was originally going to do an entire Pitchfork-style (but better, hopefully) review, putting this in a cultural context and dissecting the sound and influences of the record. However, one major obstacle got in the way of that: This album is unexpectedly boring.

 

If you made a playlist of radio rock songs of the era, songs from this album wouldn’t stick out from the rest at all, except in a bad way if the next song played was like The White Stripes or The Strokes or something else that stuck out from the general nu-metal sound of the era.

My general take on this kind of music is usually that it’s kinda interesting for one track, but quickly gets dull. This album is definitely no exception.

Durst hardly even raps for most of the album, except for some generic boast lines on Gimmie the Mic. If he did, the album would at least give me some unintentional amusement. 

Instead, he gives the mic to Snoop Dogg on Red Light-Green Light. Dogg has been involved in a lot of bad music (as well as some good, to be fair) over the years. You would think the combination of two infamous personalities in Durst and Dogg would lead to something interesting, but no, the track is just as boring as the other tracks on the album, only it’s boring rap instead of boring rock.

Mercifully, the album starts to become kinda interesting towards its end. After some more generic boast rap on Phenomenon, Creamer (Radio Is Dead) starts asserting the arrogant Durst we all know and ironically love/unironically loathe, even if the sung vocals are still a bit too generic. 

Head For The Barricade is all rapped vocals and screaming and Durst vowing that he’ll literally physically attack his haters, which is honestly the kind of thing I expected from the whole record before listening to it. If listening to it separately, I would probably just start laughing but in this context I’m relieved to have something to write about after all the generic radio rock I was just forced to sit through.

After that comes the infamous cover of The Who’s Behind Blue Eyes. The song was already pretty pompous in its original version, but Daltrey somehow managed to pull it off. Needless to say, Durst takes the pomp and makes it the entire song, which just makes it sound hilarious. I know I just said I wasn’t ready to laugh, but the Speak-N-Spell in the bridge got me.

Drown is supposed to give a cathartic end to the album, but it unfortunately sums it up: Durst intended to break his personal mold, but by that point he had no idea of how music had evolved outside of his bubble, so he just ended up assimilating himself into the mold of everyone else around him.

KISS - Dynasty (1979)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: B.b. Fultz

KISS don’t need an introduction: they are just too famous. Either for their iconic face paintings or for the infamous claims of making a band just to get laid and making money. Another very famous feature of KISS's career is the amount of criticism of their music, for being too commercial, full of clichés (all types one can imagine) and with all songs seeming to be radio-formatted to be potential hits.

After a hard, but successful time in the 70s and a temporary split in which all band members recorded solo albums, came Dynasty. It’s a bit sad to say, but Dynasty is an album to which these critics from above could be easily applied. One might want to burn me at a stake, but the album is not all bad. It’s got its good points, such as the megahit “I Was Made For Loving You” and some other OK songs, and despite the musical generality and lack of creativity there are also some cool instrumentals and passages here and there. Criticizing it is far easier as the record isn’t as entertaining as it would seem (although not as bad as other KISS albums) and could even be labeled as boring. Songs - melodies, lyrics, choruses, etc - and production - yes, including the recording-added effects and such - are all too mainstream, too pop-oriented for my taste, as it looks like the album is trying to please the audience first, and then making true, quality rock music. 

After two paragraphs with almost nothing but criticism to the comic-heroes band, I gotta say that KISS do have their positive traits. And if you think I’m going crazy, just try to see them live. I did, and it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to, with nothing but great performances and production. And while it’s true that I find their discography quite lacking in general, they are, for me, the very definition of a you-love-to-hate band. Dynasty is not KISS's best album, or even a good album as it would score above-average at most, depending on the reviewer’s parameters for what is average, but it’s still a listenable 70s hard rock album.

A YEAR IN MUSIC: ANGRA - Secret Garden (2014)

A YEAR IN MUSIC: 2014
Review by: Victor Guimarães

OK, I reckon that if you’re not a metal enthusiast, it’s unlikely you know Angra. But let me give you a short intro to this Brazilian metal band. With a name inspired in the Goddess of Fire of Tupiniquim indigenous people, Angra is a power metal band, with traces of progressive rock and heavy metal, in a NWOBHM way. Like fellow brazilian death/thrash metal giant Sepultura, Angra constantly brings new, different sounds into their music, augmenting their musical depth as well as not limiting themselves from most rock and metal clichés. Inspiration for Angra’s music varies, ranging from classical music, strongly present in albums, such as Angels Cry and Rebirth, to sounds from traditional and popular Brazilian genres, as one can see in Holy Land and Temple of Shadows. Angra always seemed to follow a very parnassian style of making music, so expect strong technical performances in every instrument and vocals. So, acquaintances made? Alright?

Secret Garden is their seventh studio album, the first to feature vocalist Fabio Lione, who is originally from Italian power metal band, Rhapsody of Fire. This album was criticized by part of the fanbase, as it sounded quite differently from what Angra used to sound. Personally, I didn’t find it any worse than their previous works, only different in its essence. And what’s the issue? The normally strong but melodic metal, with heavy songs and some ballads here and there was turned into something a bit more experimental. Yes, Angra went on and experimented, resulting in a somewhat different sound, although not far from its roots. OK, it’s not like they were as bold, as alternative or even experimented as much as 70s art-rockers - Secret Garden is not the prince of metal innovation, but it’s a clear big push on traditional power metal boundaries. Apart from some classical-Angra songs full of speedy power metal, strong melodies, passages and riffs, expect a lot more of progressive traits, such as tempo-changing, and complex instrumentation and also other characteristics, such as some crescendos, ballads, use of percussion and classical themes. Another great feature were the mood changes from previious albums and take note of the amazing guest singing of Simone Simons (from Epica) and Doro Pesch (Warlock, solo).

Finally (and not wanting to make myself much longer), I had my reasons for liking Secret Garden. It’s true that I’m a long-time Angra fan and a strong metal enthusiast, but the key feature that really made me put this album over many other 2014 great albuns was the way it exceeded my expectations. Secret Garden was different from many new albums of long-loved bands, who were just newer versions of the same (Angra included). In this effort, while searching for something new, they were beyond their rational parnassian music-making: It was a creative, future-seeker effort, much more emotional and human than most of their previous works. Yes, it might be a bit difficult to digest sometimes, or even a little boring for non-metal listeners, but don’t doubt: it’s worth your time! Believe me, listen to it to its end, and then, listen again, focusing on its great instrumentals and imagine what kind of potential was unveiled from this experience. If this surprising album that made a pessimistic long-time fan replay the record over and over again doesn’t make you, rock/metal fan, interested or any music-lover curious, I’ll be surprised with what would make.

THE POP GROUP - Y (1979)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Jonathan Moss

Despite loving arty, experimental, psychedelic music, I never had a good relationship with post-punk. It’s complicated. It’s a genre that has everything I rationally like in music, and I’m still not a big-time fan. Do you remember that amazing girl (or guy) you met that time? That one, yeah, who was stunning, charming, brilliant, funny and even had the same habits and hobbies as you… but you two just couldn’t get along. Yeah, it’s a bit sad. It’s complicated. I know I just illustrated it with your kind of everyday lame comparison, but it illustrates well my relationship with the movement. With The Pop Group, one of the great early vanguardists within the genre, it wouldn’t be that different. 

After lots of ideas, experimentation and recording a single, on a nice day in 1979, there came Y, The Pop Group’s debut album. Listening to it is like having a good definition of post-punk: no clear definition, no rules. It’s got a rock approach made clear by some bass and drums lines and some guitar riffs, but there are too many elements of funk, electronic music and psychedelia, with spaces for folkier stuff, piano plays, changes in tempo and different ways of singing within the album or even in the same song. With that big primordial musical soup, it’s a bit hard for one to consider it a “true”, standard rock-n-roll album. But, hey! Who said this lack of rules is a downside? No one! It is exactly this adventurous way of making music what made post-punk pass the test of time with flying colors and The Pop Group one of the laureates of that class.

Well, to make it brief: regardless of my relationship with the genre, Y is a great album. It’s well done, it’s well thought, it’s creative, it’s not boring, it’s definitely not cliché. It may be a little repetitive sometimes. Or even too arty, too noisy and too difficult to digest for the untrained ear. But don’t let it intimidate you: it’s worth your time. Maybe that girl (or guy) was for you and not for me.

JETHRO TULL - Aqualung (1971)

Review by: Irfan Hidayatullah
Album assigned by: Victor Guimarães

A must for every prog lover. But I guess you know it already.

That seems to be the general critics’ assessment for this album, although frankly, apart from the title track or “My God” these songs are not really prog, at least not in my opinion — most of them are hard rock/folk rock with medieval styling, and somewhat unconventional chord progressions. (Maybe that's what they meant by “prog”?) What they did may seem simple on paper, marrying hard rock with folk/medieval motives, but nobody back in 1971 did this stuff, at least when it comes to major prog rock stars — Yes were busy complexizing its music, ELP went straight to the classical genre, basically continuing The Nice's legacy, King Crimson were sucking free jazz influences, and Genesis (with whom they have *arguably* things in common the most) lacked hard-rocking energy, concentrating instead on mellotrons, twelve-strings acoustic textures, and some pretty pretty music. But I digress.

Anyway, for such a classic album, I was surprised there’s a relative lack of diversity. Relative, because there’s at least distinctions between “epics”, relatively normal songs, and pretty acoustic links. But somehow it gets pretty tiring, at least to me, around tenth track or so. Maybe because of similar instrumentations and mood between the harder rocking songs — of course, you could argue that Genesis’ Selling England by the Pound, immaculate as it was, also didn't change much in terms of instrumentations — but it still sounds exciting to my ears, while Aqualung drags in places, even if none of the songs suck or something.

“Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath” are the most well-known songs off this album, and quite deservedly so, even though I’d be pressed hard to tell what makes these songs stand out from the others. But those are not the only good songs off the album — I somehow also favour “Up to Me”, with its menacing riff, and “Hymn 43”, where the stop-and-start riff manages to sound almost funky (!) in its own way, and of course, “My God”, even though I still don’t know what to do with the mid-section. Is it a brilliant medieval-styled flute solo or just a pointless instrumental section? You tell me...

Still, the songs are good, the riffs are well written, and the album as a whole still sounds fresh today; even though the progressive influences might have been exaggerated, it is still arguably one of the most unique art-rock creations of its day.

KAIPA - In the Wake of Evolution (2010)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

After listening to In the Wake of Evolution for the first time, I had one single word in my mind: amazing. And that statement wouldn’t even be completely true, as I was bedazzled by the record since the very first song — way before it was finished. Advancing through the record, Kaipa showed their high-leveled arty, progressive, sophisticated rock, with creative melodies and outstanding instrumentals. Expect creative guitars, great percussion, tempo changes, beautiful keyboards and even flutes, violins and some folk elements, other than lots of sounds that were probably added in the mixing part. Now, add these elements to their trippy, folky approach and we’ve got something great. For me, In the Wake of Evolution, sounded like a folkier, more peace-and-nature (but a bit less progressive) Dream Theater. Which is a great compliment coming from a hard DT fan.

As a man who’s never believed in love at first sight, I gave the record another run. This time paying more attention to its details and lyrics. Kaipa explores similar themes in all songs, seeking inner peace and harmony from nature as well as dealing with changes in life or in the world with different approaches depending of the song: sometimes reflective, sometimes mourning, sometimes critical. 

The second run also opened room for criticism: as it seems, they tend to repeat some riffs and passages in some songs, and I feel the lack of a more cohesive element in the album, between the songs, to make the album flow smoother. For the lyrics and themes, as metaphorical and philosophical as it might look, the feeling I got was always a bit empty. 

Finally, if I need to point a song or two, I’d pick the amazing bass, progression and melody in “The World Are Like Leaves” and the timeless sensation from the passages and guitars in the nature-contemplating epic, “Electric Power Notes”. Great songs, which deserve a chance to introduce you to this amazing work of art.

And what about Kaipa? A band who has just came and it’s already fighting for a window seat? A quick look shows this is another great band from Sweden! Both Odin and King Carl Gustaf must be very proud of their blessed countrymen (and countrywomen). Further reading revealed that the band was formed in the 70s, undergone name changes, had players who left the band, formed their own musical group, and then returned only to leave again. After a reunion in ‘02, they kept the magic on, composing and touring up to present day. Which I hope they consider passing through South America in their next venture.

In short, In the Wake of Evolution is an outstanding album that caught me from its first notes and left me wanting more at the end. Now, Kaipa’s got a new fan. If you’re fond of brainy, arty, sophisticated progressive rock with a light mood, give this album a try. You might become a fan, too.

BIRTH CONTROL - Operation (1971)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Roland Bruynesteyn

Birth Control was the kind of band that simply refused to give up, always stubborn and persistent - just like a baby who comes in although all contraceptive methods you try to use. (Hahaha. Really?) And why am I saying that? Formed by the union of two other bands whose titles hail from high-society, the Earls and the Gents, the band initially had seven members who, curiously, were all out within five years. The band managed to survive due to the work of two replacement members, Bernd Noske (drums, later vocals) and Bruno Frenzel (guitars), who built the german prog band’s legacy. Frenzel died in 83, and the group disbanded afterwards, but it came back 10 years later, with only Noske remaining from the previous formation. Birth Control kept playing, recording and touring until Noske’s death in 2014. Dunno about you, but for me, that’s great tenacity.

Recorded in 1971, Operation is Birth Control’s second studio album, and it brought more of the good old progressive rock from the 70s. It originally consisted of six tracks, but when it was re-released in 1997, five more tracks from related singles were added. I’m quite honest when I say that the very first time I listened to Birth Control, I was caught completely off guard. The first song, “Stop, Little Lady”, overwhelmed me with sound, and the album kept its high-level progressive, bluesy, aggressive vibe the whole time. Sometimes it looked like something from a blues king from the past, in other moments, it looked like some lost in time, never recorded Yes song. Maybe a reinvented Led Zeppelin? Or a King Crimson from Berlin? Maybe a slower, more progressive Deep Purple? Needless to say, the instrumentals are amazing - Frenzel’s guitar is impeccable in its riffs and solos, bass and drums are taken more than seriously, giving all that prog tempo we love and add majestic keyboards as well. It’s worth mentioning the good use of synthesizers, too. Now cook it all together and serve with the great melodies they picked and we’ve got the recipe for success. The vocals don’t fall behind either, although the singer’s timbre reminds me of something punkier. Still haven’t found why.

As for themes, just when reading the tracklist, I thought it was a big concept album about some random dude who got a girl pregnant (by the first four tracks) and they went in to have an abortion (tracks 5 and 6). Adding the ‘97 release tracks, it even looked like the Operation had gone wrong (tracks 7, 8), but they somehow fixed everything (tracks 9 and 10) and in the end, the coupled started using a Birth Control method (final track). Check and see if you agree: 

Original tracks (1971):

Stop, Little Lady

Just Before the Sun Will Rise

The Work Is Done

Flesh and Blood

Pandemonium

Let Us Do It Now

Bonus Tracks on the Repertoire release 1997:

Hope (Single A-Side 1970)

Rollin' (Single B-Side 1970)

The Work Is Done (Single A-Side 1971)

What's Your Name (Single A-Side 1972)

Believe in the Pill (Single B-Side 1972)

This time, I got disappointed: no concept. Was I expecting too much from a 70s progressive rock band?? Nevertheless, the lyrics are nice, covering topics like changes, hopes, confusions and problems in life, some love songs, the heavy feeling of guilt of someone who killed a child in Vietnam war and last (in both tracklist and in this enumeration) but definitely not least, a song about BIRTH CONTROL! Literally! 

For spotlights, I dare say the album as whole is a spotlight. But being a bit less (or a bit more?) partial, I’d put a star on “The Work Is Done” and “Let Us Do It Now”.

Yeah, Birth Control really caught me. A lot more than when it was introduced in sex ed classes. (Hahaha. Again?! Really?) Really. If you’re fan of progressive rock, or of 70s rock, or if you’re looking for something new or if you just like good music, Operation is your call. 

AMASON - Sky City (2015)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Nina A.

“Unity makes strength” is a common saying pretty much everywhere. In music, this concept could be easily applied for bands, finding one of its possible pinnacles in supergroups. If some random guys/gals from nowhere could gang up and create, say, the Beatles, what would happen if already acclaimed musicians gang up for a gig? Examples are everywhere, from Cream to Avantasia to O Grande Encontro and to Amason. This swedish supergroup features members of other prominent musical groups, such as: guitarist Gustav Ejstes (Dungen), keyboardist Pontus Winnberg (Miike Snow/Bloodshy and Avant), drummer Nils Törnqvist and bassist Petter Winnberg (both from Little Majorette) and vocalist Amanda Bergman (who seems to have an independent career herself, but performing with some other names).

It’s true that ABBA days are gone and Sweden is now known for exporting famous DJs, such as Swedish House Mafia or Avicii, but nevertheless, the viking-descendants, Odin-blessed norse people had never ceased to amaze us with great works and Sky City, Amason’s debut album is a very good example. The record, featuring lyrics in both English and Swedish, is an alternative, indie rock album who surely live up to its title as I believe the group’s intention was to make you trip higher and higher towards their sky city. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not the classical high, drug-induced vibe, but something ethereal and dreamy, with different moods, sometimes happy, sometimes sad or reflective. From a critical standpoint, the album is very good, with creative instrumentals and great melodies, with riffs, beats, bridges and choruses that fit perfectly together with great vocals (from both Bergman and Ejstes) to create their stratospheric vibes. When it comes to lyrics, it wasn’t uncommon for me to stop a song and think “have I heard it all right?" or "whaddahell do they mean?” Expect lots of metaphors and symbolism on the themes of love, depression, escaping, finding oneself, a bit of lunacy and even some criticism to capitalism. 

Formed in 2012, Amason is a young band - and a supergroup - composed of talented and experienced musicians who did a very good job in their first album working together. Sky City is the kind of record to listen to dream while awake and, while it’s probably not the best of the Swedes to rock a party (Avicii might be a better choice), it is definitely a great recommendation.

MUNDO LIVRE S/A - O Outro Mundo de Manuela Rosário (2004)

Review by: Roland Bruynesteyn
Album assigned by: Victor Guimarães

Completely new to me, so Wikipedia to the rescue: “The mangue bit or manguebeat movement is a cultural movement created circa 1991 in the city of Recife in Northeast Brazil in reaction to the cultural and economical stagnation of the city. The movement largely focuses on music, mixing regional rhythms of Brazilian Northeast, such as maracatu, frevo, coco and forró, with rock, hip hop, funk and electronic music”.

Now technically this may be correct, who knows, but this particular album sounds way more traditional to me. Not bad, as I like Brazilian music, whether it’s easy listening bossa nova (Bonfá / Jobim / Gilberto) or somewhat more challenging (Os Mutantes to Milton Nascimiento).

On first hearing there is a slightly fusionish quality, mainly because the bass is played rhythmically somewhat simpler (or American/European) and the percussion a bit more complex (and sometimes synthetic). Also, there are indeed some hip hop elements in the percussion, and in little repetitive elements (often just a few bars) in the music. A good example is the fourth song, “Azia Amazônica”: the acoustic guitar and the vocals have this generic Brazilian relaxed vibe, but the percussion is not traditional. A minute in, an electric guitar joins and the singing changes into something more chanting like. All in all, the song is not totally unlike recent Mutantes work, like Full Metal Jack.

The next song, “E A Vida Se Fez De Louca”, on the other hand starts with almost scratching percussion, before the acoustic guitars and vocal and the “monkeys in the jungle” (don’t know that instrument, but it appears a lot in Latin music). This song is nice, but rather generic, updated bossa nova to my ears. The same goes for “Caiu A Ficha”, although the talking part and the overly pathetic singing are somewhat overdone. Talking seems their preferred way of singing as it returns in some other songs as well.

“Embustation (atitude de C...é R...)” works very nicely with a dobro-like guitar and a marching bass line. “O Outro Mundo De Xicão Xucuru” sounds like an updated Gal Costa song, albeit sung/spoken by a man. A nice song!

The other songs are generally in the same vein: some bossa nova type ballads and some up tempo songs with watered down Brazilian feel and sometimes quite aggressive guitar or synthetic percussion. It IS quite long, and if you’re not into Brazilian music of any type, stay away. For me it’s a revelation in a way, and I’m sure to acquire some music by this group!

A YEAR IN MUSIC: IRON MAIDEN - The Number of the Beast (1982)

A YEAR IN MUSIC: 1982
Review by: Victor Guimarães

It is widely known the importance of the eighties to music, specially to rock music. Ok, it was the age of the synthesizers, new age and electro-music, but also the decade who gave a great name to modern metal. Yeah, I know metal is from before the 80s with some heavier songs here and there and great bands already in the 70s, such as Led Zeppelin (which while one can argue about the metal label, they've been truly influential to the genre, one of its biggest progenitors), Black Sabbath and Judas Priest (those two are indeed metal), among others. The (arguably) loudest, most distorted and meanest derivation of rock music, metal was, in the 80s, getting independent from its blues and psychedelic origins while also drinking from the same cup as the punk movement. Those influences helped to create a new kind of intensity, fast and aggressive, which gave birth to the widely known and loved New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM, for short), a movement whose most expressive and famous band is Iron Maiden.

The Number of the Beast is Maiden's third album, the first to feature vocalist Bruce Dickinson and a milestone for the band, as its commercial and critical success made the british headbangers soar as much as any metal band before them could. It was so famous that contributed for opening the market for the genre and spreading the movement around the world, inspiring other great names, such as Helloween and Metallica. And while the album's name, cover art and some of the lyrics inspired some rumors about the band being satanic (which was corroborated by some strange incidentes that happened while the band was recording), the inspiration for it was a nightmare bass player Steve Harris had after watching the film 'The Omen' (1976). A motion picture I'd recommend myself.

The record is remembered by Dickinson remarkable vocals, bringing Maiden music to a new dimension, and by maintaining the amazing instrumental level the band displayed in their two previous works: creative, catchy, talented guitar solos, captivating, rising drums and a strong, ever-present bass. Now, add that instrumental raw talent with great songwriting, clever melodies, riffs, bridges and choruses, all composed to draw the best these inspired musicians could do. Apart from all those compliments, The Number of the Beast is not without flaws as some songs can be a bit repetitive sometimes and the lyricism is quite simple, contemplating themes such as war and battles, desperation from facing death or the supernatural, and even contemplating the events around a brothel. For the tracks, the spotlight shines on Hallowed Be Thy Name, Run To The Hills and the title track, The Number Of The Beast.

A major success and undeniably famous - it's the reason why the band is also sometimes referred as "The Beast" - the album was the kickstart to Iron Maiden's legacy, which continues to this day. The year 1982 was way before my birth, and thus, I came to this work of art more than 20 years of its release. It might not be the best album of that year, or even Iron Maiden's best album, but, for me, it was a priceless experience to listen to The Number of the Beast, a classic of heavy metal that has been linking generations of old and young, experienced and rookie metalheads (and other music lovers) through time. 

An experience I'd like to pass on. Hope you get the link as well.

ТАНГРА (TANGRA) - Тангра II (Tangra II) (1986)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Nina A.

Music is known for having no boundaries. One good example is listening to Tangra (Тангра in the good cyrillic alphabet). A very popular band in the 80s and 90s, the band brings some of the Bulgarian rock and new wave scene. Their name, Tangra, is based on the sky god Tengri (spellings may vary), the main god of the old Turkic pantheon, also venerated by old Bulgar people.

This record, II, as the name implies, is their second album. In this easy-to-listen 10-track work, Tangra shows they can hold their own in the new wave scene, not being left behind by the genre big shots. In general, the record’s got a pop approach, intrinsic to the new wave movement, but it stands out due to good vocals, good guitar riffs, the fair share of electronic beats and lots of ooh-ooooohs.

With the help of modern-day wonders, such as translating tools, it was also possible to check the lyrics. While not a conceptual, philosophical album, the sky-god crew did a nice job as lyrics range from the love song and hit "До последен дъх" ("Till The Last Breath") to the modern-day routine critic "Делник" ("Workday"), to the metaphorical "Оловният войник" ("The Lead Soldier") and to a heavy break-up (that I hope it’s not a suicide) letter in "Така стоят нещата" ("That’s How Things Are").

This trip to Bulgaria was a very pleasant experience as Tangra made me listen again to 80s music. If you’re looking for a good new wave band that haven’t gone astray from rock, Тангра is more than worth a shot.

LENINE - O Dia Em Que Faremos Contato (1997)

Review by: Charly Saenz
Album assigned by: Victor Guimarães

This is a layman's review on a prominent Brazilian music album (Caetano himself recommended it, so go figure!). God bless you for reading. My lawyer is at the moment in Copacabana, so please don't sue me if I make too many mistakes or wrong assumptions.

The record starts off with "A Ponte", a phone modem dialing into the internet (hey, children, you probably don't know about this) and a boy talking about street music. "A Bridge" in english, in fact it indicates the intention of the album, to marry Brazilian popular music with Rock music elements, though, spoiler, it never attempts to betray its roots. Percussion is of course, the center of the music here, but there's a strong electronic beat to back it up.

  

"Hoje Eu Quero Sair Só" ("Today I Want To Go Out Alone") has a lovely intro with a laid back rock tone, Wah-Wah guitar effects in the distance. Great song, though a little over long. “Candeeiro Encantado" has a great bass line, and "Distantes Demais" is an inoffensive ballad that... has a total Tango feel (!) so it feels like home to me. "Que baque e esse" introduces itself as a piece of Hip hop music with a swirling guitar and vocal effects, and it mutates into an interesting mix with prominent horns included, slightly free-jazz in parts. “O Marco Marciano” instead begins with a raucous vocal part and doesn’t go anywhere from there.

The title track is a really an intoxicating song, with noises in the background, quite tribal and effective for the mistery of an extraterrestrial invasion. "Dois Olhos Negros" has a strong and well defined melody and nice work both for the rhythm guitar and the electric bits (with some hard rock riff at the end), it's probably my favourite of the lot. 

I'll say that it's an interesting album though I feel it's a little repetitive in parts, and though it tries for some fusion, it mostly uses rock instruments to give a different color to a good album of Brazilian popular music.

DREAM THEATER - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)

Review by: Graham Warnken
Album assigned by: Victor Guimarães

I never really feel qualified to analyze prog music, because I’m not really knowledgeable in musical theory. As a pianist of some eight or nine years this really shouldn’t be the case, but time signatures and key changes and whatnot aren’t something I’ve ever really been able to internalize. All this basically to say that I can’t really speak to the technical intricacy of anything on this album.

That said, what I go to prog albums for is an atmospheric listening experience. I listen to The Dark Side of the Moon or Pale Communion or In the Court of the Crimson King when I want to get into a certain mood, when I want to passively let sound wash over me rather than actively engage with the music. And in this respect, I quite enjoyed Scenes from a Memory.

It was always gonna be love at first sight, because the cover art is done by Dave McKean, the man who created the covers for every issue of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comics. The Sandman connection is indicative of the thematic material that is to follow: dreams, altered consciousness, the thin line between reality and illusion, etc. etc. Of course, as with pretty much every rock opera, the story is melodramatic and preposterous when examined under scrutiny, but as that’s a given it’s easy to move past. The lyrics are also nothing particularly special, but again, that’s not why I’m here by and large.

The music, then: I listened to the album as one long suite on YouTube with no divisions between songs, so I can’t really isolate moments on a name-by-name basis. The whole, however, was remarkably pleasing. The adjective “dreamlike” is too abstract to use, and bears connotations of hazy, misty ambience that isn’t really appropriate, but the music definitely does communicate the multi-layered perceptual maze that the album is all about. Twisting, intertwining instrumentals, reminiscent of Opeth’s more recent stuff but not as heavy, feel like water trickling through one’s ears or a helix spiraling upward in the brain. It’s an album to get lost in, to be experienced in total rather than in drips and drabs.

I thoroughly enjoyed this listening experience, and look forward to returning to Scenes from a Memory and Dream Theater’s other offerings. Here’s to a proficient, enveloping musical experience—even if the story is still kinda silly.

SANDY DENNY - The North Star Grassman and the Ravens (1971)

Review by: Victor Guimarães
Album assigned by: Charly Saenz

The very first Sandy Denny's album I've ever listened to was a perfect match for that particular rainy night I picked for the experience, which was a great surprise in itself. As a good Led Zeppelin fan, I've known her name from her part in “Battle of Evermore”, in the over-the-top classical Led album Untitled IV. Sandy was one of the talented musicians behind the legendary band Fairport Convention, one of the pillars of british folk in the 60s, but her tribulations and problem-prone career made her leave the band and, making her long story short, eventually led to this delicate piece of work reviewed here. 

Denny's vocals are something close to amazing, matching the sophisticated, ethereal, a bit sad and quite dreamy mood of the record.

The starting track, “Late November”, starts following this album sophisticated trend, getting most of the artist's vocal talent and lyricism as well as displaying great instrumentals, such as guitar and drums. Following, we have Sandy's beautiful interpretation of traditional Irish folk song “Blackwaterside”. Then, we've got “The Sea Captain”, which follows the album dreamy, ethereal atmosphere.

“Down in the Flood” is a Bob Dylan cover that shakes you from the sweet melodies from before to a rockier corner, with great contribution of guitarist Richard Thompson, Denny's companion in Fairport Convention times. 

The fifth track is “John the Gun”, my favourite on this record. A combined effort of Denny's talent and Thompson's support, the song brings in great vocals, guitar riffs and lyrics. Definitely a must-listen, probably worth a spot in a future “Best Of”. 

“Next time around”, a sad love song showing Denny's vocal talent as well as a very interesting strings arrangement. The seventh track, “The Optimist”, sports a happier melody befitting the title and lifting the spirits after the previous sad song.

“Let’s jump the broomstick”, a version of Brenda Lee song, written by Charles Robbins, is another tribute made by Denny in the album and, such as Dylan's tribute in the fourth song, brings a different mood to the record, this time with a more country, pop way. 

Next comes “Wretched Wilbur” in a comeback to the folk, ethereal mood, which helps to introduce the title track “The North Star Grassman and The Ravens”. Another great piece of work, the song displays a darker approach as the lyrics seem to be a nice metaphor for death. The second must-listen in the album. Finally, there is “Crazy Lady Blues”, a nice song that gives the listener something more than the classical blues approach one should expect regarding the title, resulting in an upbeat, high-spirited way of finishing this journey to 70s brit-folk scene. 

If you are looking for folk music with a light atmosphere and amazing vocals, The North Star Grassman and The Ravens would be not only a good call, but also an inspiration to listen to Sandy Denny's solo work and to Fairport Convention.