ALHOS COM BUGALHOS

Almondegas third album came tuwo years after the successful Aqui. Alhos Com Bugalhos shows the band expanding their instrumentation even more (now bass and drums are almost integral part of their sound), while the songwriting and playing is more varied and mature than ever. The production is too more sophisticated (some would say too safe and slick) than on previous CDs. The backing vocals are quite elaborated, but somehow they were also missing some of their early appeal as a southern folk act, with proper musical language and style. More than half of the CD sounds like a lot of traditional brazilian artists of that era.

Still the band was able to leave their mark with songs like Palpos De Aranha and Gaucho do Passo Fundo (Gaucho is someone born in Rio Grande Do Sul, their state, and Passo Fundo is a small town there famous for its conservative ways). They also show they lost none of their humor with the rock´n roll parody of Ri Do Rock (laugh at rock). While Almondegas kept the faith in the acoustic format, their musical tapestry is now adornated with other instruments depending on the style they were now playing (strings, accordion, trumpet, etc). Unfortunatly they were hardly the only ones doing that kind of stuff.

Although very good, and getting some nice reviews in the musical press, this work was not a hit. It was largely ignored by the public and the general feeling was that the band has become just another generic folk outfit of the time, a faceless group in a sea of other equally talented but undistinguished acts.

Rating: 2,5 stars.