MÁRIO LOPES

The track "Grilo" (Cricket) has the flavour, most of the time, of a walk in the park on the end of the afternoon. The style can be best described as a crossover prog with some jazzy approaches. Flute and flugel horn offers very pleasent notes. Sometimes there are dissonances, and more complex measures and harmonies, without changing the mood of the song.

"Saguim" is a very common animal, and very urban too, in the country where I live, Brazil. It's a little and quick monkey. He eats practically everything we humans ingest, and because of that, even though he's not domesticable, generally he doesn't stay too far from our houses and restaurants. For those who don't have much information about Brazil or never had been here, don't worry. I can assure they don't walk on the streets, and only very, very unoften seeks for food inside houses. Well, I made a little research, and found out this animal only belongs to South America. It's interesting that Mário Lopes used this specimen for a title of one of the songs. I won't consider possibilities about that, but now you can make, if you desire, make your own deductions. Going back to the music, this time there is a festive accent, almost circus-like sometimes. Rhythmic guitar and trumpet print a good dose of swing on the song, and this proposal is present in practically all its extention. In its middle, an elegant and delicious cavaquinho takes the lead, before some big band executions. This track is all instrumental.

I'm not sure about the meaning of the title "Kalinka Lady tu". I know that Kalinka is an antique russian folk tune. Moreover, that Kalinka could be easily associated with a female human name. And "tu" means "you" in english. On my impressions until now, I can't tell if this song has a russian or a spanish influence; probably from both. The mandolim seems hispanic, and so are the claps and the accordion on the background. A sensational trumpet completes the harmony on the beginning. The entrance of the tube, later, brings some bass tones, that precede great short vocalizations that appears to be celebrating and/or fraternizing. This is a tasty song with a slight sensuality.

"Uma espécie de chibo" is hard (for me) to translate. "Uma espécie de" means "A kind of a(n)", or "A type of a(n)". But "chibo" is a word used much more in Portugal than in Brazil, if my little research is correct. And what I understood is that it has several meanings, but the two major are: 1. a young goat; or 2. A whistleblower. Musically it has, since from the start, a very proeminent bass, with a funk-rock performance many times on the song. Eventually with some hard-rock pointings. Accordion is used in a very different way, transmitting what I'd call the felling of 'concern'. On its second half, this consistent track gets a little heavier, and some intriguing short vocal phrases are sang.

"Quimera" (Chimera) starts with a macabre voice whispering and then shouting 'Chimera'. A powerful guitar strikes the air. The viola and atabaques, along with the xylophone, gives an exuberant contour to this part of the suíte! At one point, a narrator, simulating a journalist trying to demonstrate tranquility, says that people have seen a mysterious creature , and that experts are taking care of it. Therefore, the song goes on, brilliantly crimsonian.

The suite's second part has an engaging rhythym, using many different kinds of percussion. When the piano joins, it's full of swing, dialoguing with wind instruments. Before the wind instruments make some dialogues between themselves. Richness can be undeniably attributed to this composition. Suddenly, on its middle, an arab touch is brought, and therefore they travel through some latin music influences. Surprising combinations that work! On the end the track becomes more robust ans intense.

Last track has a melancholic cello, before the arriving of calm rhythmic sections. The mood changes, not too much, becoming what made me think of a sad circus. On my first auditions, my impressions were that the executions gets a little confusing. But on my last auditions I captured the song. As a matter of fact, it has unusual cadences and a lot of changes of direction. I have only one criticism for this track: its completion isn't so well crafted.

This conceptual work is growing on me at each hearing. My rating for it today is 4.6.