FEATURED CD - Lei Seca : Art Rock

[Duncan Glenday]

Per ProgArchives:

The album's title is true. This Brazilian band did, in 1999, an artistic work that reminds the progressive epic and glorious times, adding ethnic and folk touches.

Influences could be PINK FLOYD (some atmospherical moments), CAMEL (the melodic line) and ELOY (symphonic and pompous soundscapes). Nevertheless, music sounds fresh and always interesting due constant changes and surprises. "Art Rock" is basically instrumental (fortunately, because the vocalist -singing in English- is the band's lowest point).

"Krakatoa" is the highlight: a long epic piece conformed by many short, beautiful and very symphonic compositions, cohesively joined. A majestic track. "Amadeus I" is a sort of vals played in samba rythm (the Brazilian national music), very nice. "Lei Seca II" is melodic and plenty of rythmical changes, great piece. In the same vein is "Amadeus II": along seven minutes, music flows from atmospheric to energetic moments, including a short homage to Mozart through a classical melody composed by the fantastic Austrian musician. "Sr. Walker" is a very nice instrumental track with lots of percussion. Finally, "Keep the Koram II" is another epic song plenty of changes with some Eastern and folky hints (accordion is used here).

One of prog rock characteristic is the frequent rythmical variation inside the same composition. Many bands do it, but just a few are able to be so cohesive as LEI SECA in "Art Rock", keeping -at the same time- the melodic beauty along the whole stuff. An excellent album.

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=794

[Just Eric]

Once again Duncan has reached into my collection for the Featured CD. :-P

I remember listening to this many times when I first picked it up several years ago, but it hasn't seen the inside of a CD player in quite some time. Decent Synphonic Prog, not memorable nor unforgettable, somewhere in between.

[Duncan Glenday]

LOL@Eric

[bob_32_116]

"Lei Seca" translates as "Dry Law". Obviously a reference to laws relating to production or consumption of alcohol, such as in the U.S. prohibition era. That's one of the lamest band names I have come across, unless there is some extra significance to the phrase in Brazil.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I can actually think of even lamer names than this, but that's just me.

I remember this CD very well from buying a lot of current South American so-called "prog" stuff around the turn of the century (Mandragora, Grandbell, Matraz, Nexus, Solis, Sarax, Fulano, Mar de Robles, Akineton Retard, Tryo, Naranja Mecanica, Las Orejas y la Lengua and so on). I always thought that for a continent known for so much incredible music, the modern (i.e. ultimo 1983 and on) contribution to "progressive" rock was itself rather modest. Argentina and Brazil, espec, spewed out interesting new rock music during the late 60s until the early 80s. Lei Seca weren't bad, just not that memorable either - IMHO.

[Paulrus]

That cover is a joke, right? Or did they really get the drummer's girlfriend to copy the cover of some 1992 Elder Scrolls video game?

[Scrotum Scissor]

I only know that Marillion's covers are meant to be taken dead seriously, and they actually sold some copies.

[pmrviana]

"Lei Seca" translates as "Dry Law". Obviously a reference to laws relating to production or consumption of alcohol, such as in the U.S. prohibition era. That's one of the lamest band names I have come across, unless there is some extra significance to the phrase in Brazil.

The term "Lei Seca" is currenty associated in Brazil with a recent "Zero Tolerance" law for driving under the effects of alcohol. It is very common now to have police road blitz in certain locations to stop drivers and test them with breathalizers. People usually refer to that as "Lei Seca". But funny thing is that this law is from 2008, and I see this CD was released in 1999, so it can't possibly refer to that...

[Pr33t]

I remember this CD very well from buying a lot of current South American so-called "prog" stuff around the turn of the century (Mandragora, Grandbell, Matraz, Nexus, Solis, Sarax, Fulano, Mar de Robles, Akineton Retard, Tryo, Naranja Mecanica, Las Orejas y la Lengua and so on). I always thought that for a continent known for so much incredible music, the modern (i.e. ultimo 1983 and on) contribution to "progressive" rock was itself rather modest. Argentina and Brazil, espec, spewed out interesting new rock music during the late 60s until the early 80s. Lei Seca weren't bad, just not that memorable either - IMHO.

Las Orejas y la Lengua was one of the more hidden gems that came out of that whole stable. Can't say much else really did the trick for me.

I'm wondering if the socio-political issues in the 60s and 70s were more of a catalyst for interesting, experimental music that was a direct backlash to the totalitarian regimes prevalent in most of South America. By the time the 80s and 90s rolled around, things were more stable and less fruitful for expressing dissent through art.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I'm wondering if the socio-political issues in the 60s and 70s were more of a catalyst for interesting, experimental music that was a direct backlash to the totalitarian regimes prevalent in most of South America.

Authoritarian, yes - for sure. And dreadful as hell. But hardly totalitarian. Yet I agree with your main thesis here; I even wrote an introductory article on the Tropicalismovement (and more specifically on Os Mutantes) for Tarkus Magazine some six years back in which I stressed this connection quite harshly. It's also rather telling that the most interesting South American progressive rock music was made almost exclusively in countries marked by brutal dictatorships: Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay.

Luckily, there are some very good artists coming out from South and Latin America nowadays. But they seem fairly untouched by the "usual" axis of what is popularly deemed as "prog". Better for it, I suppose.

[bob_32_116]

I spent quite some time in Brazil in 1979 and 1980, mostly in Rio. The impression I got from speaking to people was that during the 60s and early 70s many iconic Brazilian musicians had gone into self-imposed exile for one reason or another, and as a result the national music scene had gone into decline. By 1979 they still had dictatorship, but it was a comparatively benign dictatorship under Figuereido; there was very little oppression, and the culture was undergoing somewhat of a renaissance. Whatever the reason, I can say that I have never visited a country where the culture was so much in evidence as a living entity, as opposed to being kept alive for the benefit of the tourists. Those people seem to live and breathe music and dance.

I recall once being on a bus when we passed a samba troupe. Within seconds the whole bus became one massive percussion instrument, as ever single passenger put their hand out the window to bang on the side of the bus in time with the rhythm of the music.

[spacefreak]

I remember it from back in the day. Had sold it long time ago as it proved rather unmemorable.