Haddad - Eros & Thanatos (2009)

Y seguimos con el progresivo brazuca y terminamos con la discografía de esta ignota banda llamada Haddad, y terminamos con su último trabajo publicado (al menos que yo sepa); un disco doble que es quizás su trabajo más meritorio, y para que vean, mejor dicho, escuchen como suena entren al posteo que no muerde. Y seguiremos con más progresivo brasilero de ayer y de hoy, que si de algo se nutre el blog cabeza es de los sonidos del under de todo el mundo, y sobretodo si es latinoamericano.

Artista: Haddad
Álbum: Eros & Thanatos
Año: 2009
Género: Rock sinfónico
Duración: 47:32 / 45:44
Nacionalidad: Brasil

Ahora sí, este es para mí el trabajo más interesante de esta banda, un álbum doble donde si bien ejercen el mismo progresivo sinfónico soft, ahora el estilo está más definido y el disco se deja escuchar y disfrutar de punta a punta, aunque sean dos álbums. Pongámonos de acuerdo, nunca lo eligiría como uno de mis discos top, pero es un buen ejemplo de como una banda no-prog (recordemos que al principio Haddad fue una banda de blues y rock&roll) fue transmutando a un agradable rock progresivo sin falsas estridencias, con un mixture de estilos (donde todavía aparece el blues, como "Fluidos rituais") pero ya con su senda y estilo bien claro.
Si no me equivoco, este fue el último álbum de la banda que actualmente no está en actividad, pero cuidado que me puedo equivocar, no estoy en contacto con estas bandas brasileras como lo estoy con las bandas argentinas, así que alguna equivocación puede existir.

Con buenas críticas (miren sino el primer review que copio, de la prestigiosa "DPRP - Dutch Progressive Rock Page", donde califican al álbum con uno de los álbums recondables: DPRP Recommended) es quizás el álbum más emblemático de la banda.
No encontré comentarios en castellano así que van algunos comentarios en inglés, peor es nada...

All of you fans out there who think that “melody is king”, pay attention now!
I’ve not been writing for DPRP for very long, but regular readers will by now know that I don’t tend to favour very long CDs, so you can imagine my trepidation at the thought of reviewing a double-CD from a Brazilian band that I hadn’t heard of before. However, as in life, then so in music: worrying about an event before it happens is not the best use of mental energy, and neither is dread about listening to music sensible. Eros & Thanatos has turned out to be one of the most intriguing and enjoyable albums of the year!
At the very beginning, the start of Deuses, Anjos, Homens & Bestas (translated - “Gods, Angels, Men & Beasts”), the music is reminiscent of Emerson, Lake & Palmer - more specifically of Keith Emerson - then further into the piece as the electric guitar comes in there are echoes of Karcius’s melding of classical and rock and then, as the flute is introduced, the memory flies to Camel, then there’s even some Jean-Michel Jarre. As the album progresses, through its meandering visits to various musical pastures, the abiding recollection and footprint is Camel’s – specifically post-Moonmadness Camel. The main reasons for this are the tempo (slow), the cleanness of the sound, the artists’ openness to different musical forms and the stress on melody as a key ingredient.
After listening to the two CDs a number of times, the conclusion that I draw is that Haddad’s Eros & Thanatos is like a musical patchwork quilt: throughout the work the band call on different musical styles - such is the idealisation that they occasionally seemingly quote musical phrases from elsewhere, like a non-satirical pastiche – and undertake subtle sonic and textural exploration within the music. The framework for this exploration, the thread pulling this “quilt” together, is the most sublime melodic writing I have heard in a long while. Listening to the album is a little like looking at a quilt, or any other work of art: you look at the whole and can absorb that and appreciate its beauty in one sense, as well as being able to look closer in and appreciate the varying detail within the overall. So it is with Eros & Thanatos: there is great beauty that you can enjoy over the two discs of the whole album, as well as the nuances of the individual pieces. What you take away after listening though is the melody; absolutely stunning! The melodic writing is so good that these guys could, if they wished, be writing song after song for the hit parade and make shed-loads of money. Instead they suffuse it with progressive thinking...ah well, at least they are true to their art!
It is fair to give a warning at this point: this music will not appeal to all, for three reasons: the slowness of the tempo, the lightness of the music (the Brazilian progressive web site calls it “soft-prog”) and the fact that the majority of songs are (very well) sung in Portuguese, so understanding the words may be difficult for most of you. But, believe me, you will understand the melodies!
Haddad are a family-run band from Vitória in Brazil. Their previous album, 2004’s Ars Longa Vita Brevis received a favourable review from Joris Donkel on DPRP, although clearly Joris prefers his music faster and rockier – it’s like I said above folks! I have not yet heard the previous album, but judging by his review it is in a similar vein to Eros & Thanatos (click here for Joris’s review of Ars Longa Vita Brevis). I can’t wait to get my hands on it!.
The band’s sonic and textural exploration is undertaken virtue of Gustavo Haddad’s various keyboards and synthesizers, as well as from the more organic sounds provided by band members Leandro Haddad’s classic guitar, and the lyrical electric lead guitar playing of Paulo Pelissari’s and Gabriel Haddad. The band Haddad are completed by Rubinho on bass and Sérgio Melo on drums. Additionally, further textures are added by invited musicians: for instance, flute, violin and saxophone (this last beautifully played – given some sumptuous melodic phrases – by the Haddad’s family father, Zezito, who is nearly 90!).
There are too many songs to describe them all individually, but let me give you a quick guide. Looking at the song durations, you can immediately see that there are distinct types of compositions. Those that are greater than about 8 minutes have greater development and variety than the shorter songs, more “progressive” if you like: for instance, both the opening number, Deuses, Anjos, Homens & Bestas, and the closing one, Twilight Zone - which features singing in both English and Portuguese – fit neatly into this category. Slightly shorter songs such as Se o Céu Não Tem Almas Para Nos Dar also fit this general rule. The very short songs, however, tend to be pastiches or simpler, undeveloped, melodies: Viena Flashbacks, for instance, must be a memory of a visit to the Prater amusement park and its keyboard sound emulates a fairground organ; and Joie de Vivre has a very traditional French-flavoured tune at heart. Elsewhere you’ll get nuances of waltz, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and more. These are the individual musical “patches” that skilfully make up the pretty “quilt”. But, wherever you are on the album, that melody-to-die-for is never far away, played on this instrument or that, or sung. It’s the melody that keeps you listening and coming back again for more – gorgeous!
I’ve given the album a “DPRP Recommended” score, which it firmly deserves. That recommendation is reinforced if you do not object to lighter music but is given with caution if your taste for heavier rock does not allow you to occasionally enjoy mellower musical pastures.

Alex Torres

HADDAD is a current Brazilian band, that exists since the mid-Eighties. It can be regarded a a real family affair ! Here's Gustavo HADDAD on keyboards and vocals, his brother Leandro on guitars and the father Zezito on saxophone. This allows us to hear beautiful alto saxophone parts, by the way ! They are helped by a guitarist, a bass player and a drummer. Their aim is to deliver a melodious and refined Progressive rock music, partly instrumental, in the grand tradition of the Anglo-Saxon masters (GENESIS, CAMEL, IQ, MARILLION...). Recorded in the year 2004, "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" is already their sixth album ! Lyrical guitars, sophisticated melodies, lively rythms and symphonic keyboards are the main ingredients of this nice music full of freshness and positive vibrations. Add to this a discreet and elegant Latin melancholy. To be sipped without restriction ! "Eros E Thanatos" (2009) is already the seventh offering by the family, now extended to a third generation, thanks to guitarist Gabriel HADDAD, the son of the keyboards player. This conceptual double-album is presented in an elegant Digipack, including a twenty-four pages full-colour booklet. The lyrics are shared between English (A little) and Portuguese, and the tracks are split between short "songs" and long epic suites. Excellent !

Musea Records

The sixth album from this band from Brazil and a very big chunk of new music too.
There is a five years long gap between this and the previous album. Eros & Thanatos being a double album and over ninety minutes long, I take a wild guess and take it that these ninety minutes is the sum of five years song writing.
Haddad's music is pretty uncomplicated prog, bordering to pop/rock. If you are into intricate details and masterful use of instruments; do not bother about reading the rest of this review. This album is not for you. What you get here is a lot of piano based ballads mixed up with some half speeded up songs. Some of the music is dangerously close to be considered housewife pop. But most of the music here is what we safely can label as music for those who have lived a while. That means rocking chair, finger biscuits and tea. Nurse alert; I guess I will enjoy this album far more in 20 years time than now.
The music is not without some nice details though. Although some of the music here is dreary piano ballads, some of the music is also full of small interesting details. Mostly when the keyboard is fired up and is let loose with some fortissimo jazz inspired melodies. That's when even a middle aged man like myself enjoys what comes out of the speakers.
In short; this album has it's good and bad sides. But the overall quality is good. But let's say I will wait some years to play this album again. Ninety minutes with this type of music is a bridge too far for me. A belated three stars and a memo to my local retirement home.

Toroddfuglesteg

 

Lo pueden escuchar en Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/album/2OuCajPPHQbhdFPlePVG7V

 

 

 

Lista de Temas:
Disco 1:
1. Deuses Anjos Homens & Bestas
2. Solidão
3. A Colonia Dos Cybermen
4. Liberdade Cedo Ou Tarde
5. Fluidos Rituais
6. O Executor
7. Viena Flashbacks
8. Punk Baby Lou
9. Eros & Thanatos

Disco 2:
1. Se O Céu Não Tem Almas Para Nos Dar
2. Horizontes
3. Alright
4. A Dança Da Viúva Negra
5. Raios Da Centaura
6. Joie de Vivre
7. Rotina
8. Brother John
9. O Voo Da Feiticeira
10. Twilight Zone

Alineación:
- Gustavo Haddad / keyboards, vocals
- Leandro Haddad / acoustic guitar
- Paulo Pelissari / electric guitar
- Rubinho / bass guitar
- Sergio Melo / drums
- Gabriel Haddad / acoustic & electric guitars