Review Summary: Portuguese prog goes political
Who would have thought that the mythical cavaquinho master, Júlio Pereira, was one of the musicians to boost progressive rock in Portugal. After his brief stint with the pioneers Petrus Castrus, Júlio Pereira embarked on a final rock work in 1975, together with another musician, Carlos Cavalheiro, a member of the band Alarme. They both went to dig up 1973's hard rock project Xarhanga and edited two singles for a last ditch effort.
The album, “Bota Fora”, presents itself as a strong political aspect, strongly marked by socialism and communism. The theme mainly addresses the situation in Portugal after the 25th of April, namely the Portuguese colonies, the consequences of the Colonial War (1961-1974), and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola. The lyrics, unlike the music, are written by several musicians such as Fausto, José Mário Branco, Sérgio Godinho, and also by the poet Manuel Alegre, with the exception of the last track, authored by master Pereira.
On the musical side, Júlio Pereira is the great mastermind behind it all. Not only does the master play virtually all the instruments (the vocals are in charge of Carlos Cavalheiro), but he also composes all the music. This one is of exceptional quality, as it displays excellent musical technique and essential originality. The nine tracks are relatively short for the demands of prog rock, hovering between three and four minutes, which go straight to scare without leaving anything out. The sound is heavily influenced by bands like Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Genesis, Petrus Castrus, as well as some African music. Both the keys and the guitars are the focus of the songs in general.
In short, Bota Fora is a pearl of Portuguese prog, an obscure record that subtracts the prog rock made in the 1970s. Master Júlio Pereira and musician Carlos Cavalheiro leave a unique entrance full of good music and arrangements, which never fail to entertain. However, the lyrics end up being too much around a single theme, leaving the conceptual quality short of musical excellence. What is now a rare and very expensive LP, was at the time one of the pillars of Portuguese progressive rock.
