Haddad - Ars Longa Vita Brevis (2004)

Y continuamos con lo mejor de la música rock brasilera y volvemos con otro disco de Haddad, una banda formada por los hermanos Haddad allá por 1992 y este es su sexto álbum, música nada compleja ni difícil de escuchar, muy bien pensada y sobretodo, libre de influencias, cosa que la hace muy particular, ya sea para bien o para mal el sonido de la banda no me recuerda al de nadie, en lo que yo defino como un art-rock sinfónico con toques de jazz rock. Los invito a conocer esta banda, que seguramente será muy bienvenida por los oídos de mucho cabezón con ganas de conocer cosas interesantes que aún no ha escuchado.

Artista: Haddad
Álbum: Ars Longa Vita Brevis
Año: 2004
Género: Crossover prog
Duración: 45:17
Nacionalidad: Brasil

Buen álbum de progresivo sinfónico brazuca, no me pareció nada del otro mundo, aunque tampoco es malo. En realidad tiene buenas cosas pero no es para volverse loco, creo que su peor pecado es no tener una personalidad fuertemente definida, entonces tienen un sonido "descafeinado" y nada tiene que ver con que no puedan sonar con potencia si lo desean o por la cantidad de café que toman... como dije antes, eso podría ser un punto a favor porque la banda no me recuerda a nadie y está libre de influencias, pero por otro lado eso tiene que ir acompañado por algo más, que sea bien interesante, y es lo que aquí no alcanzo a encontrar. A pesar de eso no digo de que el disco sea malo y seguramente a muchos les gustará si es que le dedican una infíma parte de su precioso tiempo, porque en los momentos donde sacan a relucir cosas interesantes, el disco se pone muy bueno, lástima que ello no suceda en toda la extensión del disco.
Igualmente lo considero un álbum aceptable de una banda que no creo que vuelva loco a nadie, pero tampoco nadie tirará su trabajos a la basura. Ricos arreglos orquestales, muy buenos duelos de guitarras y teclados, aportes ocasionales del saxo, creando canciones hermosas, cálidas, sinceras, pintorescas y muy artísticas.

Yo definiría su estilo como un Art-Rock sinfónico de influencia clásica con fragmentos de jazz-rock, por ello mismo, decía que su sonido es muy particular, y si lograran composiciones más uniformes a lo largo del disco, este sería tremendamente bueno, pero que ahora llega al nivel de un buen disco con excelentes momentos.

El álbum contiene cuatro canciones cantadas y seis composiciones instrumentales, una de las cuales se distingue notablemente de todas las demás, se trata de "Pinky's Boogie", su tercer tema que es muy emotivo, compuesta por solos muy virtuosos y pasajes de guitarra acústica. Y aquí sí la banda sale a relucir y demuestra que verdaderamente puede crear cosas brillantes.
No he encontrado comentarios en castellano así que copio algunas cosas en inglés, publicadas en Progarchives, por si a alguien le sirve, yo ya dí mi veredicto.

This album takes the listener on quite a trip! It starts off with a funeral scene, and you can hear a priest saying "Ashes to ashes...dust to dust.." which is a bit gloomy, but there is also someone singing "I´m singing in the rain...just singing in the rain!" at the same time!
This sets the scene for disturbing, yet comfortable listening. The band transport the listener to another place, with soothing music that pulls the listener into a completely different state of mind. The lyrics are in Portuguese, but the music actually does the talking and puts one in a dreamy brooding state of mind.
"Roma Atomica" is quite political and you can hear G W Bush saying "If you are not with us, you are against us" They are obviously not too pleased about the current American Government and the state of the world in general! Actually, I found out that I have to be in the mood for this music, but once you start listening, you are pulled into another world. They also have a "tropical" sound and feel to their music. Great instrumentals with floating guitar sound (yet, quite raw sounding at the same time), and crystal clear playing, that I imagined myself on a deserted beach at sunset with the band playing right by my side!
For those who like to experiment and aren´t afraid of breaking out of the mould, this album is for you. To have the abilty to transport the listener into another world is what progressive music is all about!

Porgarchives

It was here, with this release, that I met HADDAD for the first time: the pleasure of hearing this album made me get back and seek for other previous band's works. There's a happy-end story behind it when talking about progressiveness - now they reached the point and they reached hugely! Every prog-thing is clearly noticed within "Ars Longa Vita Brevis": the concept, a mix of life & death with mankind at their lowest entropy point and. above all, art, the surviving whaler amid the wrecked ship of a decaying civilization; the arrangements - prog at its purest and best; the musicianship of band's member; the general atmosphere ranging from dark to poignant but leaving a feeling of grace and enjoyment.
Opening track, the title-song starts either thunderous and mournful, synths and sound effects provide the show that continues with some beautiful symphonic parts, catchy and agreeable in a way that a weary soul is easily carried to the stars. Piano, guitar, bass and drums work in harmony, the short sax interlude is amazing, vocals are great and the banquet is completed with nice lyrics. HADDAD set their guns in a grand manner.
The next track, the mini- epic 'Roma atômica' acts like a suite for the first one, the link between the songs is clear but now the sound is somber just like the grave singing voice. The band show their claws with the astonishing instrumentation, an appreciable achievement after so many years on the road. The majestic and sorrowful solo segment brings remembrances of PENDRAGON's 'Masquerade Overture' and goose bumps are inevitable.
Other album's tracks are average to good but not in the same level of the beginning double. 'Pinky's boogie' has a folk flair making it looks like HARMONIUM's 'Dixie'. 'Reddish bonfire', sung in English, is a soft ballad backed by hard guitars and interesting choir. The short 'Sierra Maestra' is a kind of pop-electronic-salsa filler. 'Saara' is a bit weary while 'Trianon' is agitated and even danceable with its funk rhythm. Album's near final part includes the half-exotic and half-rocky 'San Francisco Bay', the romantic-to-be 'Ismalia'. 'Dança das águas', the closing track, returns to the good ol' symphonic prog, this time blended with folk and nice inserts of hard-prog and fusion - a pretty farewell to the album, an expected so long to the band.
If there's a band yet to be discovered by the prog-crowd I believe that HADDAD poses as a fair candidate and "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" can be the admission ticket. Two first tracks and the final one are clear masterpieces but the album as a whole isn't although it's close to it; let's wait their next release. will it come?

Greg "WaywardSon"

Very interesting prog band from Brazil that makes a mix of various influences like symphonic rock, blues, jazz, pop and more. The result is a captivating array of songs that defy easy classification: not very complex, but tasteful, well crafted, well arranged and melodic. Most of the tracks are short, very keyboards driven. Lyrics are in portuguese and english, but unfortunatly the vocals are a problem: while Leandro´Haddad´s voice is not really bad, it is clear the band would benefit a lot if they had a ´proper´singer instead of a guy who just can sing in tune and nothing more. On the plus side the music is basicly instrumental and in this field they are skilled and very talented.
The production is quite good. There are no fillers and the songwriting in general is very fine. Ok, nothing is really new or groundbreaking but those are quite versatile and the album is quite varied, showing the band members can handle different styles without problem. I guess they could be a little more bold in the arrangements since they are so good, but it seems they are still inthe process of building their own sound and I found Ars Longa Vita Brevis a very enjoyable album. If you like eclectic, melodic prog.

Tarcisio Moura 
Lista de Temas:
1. Ars Longa Vita Brevis
2. Roma Atomica
3. Pinky's Boogie
4. Reddish Bonfire
5. Sierra Maestra
6. Saara
7. Trianon
8. San Francisco Bay
9. Ismalia
10. Danca das Aguas


Alineación:
- Gustavo Haddad / vocals, keyboards
- Leandro Haddad / guitars, vocals
- Paulo Pelissari / lead guitars
- Sergio Melo / drums
- Rubinho / bass
With:
Zezito / saxophone
Alexandre Lima / bass guitar