Banda do Casaco - Dos Beneficios dum Vendido no Reino dos Bonifacios (1975)

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Banda do Casaco - Dos Beneficios dum Vendido no Reino dos Bonifacios (1975)

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Great debut!

Banda do Casaco surely had the knowhow and when freedom of speech came to Portugal (1974…so late) they started recording one album each year, and this was the first, in75. Itґs not better nor worst than their other abums from the 70ґs, at least the ones i know (the first three), wich indicates that this was a very consistent group of musicians despiste the formation changes and various guests. They always seemed to be able to keep things interesting no matter what they did.

The Music: This is Folk,Prog Folk, not Rock! this has no Rock at all, this doesnґt even have drums, just some ocasional percussion here and there. still it has great rythm when itґs intended to.This are characteristics of Portuguese tradicional music, low on percussion, high on vocals and a sad feeling to it, melodies to make you cry…just like Fado! (Fado:tradicional music that consists in vocals and acoustic guitars of various types and sizes, exclusive from Portugal) Vocals are the main instrument and all the other instruments come and go as they support the excellent lyrics,all in Portuguese…please donґt ask me to translate,i havenґt got the time nor the knowledge to do so. I can only say that the lyrics are very political due to the times they where going through (Portugal just had a revolution,the fascist pigs got their ass kicked!)…political but ironic and funny, always simple…these where words for the people to understand, people who had been repressed for too long…i think you got the picture!

The Instruments: This guys played…everything, i donґt even know what…! Everything but drums, though not missed… the thing about BDCґs music are the melodies, the multi-instrumentalism and the message in the words, not the rythm. Remember Gentle Giant? these guys play as many, probably even more instruments than GG! And they do it very well, with virtuosity!(like GG!) And they go from very simple to extremely complicated in a blink of an eye, without any fuzz! Great dynamics!

So, if you want prog rock long epics you should keep away, this has no drums, does not rock and the tracks are short.

But if you are openminded and youґre looking for some folk orientated original music this is it! …and even if you donґt catch a word of Portuguese this will still be pleasant, this certainly dodges the obvious and thatґs what prog is about… something like you never heard before! Try it!

By progLee, Progarchives

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Typically when one see a Latin band listed as folk, particularly one whose genesis was in the seventies, the instant expectation is to hear either a lot of fat acoustic flamenco-like guitar and castanets; or yet another Santana clone. Well think more like the diversity and multi-disciplined artistic approach of Beggar’s Opera; a little bit of After Crying’s penchant for mixing chamber chorals with piano, ethnic instrumentation, and spoken-word passages; and Super Furry Animal’s sarcastic sense of humor, and you would be a bit closer to what these guys sound like.
It’s very difficult to assess an album when all the reference material about them is in Portuguese (unless you speak Portuguese of course), and when some thirty-two years have passed since the album had any kind of visibility beyond the band’s tight group of fans. But let’s try.

First, the album artwork here is more like something to be expected of Birth Control or even the Furries. Multimedia artist and band violinist Carlos Zнngaro provides the adult-underground like cartoon sketches on the cover, and while they’re kind of funny this is not what you’d expect of a folk band. Que sera.

The music here is an eclectic and haphazard mix of acoustic folk that borders on Wyrd at times, those chamber-like vocals supplied by just about everyone in the band but mostly the two female members Judi Brennan and Helena Afonso, the requisite acoustic guitars, Zнngaro’s violin, and all manner of brass, woodwinds and percussion. I even heard what sounded like a Jew’s harp on “Bonifacios “. The strings are mostly discordant and tense; the brass mostly improvisational and jazzy. There’s lots of delicate piano and even the occasional electric guitar. I’m not exactly sure how many instruments are employed among the nine band members, but there are about twenty listed in the liner notes.

So you get the picture: lots of instrumental sounds, plenty of vocals, and what seems to be a largely irreverent approach to composition that results in songs that require close attention to avoid missing anything.

There’s not much point in my trying to decipher all that’s going on here – that must be left to someone who has a native mastery of the Portuguese tongue. But a few observations can be made: “Horas de ponta e mola” contains the most emotive and beautiful strings on the album, while “Aliciaзгo - espirito imundo” blends Latin and Arab percussion and strings into a veritable stew pot of world music sound. Zнngaro shines on violin on the brief but beautiful “Henrique ser ou nao henriquecer”. And “Cocktail do braзo de prata” seems to cover about a century of folk sounds in its four and a half short minutes.

There’s lots to absorb here, and nearly all of it is worth the time and effort. I’ve only had the chance to listen to this for a couple of weeks and already I know I’ll be revisiting this review some time down the road to flesh it out with more discoveries. In the meantime I hope other progressive fans discover these guys and their deep discography. If this debut is any example then Banda do Casaco has plenty to offer. Four stars and well recommended.

Review by ClemofNazareth

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Banda do Casaco - Dos Beneficios dum Vendido no Reino dos Bonifacios (1975)

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Banda Do Casaco Biography:

BANDA DO CASACO's genesis comes from the reunion of jazz musician Nuno Rodrigues and FILARMУNICA FRAUDE's men Antуnio Pinho and Luнs Linhares, who made the decision to establish a new group who could wield some influence in the Portuguese music scene. Their first LP, "Dos Benefнcios de um Vendido no Reino dos Bonifбcios" is a real provocation to the estabilishment.
In 1976 they launched their second album, "Coisas do Arco da Velha", where the bands takes their satirical lyrics even further. The song "Й triste nгo saber ler" ("A sad thing, not knowing how to read") is a good example.
BANDA DO CASACO's third and most renowned album, 1977's "Hoje hб Conquilhas, Amanhг nгo Sabemos", features the inclusion in the band of Antуnio Pinheiro da Silva, as guitarist, as well as multi-instrumentalist Rгo Kyao. This is the band's most experimental album. Launched in 1978, the album "Contos da Barbearia" is a culmination of styles previously explored by the group.

After three years without any recordings, the band returns with in 1981 with a new album, "No Jardim da Celeste". This album is the most rock-oriented of the band, a natural repercussion the growing trend in Portugal. It featured the inclusion in the band of female singer Nй Ladeiras and Jerry Marotta, former drummer for Peter Gabriel.
In 1982, Antуnio Pinho leaves the group to write lyrics for pop-band "Doce", while the rest of the band present the album "Tambйm Eu", which for the first time features vocals all done by one member, Nй Ladeiras.

The final studio album by BANDA DO CASACO, 1984's "Com Ti Chitas", features the inclusion of a somewhat mystical figure in Portuguese music, old lady shepherd "Ti Chitas" (Catarina Sargenta), who sings and plays adufe on the album. It is the band's biggest approach to strict folk music and traditional themes. The group disbands shortly after, while the new pop-rock, punk-rock and synth-pop of the 80's slowly dominated the Portuguese musical scene.

Overall, the band had a very folkish sound, complemented by the use drums, keyboards and the occasional brass and strings, without really having a very strong focus on the "rock" part of "Progressive-Rock" or "Folk-Rock" (electric guitars, for instance, when in existence, were extremely subtle).

by Joгo Cotrim, Progarchives

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Banda do Casaco are a Portuguese Prog-Folk band active from 1974 to 1984 considered by some to be one of Portugal’s greatest Progressive rock bands. Their seminal album was the Hoje há Conquilhas, Amanhã não Sabemos released in 1976.

After the failure of the Filarmónica Fraude project, more for political reasons than quality, António Pinho (singer) and Luís Linhares (keys) joined with the ex Musica Novarum member Nuno Rodrigues (vocals and guitar) and Celso de Carvalho (Cello and Double bass) to form the group Banda do Casaco. Many guest musicians passed through the band in their active period and many used the band as a springboard for their own careers. The first album released was 1975’s Dos Benefícios de um Vendido no Reino dos Bonifácios followed by Coisas do Arco da Velha in 1976 which won the “Album of the Year” award in Portugal, notable for the appearance of Cândida Branca Flor on vocals. Their most renowned and considered by some, their most experimental, album was their 1977 release Hoje há Conquilhas, Amanhã não Sabemos which featured António Pinheiro da Silva on guitar, Rão Kyao on saxophone and Gabriela Schaaf on vocals. They went on to release Contos da Barbearia in 1978 followd by No Jardim da Celeste in 1981 which featured the inclusion of female singer Né Ladeiras and Jerry Marotta, Peter Gabriel’s former drummer.The band played live on only three occasions: at Aula Magna, Festa de S. Mateus in Viseu and Casa do Povo in Cacia. In 1982 Pinho left the group to write for girlband Doce but the band continued and released Também Eu in 1982. The bands final studio album was Com Ti Chitas, released in 1984, which featured Ti Chitas (Catarina Sergentina). The group disbanded shortly after.

The first album released was 1975’s Dos Benefícios de um Vendido no Reino dos Bonifácios followed by Coisas do Arco da Velha in 1976 which won the “Album of the Year” award in Portugal, notable for the appearance of Cândida Branca Flor on vocals. Their most renowned and considered by some, their most experimental, album was their 1977 release Hoje há Conquilhas, Amanhã não Sabemos which featured António Pinheiro da Silva on guitar, Rão Kyao on saxophone and Gabriela Schaaf on vocals. They went on to release Contos da Barbearia in 1978 followd by No Jardim da Celeste in 1981 which featured the inclusion of female singer Né Ladeiras and Jerry Marotta, Peter Gabriel’s former drummer.The band played live on only three occasions: at Aula Magna, Festa de S. Mateus in Viseu and Casa do Povo in Cacia. In 1982 Pinho left the group to write for girlband Doce but the band continued and released Também Eu in 1982. The bands final studio album was Com Ti Chitas, released in 1984, which featured Ti Chitas (Catarina Sergentina). The group disbanded shortly after.[

In 1993, Universal Music re- released the bands first two albums on CD. In November 2006 , their third album, Hoje Há Conquilhas, Amanhã Não Sabemos, was also re-released by the Companhia Nacional de Música.

~ Last FM

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Banda do Casaco - Dos Beneficios dum Vendido no Reino dos Bonifacios (1975)

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Banda do Casaco - Dos Beneficios dum Vendido no Reino dos Bonifacios (1975)

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